This book, the proceedings of Falk Symposium 130 on 'Gastrointestinal Inflammation and Disturbed Gut Function: The Challenge of New Concepts', held in Freiburg, Germany, on October 4-6, 2002 (Part I of the Gastroenterology Week Freiburg 2002), reviews ground-breaking work and will stimulate new research in the functional GI disorders, from the bench to the bedside. Basic scientists, clinical researchers and clinicians interested in this field explore controversial and exciting areas of research, and consider targets for future therapeutic interventions.