WELCOME

The 9th International Prenatal Screening Group (IPSG) Congress will bring together laboratory providers, researchers, Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists, geneticists and others interested in the provision of prenatal screening. The meeting will expand on the past meetings of the International Down Syndrome Screening Group (IDSSG) through the inclusion of screening for disorders with a Mendelian pattern of inheritance and other single gene disorders, identification through maternal serum biochemical markers, fetal nucleic acids in maternal circulation and ultrasound, early detection of pregnancy complications and other conditions. In addition to new developments, reports from regional programs are encouraged. As in the past, most presentations will be in a platform format. There will be a prize given for the best presentation by a young investigator (< 30 years of age).

The 9th IPSG Congress will be held in Barcelona on June 20-21, 2011 and is conveniently close to the ISPD Educational Day in the same venue on June 19 and to the Fetal Medicine Foundation World Congress in Malta on June 26-30. The Scientific Committee is led by Peter Benn, Peter Schielen, and Howard Cuckle as past chairman. The Congress will be chaired by Tony Borrell from Hospital Clinic-University of Barcelona.

The program will allocate plenty of time for free communication sessions which will encourage debate and exchange of ideas. We welcome all IPSG members and also non-members to present something, whether an embryonic idea or polished work. If you would like to speak, please submit a one-page abstract to the Secretariat before April 21st, 2011. All abstracts will be printed and a high proportion are expected to be selected for oral presentation.

On June 19 at the same venue, and in conjunction with the IPSG Congress, the International Society for Prenatal Diagnosis (ISPD) will be holding an EDUCATIONAL DAY. Congress attendees are encouraged to register for one or more of the varied training courses and workshops that day. The content of these half-day sessions is designed to complement that of the Congress itself.

So far, these are confirmed speakers: Peter Benn, Antoni Borrell, Ineke van der Burg, Howard Cuckle, Bruno Dallapiccola, Roland Devlieguer, Andy Ellis, Mark Evans, Brigitte Faas, Francesc Figueras, Norm Ginsberg, Laurence Heidet, Helger Yntema, Anthony Odibo, Dick Oekpes, Eugene Pergament, Daljit Sahota, Peter Schielen, Mack Schermer, Lee Shulman, Kevin Spencer, Douglas Wilson, Dave Wright.

With the collaboration of