Dear Colleague,

On behalf of the Organising Committee, we extend a warm invitation to attend the 2009 ASP & ARC/NHMRC Research Network for Parasitology Annual Conference, which will be held between Sunday 12 and Wednesday 15 July at The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

This Conference will be an opportunity for parasitologists from Australia, and around the world, to discuss the latest research and state-of-the-art technologies in parasitology. The Conference will include the following themes:

• Host Cell Modulation
• Human Helminthiases
• Malaria Vaccine: Fact of Fantasy?
• Immunopathology
• Parasites and Environmental Health
• Ectoparasites of Livestock

The conference will be held in the historic Holme Building and Footbridge Theatre at The University of Sydney, with the Conference Banquet being held in the superb Great Hall at The University of Sydney. This conference will either be the last in the life of the Network or the first in its new genesis - either way, we are determined to make it the most memorable parasitology conference yet seen in Australia, so mark your diaries now. Details of the conference are included in these pages.

Please contact the Conference Coordinators, Wendy Relf or Lisa Jones by email (wendy.relf@uts.edu.au or Lisa.Jones@uts.edu.au) or telephone 02 9514 4006 or 0439348473 with any queries.

The ASP and the Network acknowledge the generous support of the International Journal for Parasitology, Elsevier, The Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), Meat and Livestock Australia, Australian Wool Innovation, The Institute for the Biotechnology of Infectious Disease (IBID), Schering-Plough Pty Limited, Intervet and Coopers, New England Biolabs, Novartis Animal Health, Virbac Animal Health and Trends in Parasitology who are sponsoring this conference.

We look forward to welcoming you to Sydney in July 2009.

Cheers,