Symposia:
- September 29, 2006: Spinal Cord Injury Research: Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms to Promote Neuronal Growth and Glial Reconstruction.
- September 23, 2004: Neural Control of Coordinated Action.
- April 23, 2004: Immune and Inflammatory Responses in the Central Nervous System.
- October 18, 2002: Cellular Approaches to the Understanding of CNS Development, Damage, and Repair.
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This all-day event featured six speakers from universities around the country. Approximately fifty professors and students attended the various panels and discussion forums. For a copy of the brochure, click here.
Please browse this website for abstracts and photos about the Symposium presentations:
- Berislav Zlokovic, M.D., Ph.D.
- Etty Benveniste, Ph.D.
- William Hickey, M.D.
- Richard Ransohoff, M.D.
- Benjamin Segal, M.D.
- Joan Goverman, Ph.D.
Welcome Address and Symposium Overview
Neuroscience Graduate Student 
Irah
King (shown to the right) opened the 2004 Schmitt Symposium
by welcoming the speakers and the audience. Irah did a great job all
day, as he introduced each speaker and shuttled Symposium participants
from discussions to lunch to panels to dinner.
Overview: The contribution of inflammation-related processes to neurological diseases has been increasingly recognized in recent years. Studies of primary neuroimmunological diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis as well as neurodegenerative disorders with an inflammatory component, including Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease, have received particular attention in basic research and clinical arenas. Inflammatory aspects of CNS trauma, toxin exposure and psychological disorders are also currently under investigation. Furthermore, the immunological/inflammatory consequence of gene therapy in the CNS is a timely and important issue.
This Symposium addressed the roles of innate and adaptive immunity in response to CNS insults and various disease processes. Specific topics included the immune functions of glial cells, factors controlling blood brain barrier integrity, leukocyte trafficking to the CNS, CNS cytokine/chemokine production, animal models of neuroinflammatory/neuroimmunological diseases and clinical application of basic research findings.
2004 Symposium Organizers:
- Irah King
- M. Kerry O'Banion, M.D., Ph.D.
- John Olschowka, Ph.D.
- Benjamin Segal, M.D.
