Welcome
Celebrating 20 Years of HCV Research

Viral hepatitis is a problem of enormous proportions around the world. It is estimated that over 300 million people are persistently infected; many will develop associated liver pathologies such as chronic hepatic insufficiency, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Therefore, it is critical to keep abreast of new drug developments to facilitate the development of novel and potent therapies for viral hepatitis. Without independent conferences like HEP DART 2009, scientists and physicians would not have the opportunity to network with each other and communicate new information on novel regimens in productive and high-quality events. Of significance, this year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the discovery of HCV.

It has always been our philosophy to provide a conference environment that is inviting and family friendly, while increasing the return on each delegate's scientific investment in the conference. We anticipate that delegate attendance at HEP DART 2009 will be considerable due to the high scientific quality of the program.

Together, we will learn from each other in a relaxing but stimulating environment and, as a result, leave the Big Island with a renewed dedication to improve the lives of people living with viral hepatitis.

We hope that you will participate in HEP DART 2009, Frontiers in Drug Development for Viral Hepatitis, and we look forward to seeing you.

Robert Murphy
Charles Rice
Eugene Schiff
Raymond F. Schinazi