GARN

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the organizing committee for their great effort to prepare for the 13th Congress of the Asia Pacific League of Associations of Rheumatology (APLAR) on September 2008 in Yokohama, Japan. It is my great pleasure that in the APLAR meeting, we will have a Global Arthritis Research Network (GARN) meeting. The GARN was initiated by Drs. Lipsky, Gay and Nishioka for establishing good, direct communication between scientists, whether working in the same subject area or in interdisciplinary research. The purpose of GARN is to promote and encourage communication and scientific interactions and collaborations that facilitate the progress of basic and clinical research in arthritis and related condition. Over fifty younger, future leaders in the field of autoimmune diseases and arthritis-related conditions will be selected and invited to meet with senior leaders in molecular biology, immunology and rheumatology. This meeting provides a valuable means of disseminating information and ideas in a way that cannot be achieved through the usual channels of communication - publications an presentations at large scientific meetings. I am looking forward to see you in Yokohama.

Toshihiro Nakajima,
Professor,
Department of Genome Science,
Institute of Medical Science,
St. Marianna University School of Medicine