Document 6wX8Kgz91K7RM5NkjrdM2zyZd

DRAFT Welcoming Remarks 2004 Annual Meeting SHS - Asilomar Dr. Irons and Dr. Fu have also worked very had to establish collaborative relationships between Fudan University and the 27 allied hospitals in Shanghai. This level of cooperation is remarkable and I know Dr. Irons has said he doesn't think it could have been done in the U.S. Their success in bringing these allies together is truly impressive and it is a clear measure of both the importance of the Study and the high esteem to which the medical community in Shanghai holds their work. Likewise, I'd also like to underscore how appreciative we, as sponsors of the study, are to the collaborators in China who have helped to guide us through the various challenges we faced when confronted with the unfamiliar culture and environment in China. We could not have accomplished this on our own. With the lab facilities up and running and the promise of close collaboration with Shanghai's hospital and medical communities, the study is well underway. We look forward to hearing more from the investigators today about the specifics of their work, the progress that has been made over the past year and what we can look forward to in the months - and even years - ahead. 5 SH ELL-MCCLU RG-059622