On March 26, 2009, an historic event occurred under the auspices of the Trans-NIH Coordinating Committee for Lymphatic Research (Fig. 1): for the first time, and by direct invitation from this committee, a symposium was convened to highlight the investigative activities of intramural scientists who conduct lymphatic investigation on the campus of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Entitled “A Minisymposium on Lymphatic Biology in Health and Disease: Spotlight on Intramural Lymphatic Research,” the event featured the formal presentations of eight lymphatic investigators. Lymphatic Research and Biology is privileged to present the proceedings of this groundbreaking event to our readership. In addition to the five articles featured within the pages of this issue, those in attendance were given the opportunity to hear presentations by Drs. Brant Weinstein (“Studying Lymphangiogenesis in the Zebra Fish”), John Hanover (“Calmodulin-Driven Nuclear Transport of SOX18 and Lymphedema”), and Ron Germain (“Dynamic Intravital 2-Photon Imaging of Mouse Lymphoid Tissue”).
Participants and attendees of the first NIH intramural Minisymposium on Lymphatic Biology in Health and Disease, March 26, 2009.
It is evident from a perusal of the titles of these presentations that, in aggregate, the intramural investigative efforts mirrors the complexity and diversity of today's advances in lymphatic research. Thus, it is particularly noteworthy that the day's events concluded with a roundtable discussion devoted to this compelling question: “Where do we go from here?” As dedicated lymphatic investigators around the world turn to the NIH for both funding and guidance, it is reassuring, and exciting, to contemplate that an active dialogue has been initiated that augurs very favorably for future advances both within, and beyond, the walls of the NIH.
