Placenta Association of the Americas Conference Grant

描述（由申请人提供）：胎盘是一个独特的器官，在怀孕期间有多种用途。它作为一个交换器官，确保向胎儿提供充足的营养，作为一个复杂的内分泌器官，在母亲和胎儿之间传递信号，并作为传染性病原体和药物传播的屏障。胎盘功能的（病理）生理学、生物化学和分子生物学不仅极其复杂，而且涉及许多学科的研究和广泛的调查技术。参与胎盘功能研究的科学家和临床医生必须能够定期会面和互动，以分享想法，概述新的研究途径并开展合作。这一研究领域的独特性推动了这种独特的互动需求。多年来，通过妇科研究学会的年度滋养层卫星会议和罗切斯特滋养层会议在美国组织的定期会议，这些需求得到了成功的满足。以前组织这些会议的两个团体已改组为美洲胎盘协会，其主要目标是继续组织这些重要会议。这份申请是为了资助这些会议。PAA卫星会议的目标是为胎盘生物学专家的专题研究报告提供一个定期、低成本的论坛，这将鼓励研究生、临床和博士后研究员出席会议并激发他们的兴趣。从2003年到2007年，这些会议将继续作为SGI的卫星会议。 PAA还计划在2004年9月举行一次独立会议（PAA 2004，9月25日至29日）。本次会议的目标是提供一个场所，深入讨论胎盘生物学的广泛研究课题，将来自各个领域的临床和基础科学家聚集在一起，促进讨论和互动，并创造一个会议，其中胎盘学领域的研究人员，特别是年轻的研究人员，可以提出，互动和发展新的合作研究工作。PAA 2004的主题是“信号和胎盘”，重点领域是1）代际信号，2）母胎调节信号，3）血管生成和氧合，4）滋养层信号通路，5）信号和毒理学干扰和6）信号和免疫刺激/耐受。此外，还将举办与全体会议有关的讲习班，为提交的和年轻的研究人员进行口头介绍的口头会议，海报会议和技术会议。要求提供经费，以支助应邀发言者参加卫星会议和2004年方案和评估会议的旅费，以及青年调查员参加2004年方案和评估会议的旅费。目前正在寻求基金会和私营公司提供更多支助。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The placenta is a unique organ, serving multiple purposes during pregnancy. It serves as an exchange organ, ensuring an adequate flow of nutrients to the fetus, as a complex endocrine organ, transmitting signals between mother and fetus and as a barrier to the transmission of infectious agents and drugs. The (patho)physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology of placental function are not only extremely complex, but involve studies from many disciplines and a broad range of investigative techniques. It is essential that scientists and clinicians involved in research on placental function are able to meet and interact regularly to share ideas, to outline new investigative avenues and develop collaborations. The singular nature of this research field drives this unique requirement for interaction. For many years these needs have been met successfully through the annual trophoblast satellite meetings at the Society for Gynecologic Investigation and through the periodic meetings organized in the U.S. by the Rochester Trophoblast Conference. The two groups which previously organized these meetings have been reorganized as the Placenta Association of the Americas (PAA), which has as its primary objective, the continued organization of these essential meetings. This application is for funds to support those meetings. The goal of the PAA Satellite Meetings is to provide a regular, low-cost forum for topical research presentations by experts in placental biology which will encourage attendance and stimulate interest by graduate students, clinical and postdoctoral fellows. These meetings will continue as satellite meetings to the SGI from 2003 through 2007. The PAA is also planning a stand-alone meeting in September 2004 (PAA2004, Sept 25-29). The goal of this meeting is to provide a venue for in-depth discussions of a broad range of research topics in placental biology, to bring together clinical and basic scientists from a variety of fields in an atmosphere which promotes discussion and interaction, and to create a meeting in which investigators in the field of placentology, especially young investigators, can present, interact and develop new collaborative research efforts. The theme of PAA2004 is "Signaling and the Placenta" with areas of focus on 1) intergenerational signaling, 2) maternal-fetal regulatory signaling, 3) angiogenesis and oxygenation, 4) trophoblast signaling pathways, 5) signaling and toxicological interference and 6) signaling and immuno-stimulation/tolerance. In addition there will be workshops associated with the plenary sessions, oral sessions for submitted and young investigator oral presentations, poster sessions and techniques sessions. Funds are requested for the support of travel for invited speakers for both the satellite meeting and PAA2004 and for young investigator travel for PAA2004. Additional support is being sought from foundations and private corporations.