The study of disease entities as complex as Crohn's dis- ease will
increasingly require comprehensive knowledge of formerly unrelated areas
of the medical sciences. To promote this broad approach, a conference
was organized in which geneticists, morphologists, immunologists, and
virologists participated as well as clinicians whose work is focused on
Crohn's disease. Ample time was given to the presentation of major new
findings in each of these areas, and comments were given by the
participants in the various sections. This approach yielded many new
ideas, because indiv iduals with very different backgrounds were able to
address old problems from fresh angles. This volume, published in
January, 1981, contains the papers presented dur ing the wor kshop held
in June, 1980, in Noordwijk/Leiden, The Netherlands. In addition, we
have in- cluded the extensive discussions, edited by experts in the
field, which followed each presentation. Finally, each main category is
followed by a summary of the topic covered as well as many valuable
conclusions concerning the significance of recent work and ideas for new
directions in research. In the Preface, J.B. Kirsner gives a
comprehensive review of the material, and in an Afterword A.J.Ch. Haex
deals with a num- ber of other aspects. We believe that this volume will
be of value to a wide spectrum of scientists and clinicians and that it
will help to establ ish the mul tid isciplinary approach to Crohn' s
dis- ease as the one that should predominate in the future.