This proposal is a request for funds to support Cerebral Vascular Biology 2003 (CVB 2003), a meeting of researchers from across the world who are interested in vascular control of the neural microenvironment and the role of brain vasculature in disease processes including brain tumors, neurodegenerative disorders, stroke, ischemia, and neural infections. Because the brain vasculature impedes CNS drug delivery for many agents, a corollary focus of the meeting will be the development of novel therapeutic strategies to improve drug delivery to treat CNS disorders. CVB2003 will be held in June 2003 in Amarillo, Texas and will be the fourth in a series of CVB meetings that have been held previously over the past decade in Duluth, Minnesota, Paris, France, Portland Oregon, and Cambridge, England. The meeting will bring together scientists from a number of diverse fields from across the world who have interests in the brain capillary endothelium, and the blood-brain and blood-CSF barriers. Although opportunities exist at national meetings and conferences for scientists in the cerebrovascular field to present and communicate their research, few such meetings provide a concentrated focus on the blood-brain barrier and the problems that it presents in medical therapy of CNS disorders. The first CVB meeting was held in the early 1990's to help foster communication among scientists in the field from across the world in this key area and to help build research interaction. The blood-brain barrier is of particular interest to the pharmaceutical industry as the barrier is a major impediment to drug development for the CNS. CVB2003 will focus on new advances in areas of regulation and function of the brain capillary endothelium as well as novel developments in strategies to """"""""overcome"""""""" the blood-brain barrier to drug delivery. Invited speakers have been chosen based upon recent cutting-edge contributions to the field (e.g., breakthrough advances and insights) as well as their presentation skills. A strong effort was made to obtain speakers from diverse geographical areas and interest topics within the field. Session chairs were chosen based upon their eminence and experience within the field. The meeting will provide critical oral and poster presentation opportunities for new and established researchers as well as students and post-docs within the blood-brain barrier area to share ideas and foster new collaborations.
