Gene Therapy Society to hold first annual meeting in Seattle

The American Society of Gene Therapy will hold its inaugural annual meeting from May 28 through May 31 at the Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle.

³The meeting will blend cutting-edge science with outstanding clinical investigation and a wealth of educational opportunity,² said Dr. George Stamatoyannopoulos, president of the society and professor of genetics and medical genetics at the UW. More than 1,500 scientists from the United States and overseas are expected to attend.

The meeting's scientific program will feature several sessions on the biology and technology of gene therapy. Offerings include symposia on viral gene therapy vectors and non-viral gene therapy vectors, and symposia and workshops on AIDS and immunology, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, genetic diseases, cystic fibrosis and lung diseases, neurological and neuromuscular disorders, and stem cell gene therapy.

More than 750 abstracts have been submitted for presentation and a plenary session will present the best eight papers selected. In addition, 18 sessions of oral presentations and two large poster sessions will present the participants' latest work. All abstracts will be published in a program book.

A 16-session education program will introduce meeting participants to areas of gene therapy research outside their own fields. Sessions include the ABCs of Viral Vectors for Gene Therapy, the ABCs of Non-Viral Vectors for Gene Therapy, and the ABCs of Cell-Based Gene Therapy.

A series of interactive ³Meet the Investigator² breakfast sessions will be held to introduce participants to some of the most prominent people in the field of gene therapy.

A concurrent program of satellite meetings and institutional and corporate symposia will be held on Thursday and Friday.

Blocks of rooms have been reserved at major hotels within walking distance of the Convention Center, and a full program of social events, tours and trips before, during and after the conference has been arranged.

For further information and a meeting program, call the ASGT National Office at (609) 848-1000, ext. 208, or visit the ASGT homepage at http://www.asgt.org, where registration materials may be downloaded. ¶