July 2005
The World Congress of Nephrology – 26-30 June 2005, Singapore
An overview of global nephrology – the now, the next, and the future horizons.
The scientific program boasted a 245-strong list of internationally acclaimed leaders in the field that set the tone, the pace, and the quality of the basic and clinical data presented along with the educational component that echoed throughout.
Organized into six main themes: the Fundamentals of Integrative Biology, Progression and Prevention of Chronic Renal Failure, Inflammation and Immunology, Dialysis, Transplantation, Issues in Clinical Nephrology, with a strong clinical focus, the scientific program embraced outstanding invited lectures, free communication sessions and posters, as well as continuing nephrology education sessions, and a pre-congress postgraduate training course. The overall success of the meeting owed much to the efforts of the scientific program committee responsible for the design of the program and choosing the speakers.
Aside from presenting the very latest data with regards to nephrology and related fields, the WCN program provided an update on the present status of CKD from all corners of the globe which stimulated participants to consider the future direction of nephrology.
The potential utility of gene therapy and genomics to both dissect disease mechanisms and as a means to perform pre-clinical testing was emphasized and awaits further insight – a subject area that featured throughout many of the more basic research presentations. Covered by a number of talks given by eminent cardiologists and nephrologists, was the recurring and highly contemporary theme of cardiovascular and renal disease progression. The increasing evidence of the role of the kidney in predicting the risk for cardiovascular disease and as a treatment target was signposted as a clear hotspot for the future.
There were a number of inspiring and thought provoking presentations which provided an insight into the ISN's outreach and prevention programs, along with its commitment to advancing nephrology around the world. These presentations, which were given by colleagues from emerging countries such as South Africa, India and China, served as a lesson to us all, showing just how developing countries – against all odds – can teach the developed world about the effective and efficient management and treatment of the constant and increasing stream of CKD patients. "… I came away from the 3rd World Congress with a better appreciation of the problems facing colleagues working in developing countries. I now realise that these individuals have a great deal to teach me about the efficient management of increasing numbers of CKD patients within the constraints of the healthcare system in my own country," remarked one of the speakers from the UK, David C. Wheeler, Senior Lecturer in Nephrology, University College London.
With a truly international and multidisciplinary flavor the WCN 2005 successfully united nephrologists, cardiologists, diabetologists, researchers and healthcare workers spanning every continent – all with very different views on nephrology and the treatment of kidney disease.
For more information please contact:
Amanda Wren, International Society of Nephrology, Tel: +32 2 743 1546, [email protected]
Editors' Notes
1) The World Congress of Nephrology was organized by the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) in collaboration with the Singapore Society of Nephrology and the Asian-Pacific Society of Nephrology. ISN's next World Congress of Nephrology will be held from April 21-25, 2007 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in collaboration with the Brazilian (SBN) and Latin-American (SLANH) Societies of Nephrology.
2) WCN2005 attendees came from all corners of the globe covering Africa, North America, South/Middle America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Oceanasia.
3) Distinguished speakers included: Peter Agre (USA), Shizuo Akira (Japan), M. Amin Arnaout (USA), Peter C. Doherty (Australia), Donald A. Henderson (USA), Priscilla Kincaid-Smith (Australia), Kiyoshi Kurokawa (Japan), Ton J. Rabelink (The Netherlands), and Sir David Weatherall (UK).
4) The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) is a not-for-profit society whose mission is the global advancement of nephrology. ISN promotes research and education to prevent and treat kidney disease throughout the world. Further information is available at www.isn-online.org or by calling +32-2-743 1546.