This application seeks support for the 9th International Symposium on NeuroVirology that will be held as a 3.5 day meeting scheduled for June 2-6, 2009 in Miami, Florida, USA, and sponsored, in part, by the International Society for NeuroVirology (ISNV). This symposium will be the ninth in a series that was initiated in 1997. Specifically, the application requests funding to cover the costs of (1) plenary session speakers, (2) workshop speakers, (3) special lecturers (4) travel grants for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and clinical fellows, (5) preparation of on-site registration packet materials, (6) poster session costs, (7) rental of audiovisual equipment, (8) rental of rooms for workshop and poster sessions, (9) administrative effort associated with registration, program preparation, abstract processing, and general meeting preparation activities, and (10) web-based management of all meeting activities.
The specific aims of the 9th International Symposium on NeuroVirology are to provide a forum for the dissemination of new information related to (1) HIV disease and neurologic complications (2) Innate and adaptive immunity (3) NeuroAIDS and minor neurocognitive disorders (4) Psychoneuroimmunology (5) Pathogenesis of neurotropic viruses (6) Molecular biology of neurotropic viruses (7) Viral reservoirs and latency (8) Animal models and neuropathogenesis, (9) Substance abuse and other co-morbidities, (10) Host and viral genetics, (11) Biomarkers and disease prediction and monitoring, (q14 Aging and neurodegenerative disease, (13) Pathologic consequences of long-term antiretroviral therapy, and (14) Stem cell biology and neurogenesis. The 9th Symposium will also (1) enhance cross-fertilization of basic/clinical science concepts concerning prevention and treatment of neurologic disease caused by HIV and a number of other viral and non-viral pathogens, (2) facilitate the attraction of young investigators to an important and growing multi-disciplinary field of investigation (Investigators-in-Training sessions and networking lunches), (3) stimulate collaborations with an international scope including the nurturing of research in underdeveloped regions of the world, (4) emphasize the development of basic scientific concepts and dogma (Scientific Paradigm Building Lecture), (5) emphasize the major contributions of outstanding women in the development of biomedical science (Women's Excellence in Science Lecture), (6) Bill Narayan Lectureship to recognize important achievements in the use of animal models to develop vaccines and therapeutics. Overall, the 9th International Symposium will seek to update investigators working in the field of neurovirology and related disciplines with leading edge information so that important gaps in knowledge can continue to be identified. Armed with this information, attendees will work toward formulating new questions and experimental directions to enhance the development of new strategies to prevent, diagnose, and treat neurologic disease associated with prions, HIV, and other viral and non-viral pathogens. It is anticipated that approximately 350 individuals will attend the 9th Symposium with more than 250 abstracts and greater than 50 oral presentations. The research presented and discussed at the 9th International Symposium on NeuroVirology will focus on the development of new strategies to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases of the human nervous system caused by viral and other non-viral infectious disease agents. In particular, the presentations, discussion, and strategic planning and collaborative science developed at this meeting will be directed at identifying new strategies to control the immune system to optimize the prevention and treatment of neurologic disease in humans of different ages, gender, and ethnic/racial backgrounds and will focus for the first time on selected aspects of the discipline of psychoneuroimmunology relevant to neurovirology. The Symposium will also overview ongoing international research efforts in NeuroAIDS, neurovirology, and diseases caused by other non-viral CNS pathogens.
The research presented and discussed at the 9th International Symposium on NeuroVirology will focus on the development of new strategies to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases of the human nervous system caused by viral and other non-viral infectious disease agents. In particular, the presentations, discussion, and strategic planning and collaborative science developed at this meeting will be directed at identifying new strategies to control the immune system to optimize the prevention and treatment of neurologic disease in humans of different ages, gender, and ethnic/racial backgrounds and will focus for the first time on selected aspects of the discipline of psychoneuroimmunology relevant to neurovirology. The Symposium will also overview ongoing international research efforts in NeuroAIDS, neurovirology, and diseases caused by other non-viral CNS pathogens.
