Chemical & biological therapeutic approaches to neurological disorders.

The Royal Society of Chemistry Biotechnology Group and Chemical Biology Interface Forum held a 1-day symposium, on April 19, 2010, on Chemical and Biological Therapeutic Approaches to Neurological Disorders, at the Royal Society of Chemistry, Burlington House, London. The purpose of the meeting, organized by Colin Bedford, Irene Francois and Klaus Rumpel, was to give an update of new developments regarding the genetics, biochemistry and pathophysiology of the major neurological disorders. These developments should facilitate the discovery of better clinical biomarkers and improved medicines for the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of patients with neurological disease. The presentations and posters covered neurological disorders including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, autism, epilepsy and pain. The majority of these psychiatric and neurological disorders cause long-term suffering and disability and thus create an important global public health problem. This was the central issue of a participative discussion that took place at the end of the meeting.