We organized this conference to provide medical professionals with the latest research findings on nicotine's many and varied effects on the body, said Edward Levin, associate professor of biological psychiatry and conference co-director. In addition, we want to make people aware of research indicating potential therapeutic uses of nicotine in diseases such as attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease and depression.

Researchers will cover topics ranging from smoking and hostility to nicotine's effects on prenatal development. Studies range from molecular studies to animal studies to behavioral effects in people.