and the Mediterranean
Programs, Projects and Links
Institute of the Mediterranean
Down Syndrome
The program in health sciences has been focused primarily on Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. Both problems are associated with chromosome 21. In 1997, the Catalan Foundation for Down Syndrome (FCSD) sponsored an international conference in Barcelona on chromosome 21. Participants from the University of California included C. Epstein, I. Lott, D. Holzman, and J. Korenberg. There were participants from 23 countries.
The international interaction was continued in 2001 with the cooperation of the University of California, the University of Denver, the Children's hospital of Pittsburgh, the University of Santander, the Hospital Necker in Paris, and the Children's hospital of Athens.
In May 2003, the VIII International Symposium was held in Barcelona. Earlier symposia analyzed and considered all aspects concerning individuals with disabilities at different stages in life, both in personal terms and in terms of relationship to the environment. Leaders in the field are convinced that individuals with disabilities need references of normality in order to develop and foster their social skills and emotional development, FCSD supports integration in every area: schools, employment, and social life. This conference provided an opportunity to compare these concepts on a international basis.
The next conference will be announced soon.