TWELFTH INTERNATIONAL PATHOGENIC NEISSERIA CONFERENCE

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The purpose of this application is to request support for the "The Twelfth International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference." The emphasis of this conference is the public health impact of the pathogenic Neisseria in both developed and developing countries, and how basic and applied research are contributing to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases caused by these bacteria. This is the major international conference in the field and attracts over 400 scientists and public health officials from over 30 countries. The first conference in the series was held in 1978, in San Francisco, and conferences have been held every two years since then, alternating between Europe and North America. The conferences in the past have allowed for the establishment of close interactions among scientists from different scientific backgrounds for an exchange of ideas, expertise, and new technologies. Such interdisciplinary collaborations have fostered open dialogues and it is expected that the Twelfth International Pathogenic Neisseria Conference will continue in this tradition. The application requests support for 40 students, post-doctoral fellows and young investigators to attend the conference. The specific aims of the meeting are: 1) to bring together investigators from universities, governments and the biologics industry who study Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis and the diseases that these pathogens cause; 2) to assess the current studies on the molecular mechanisms by which the pathogenic Neisseria are able to invade and evade the host immune system; 3) to share new developments in neisserial genomics and discuss and plan how this information will facilitate studies of gene expression and further understanding of interaction of Neisseria with infected hosts; 4) to evaluate new and developing vaccines and treatment to prevent neisserial disease; 5) to disseminate important new findings concerning the pathogenic mechanisms and epidemiological surveillance of Neisseria and provide information to improve control through immunization; and 6) to develop a new research agenda for the study of the pathogenic Neisseria and to recommend new and future research initiatives and prioritize these.