Main description:

The Seventh International Conference of the Inflammation Research Association, entitled "Inflammation, Mechanisms and Therapeutics" was held on September 25-29,1994 in White Haven, Pennsylvania. The major focus of this series of conferences is the multidisciplinary investigation of inflammation and the discovery of novel therapeutic approaches to inflammatory diseases. It was therefore particularly gratifying that the list of attendees included scientists of diverse backgrounds - preclinical biology, synthetic and theoretical chemistry, biotechnology and clinical research. The Conference was characterized by a very high degree of participation in the scientific debate by attendees, a large proportion of whom presented at poster sessions, poster discussions and workshops, and by the many opportunities for informal discussion provided by the organizers. This volume captures much of the excitement and enthusiasm of the Conference and should be a valuable resource for scientists in the field. Niall S. Doherty Barry M. Weichman Douglas W. Morgan Lisa A. Marshall IX Acknowledgments The manuscripts contained in this volume are based on material presented at the Seventh International Conference of the Inflammation Research Association held in White Haven, Pennsylvania, on September 25-29,1994. We would like to thank the speakers and session chairpersons for their contributions to the Conference and these Proceedings. The following individuals played indispensable roles in the organization and running of the Conference and are responsible for making it such a success: PLANNING SCHOLARSHIP Niall S. Doherty Janet Kerr, Chairperson Barry M. Weichman Richard Carlson Douglas Morgan Richard Harris Loran Killar D.

Contents:

The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and the development of therapeutic strategies for the clinical investigation of biologics.- Immunoglobin gene expression in rheumatoid arthritis.- Cytokine networks in rheumatoid arthritis: Implications for therapy.- T cell receptor peptide vaccines as immunotherapy.- Antigen specific therapies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.- Cytoplasmic transcription factors: Mediators of cytokine signaling.- Protein kinase C in cell signaling: Strategies for the development of selective inhibitors..- Regulation of ?1?6 integrin-mediated migration in macrophages.- Nitric oxide: What role does it play in inflammation and tissue destruction?.- Regulation of function and expression of P-selectin.- Regulation of L-selectin expression by membrane proximal proteolysis.- Transcriptional regulation of endothelial cell adhesion molecules: A dominant role for NF-?B.- Gene targeting for inflammatory cell adhesion molecules.- Site-directed mutagenesis - molecular biology and rational drug design.- C. Gordon Van Arman Scholarship Competition 7th International Conference of the Inflammation Research Association.- Workshop Sessions.- New animal models of inflammatory disease workshop.- Cell adhesion workshop.- Cartilage degradation and osteoarthritis workshop.- New drugs in phase I and beyond workshop.- Lymphocyte activation and immunoregulation workshop.- Lipid mediators: Mechanisms.- Inflammatory cytokines workshop.- Pulmonary inflammation workshop.- Nitric oxide poster discussion.- Poster discussion lipid mediators - new agents.