32nd International Narcotics Research Conference(INRC)

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DESCRIPTION: (Applicant's Abstract) This application is for support of the 32nd annual meeting of the International Narcotics Research Conference (INRC). The Conference will be held in Helsinki, Finland, July 14-19, 2001. The INRC has for many years been the most prestigious international meeting for the dissemination and exchange of current information in the area of biomedical research on opiate drugs and on the endogenous opioid system. The topics range from molecular to behavioral and clinically related studies. There is increasing discussion of other abused drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine and alcohol, since extensive interaction between these drugs and the endogenous opioid system has been documented. Support is requested primarily for partial travel support to enable young scientists, i.e. graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and young independent researchers and junior faculty, to participate in the conference. A small portion of the funds will be used to support distinguished plenary speakers from other disciplines, relevant to research on addictive drugs, who will describe strategies, concepts or techniques likely to be useful to an INRC audience. Invited symposium speakers, not normally INRC participants, will receive partial support. Finally, we ask for funds for administrative and meeting expenses, representing about 15 percent of the total requested funds. This year we plan to invite four plenary speakers covering topics from "opioids in evolution" to "regeneration of the central nervous system." There will be eight symposia covering a wide range of topics described in the application with only limited overlap with the topics covered at the previous INRC, in areas deemed sufficiently fast moving to deserve an update. A number of relevant contributed papers will be chosen for oral presentation at each symposium and there will be three poster sessions, each lasting two hours, at which there is always much exchange and discussion. Ample time is also allotted at the symposia for discussion. Lively discussions are a hallmark of INRC meetings, held in informal settings where interaction between participants is easy. For many participants from various countries, this international meeting presents the only chance to meet and exchange ideas. Many new collaborations and friendships have resulted from this conference and this trend will surely continue. We also feel that the participation by a large number of pre- and post-doctoral students has resulted and, hopefully, will continue to result in recruiting promising young scientists to a career that includes drug abuse research.