Schizophrenia International Research Society Scientific Conference

精神分裂症国际研究协会（SIRS）是一个非营利性的专业组织，成立于2005年，旨在将世界各地的精神分裂症研究人员聚集在一起，分享新信息，促进新研究工具的使用，并在国际基础上开展合作。SIRS计划两年一度的国际会议，主要是在美国以外的这一目的。SIRS与美国的国际精神分裂症研究大会（ICOSR）和一个补充会议建立了合作关系。SIRS会议与ICOSR交替举行，因此，SIRS在欧洲举行偶数年会议，ICOSR在美国举行奇数年会议。目前的建议是提供资金，指导和支持学生旅行获奖者参加SIRS大会。这是R13 MH 082446 -01的竞争性更新。在第一年，这项赠款的重点是向来自不同地域和族裔的学生和博士后科学家提供旅行奖学金，以参加2008年6月在意大利威尼斯举行的第一届精神分裂症国际研究学会科学会议。会议取得了巨大的成功，来自世界各地的约1500名与会者。目前正在请求为今后几年提供支持，第二次会议将于2010年4月在意大利佛罗伦萨举行。第三届和第四届也将于2012年4月和2014年4月在意大利举行。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Schizophrenia International Research Society (SIRS) is a non-profit professional organization that was established in 2005 to bring together researchers on schizophrenia world-wide for sharing of new information, advancing the use of new research tools, and developing collaborations on an international basis. SIRS plans biennial international conferences primarily outside the USA for this purpose. SIRS has established a collaborative relationship with the International Congress of Schizophrenia Research (ICOSR), a USA based congress, and a complementary meeting. The SIRS conference alternates years with ICOSR such that even years conferences are conducted in Europe by SIRS and odd years in the USA by ICOSR. The current proposal is to provide funds for mentoring and supporting student travel awardees to participate in the SIRS congress. This is a competitive renewal of R13MH082446-01. In its first year, this grant focused on awarding travel scholarships to a geographically and ethnically diverse group of students and post-doctoral scientists in training for participation in the 1st Schizophrenia International Research Society Scientific Conference held in June 2008, Venice, Italy. The conference was a huge success with approximately 1500 attendees from geographically disperse regions world-wide. Currently support is requested for future years, the 2nd conference to be held in, Florence, Italy, April 2010. The 3rd and 4th will also be held in Italy, April 2012 and 2014.