The relationship between genetic predisposition to disease and environmental effects will be examined during a daylong symposium Monday, Oct. 21, at the University of California, Davis. Titled "Genetics, Disease and the Environment," the symposium features speakers from across the country who will discuss such topics as genetic susceptibility to environmentally induced cancers, the genetics of Parkinson's disease, genetic variability in drug response and in nutrition, and ethical issues in genetics. A highlight of the day will be a community panel that will address public health issues, including cancer and pesticide exposure, from the standpoint of environmental justice. Sponsored by the UC Davis Center for Environmental Health Sciences, the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences and the UC Davis Office of Research, the public meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center. Symposium organizers point out that while exposure to environmental and dietary chemicals long has been recognized as responsible for many human health problems, more recent studies show that genetic differences can play a pivotal role in determining a person's sensitivity and degree of response. "Understanding the importance of these genetic differences and identification of the specific genes involved in these adverse responses are key elements in our ability to predict" someone's sensitivity to specific chemicals or susceptibility to disease, says Fumio Matsumura, director of the UC Davis center. Among the day's speakers will be Douglas Bell, of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, who will talk about individual variations in cancer; Dr. Richard Weinshilboum, of the Mayo Clinic Medical School, who will discuss inherited variability in drug response; Carl Cranor, of UC Riverside, who will talk about ethical and legal issues concerning susceptible populations; Dr. William Langston, of the Parkinson's Institute, who will talk about the genetics of Parkinson's disease; and Barbara Briscoe, a genetic counselor with the UC Davis Medical Center, who will discuss ethical considerations in genetic counseling. Those who will participate on the community panel include Lydia Bourne of the Yolo County chapter of the American Cancer Society, Mily Trevino-Sauceda of Lideres Campesinas, Lupe Sandoval of Doherty and Company, and Dr. Thomas Ferguson of UC Davis. The symposium is open to the public. A $60 registration fee, which includes the luncheon cost, will be charged, and may be paid at the door. A welcoming reception will be held for speakers and panel members on Sunday, Oct. 20, at the Buehler Center.