IMMUNOLOGY AND AIDS CONFERENCES IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD

University Of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

HIV/AIDS is a disease par excellence of the immune system which is the target of the pathogen, the locus of failure that leads to death and, also, the means of establishing resistance and containment of the virus. Thus, immunologists in all parts of the world are involved in HIV/AIDS research. However, most Immunology and AIDS research meetings are held in the northern hemisphere. The goal of this application is to facilitate the ongoing education of biomedical investigators (immunologists) who deal with HIV/AIDS and related issues in developing countries, to improve scientific communication and cooperation within these regions and to strengthen bases for future international cooperative research that will likely (or already) involve US scientists. The specific aim is to support major scientific meetings in Immunology (with emphasis on HIV/AIDS) that are held triennially in each of the three developing regions of the world by facilitating attendance and participation by active investigators from throughout each region. These are the Association of Latin American Immunologists (ALAI), the Federation of African Immunology Societies (FAIS) and the Federation of Immunologic Societies of Asia-Oceana (FIMSA). The current meetings of ALAI will be in Uruguay, December 1999, FIMSA in Bangkok in January 2000 and FAIS in Cameroon in February 2000. Since much disease now is international and not strictly confined within country and because diseases involving the immune system are important in all parts of the world, these meetings are important opportunities for the professionals in developing countries to obtain updates within the fields of immunology and AIDS and present their own work and discuss their interests with colleagues and US visitors.