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。它是一个交换器官，确保营养物质充足地流向胎儿；它是一个复杂的内分泌器官，在母亲和胎儿之间传递信号，并作为传染病和药物传播的屏障。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，而且涉及许多学科和广泛的研究技术。至关重要的是，参与胎盘功能研究的科学家和临床医生能够定期会面和互动，以分享想法，概述新的研究途径并发展合作。这个研究领域的独特性质驱动了对交互的独特需求。多年来，通过妇科研究学会的年度滋养层卫星会议和美国罗切斯特滋养层会议组织的定期会议，成功地满足了这些需求。以前组织这些会议的两个小组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。这份申请是为支持这些会议筹集资金。PAA卫星会议的目标是为胎盘生物学专家提供一个定期的、低成本的专题研究报告论坛，这将鼓励研究生、临床和博士后参加并激发他们的兴趣。从2003年到2007年，这些会议将继续作为SGI的卫星会议。

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.