17th Congress of the International Organization for Mycoplasmology

描述（由申请人提供）： 这是一份为期一年的全额旅行补助申请，用于支持最多10名选定的美国研究生和博士后科学家参加2008年7月6日至11日在中国天津医科大学举行的国际支原体学组织（IOM）第17届两年一度的大会。本次会议是唯一的定期国家或国际会议，专门关注支原体的生物学和发病机制，支原体是非常小的，无细胞壁的细菌，对公共卫生，农业和野生动物很重要。本次大会由国际支原体学组织赞助并在其指导下组织，旨在为交流有关支原体的科学发现提供一个论坛，讨论最近的研究进展，确定需要更加重视的领域，制定下一个双年度的研究目标，表彰该领域的杰出成就，并向年轻科学家推广支原体研究。本次会议特别关注支原体的生物学和发病机制，支原体是对公共卫生，农业和野生动物重要的细菌。肺炎支原体是年龄较大的儿童和年轻人肺炎的主要原因，可导致慢性或永久性肺损伤。生殖支原体是非淋菌性尿道炎的主要原因，而解脲支原体感染与新生儿肺部问题、自然流产、早产和早产有关。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is a single year application for a block travel grant to support expenses for up to ten selected U.S. graduate students and post-doctoral scientists attending the 17th biennial Congress of the International Organization for Mycoplasmology (IOM) at Tianjin Medical University in Tianjin, China, July 6-11, 2008. This conference is the only regular national or international meeting that focuses specifically on the biology and pathogenesis of the mycoplasmas, which are very small, cell wall-less bacteria important to public health, agriculture, and wildlife. This congress is sponsored by and organized under the direction of the International Organization for Mycoplasmology to provide a forum for the exchange of scientific findings regarding the mycoplasmas, discuss recent research progress, identify areas requiring greater emphasis, set research goals for the next biennium, recognize outstanding achievement in the field, and promote the study of mycoplasmas to young scientists. This conference focuses specifically on the biology and pathogenesis of the mycoplasmas, which are bacteria important to public health, agriculture, and wildlife. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the leading cause of pneumonia in older children and young adults and can lead to chronic or permanent lung damage. Mycoplasma genitalium is a major cause of non-gonococcal urethritis, while Ureaplasma urealyticum infections are associated with pulmonary problems in neonates, spontaneous abortion, preterm labor, and premature birth.