DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application seeks partial support for the 8th International conference on Neural Transplantation and Repair, INTR8, to be held June 13-16, 2002 at the Keystone Resorts, Colorado. The conference will provide a much-needed multidisciplinary forum for the presentation and critical discussion of the most recent developments in the field of neural transplantation and repair. The area that has received most attention in past meetings of our organization is aging and age-related disease. Since age-related disorders such as Alzheimer's disease lack effective treatment alternatives, emphasis has been shifted towards trophic factors, gene therapy, and stem cell development for cell replacement. Other areas that will receive attention at the INTR-8 meeting are novel therapies for Parkinson's and Huntington's disease as well as spinal cord injury and stroke. The general theme of the conference is on neuroprotection and repair, particularly as this relates to gene therapy, stem cells, and cell replacement. In particular, there is an international transplant registry and a practice committee that meets during this conference and develops guidelines for clinical practice regarding cell replacement and gene therapy in neuroscience. A broad range of speakers has been sought for this conference, chosen to represent a cross-section of leading scientists in this expanding field. There is a compelling need for diversity in higher education and research. Therefore, one of the missions of ASNTR and of INTR is to aid in the professional development of minorities and persons with handicaps by implementing minority programs within our research community and by recruiting minority and handicapped participants to our meetings. Ten travel awards have been proposed for handicapped persons, and these awards will be advertised in nation-wide organizations through Lawrence Independent Living Resource Center (www.sunflower.com/~indepinc). Of the 50 travel awards that are requested for students, 15 will be specifically awarded to minorities. In addition, previous statistics demonstrate that we have favored women and minorities in the past (33% of the travel award recipients for this years' meeting were women, and women serve on all the committees in our organization).