The first gene responsible for Crohn's disease has now been identified and the pathophysiological understanding of inflammatory bowel disease as well as its practical treatment have made much progress in recent years. Thus it is obviously important to consider the targets and the aims of treatment in context.
The Falk Symposium No. 131 (Part II of the Gastroenterology Week Freiburg 2002), held in October 2002 in Freiburg, Germany, in its first part was dedicated to newly defined and partly alternative therapeutic targets. In addition, an attempt was made to learn from experts from other fields such as pneumology or dermatology. The second part was dedicated to the aims of treatment in daily practice. Aside from general treatment, aims such as amelioration of symptoms, pre-conditions of treatment, the view of the patients, and aspects of life quality were dealt with.
This volume is the proceedings of the symposium and is important reading for both clinicians and basic scientists.

Inhalt
List of principle authors. Preface. Defining Targets of Treatment by Analysis of Gut Inflammation. 1. State of the Art Lecture: Theories of IBD aetiology from the 1930s to the 1960s; D.B. Sachar. I: Defining Targets by Understanding Aetiopathogenesis of Gut Inflammation. 2. Development of novel drugs for IBD based on molecular targets; S. Schreiber. 3. On the role of innate immunity during mucosal defence and intestinal infections: Are there new therapeutic targets for intervention? S. Bauer. 4. Enteric bacteria: Innocent bystanders, therapeutic targets or vehicles for mucosal delivery of therapeutic molecules? R.B. Sartor. II: Tools for Therapeutic Development. 5. Do animal models always give the right direction for therapy? C.O. Elson, et al. 6. Are cell lines and cultures a good way to develop therapeutic approaches? G. Rogler. 7. Characterization of intestinal barrier function: A putative target for therapeutical modification; M. Gehring, J.-D. Schulzke. III: Alternative Concepts New Targets in the Making. 8. The adipose tissue as a source of proinflammatory signals in Crohn's disease? J.-F. Colombel, et al. 9. Intraluminal targets in Crohn's disease: The possible role of bile acids; A.F. Hofmann. 10. Therapeutic targets in rheumatoid arthritis: Is there a lesson to be learned for gastroenterologists? U. Müller-Ladner. V: General Targets. 11. Interstitial lung diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases: Pathophysiological parallels and differences; J. Müller-Quernheim. 12. A functional genomics approach to study wound repair: The roles of activin and S100A8/S100A9 in the healing process; I.S. Thorey, et al. 13. Neuroendocrine-immune interactions: A novel therapeutic approach? S.M. Collins. Aims of Treatment in Daily Practice. 14. State of the Art Lecture: Evolution of treatment from the 1930s to the end of the 1980s; P. Riis. 15. Extraintestinal manifestations Important target of treatment or just an expression of disease activity? F. Tavarela-Veloso. 16. What do patients want? Defining treatment goals from the other side; J. Minchew. 17. Measuring health-related quality of life: Fad, fantasy or fruitful exercise? E.J. Irvine. VI: Specific Targets. 18. Specific targets Diarrhea; W. Kruis, et al. 19. Abdominal pain as a therapeutic target in inflammatory bowel disease; H.J.F. Hodgson. 20. Strictures in IBD Are there differential indications for surgery or endoscopic dilation? G.van Assche, et al. 21. Spectrum of inflammatory bowel diseases related arthropathy: are there differential treatment options? M.de Vos. VII: Special Problems. 22. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with IBD: A new method to assess disease activity; S. Feuerbach, et al. 23. Cancer prevention in inflammatory bowel disease as a treatment goal; A. Ekbom. VIII: Quality of Care. 24. The impact of age and social environment on therapeutic concepts; C. Gasché. 25. Avoiding side effects: A therapeutic goal? W.J. Sandborn. Index.