Renal Research: Achievements & Expectations
VIENNA, March 9-11, 2010
For providing an appropriate frame for starting the large scale SysKid initiative and fostering outreach to the scientific public a symposium was held at the Medical University of Vienna on March 9.
Prof. Harry Holthofer (Director of the Center for Bioanalytical Sciences, Dublin City University, Ireland) introduced future challenges and opportunities in academic clinical research also bridging the gap on how future products for supporting healthcare on multiple levels may develop. Prof. Kretzler (University of Michigan Ann Arbor, USA) reviewed recent developments in the Omics area exemplified on chronic kidney disease, and ways to integrate such large scale data in a Systems Biology view. The great potential of such approaches for tackling complex diseases became clear. Prof. Dick de Zeeuw (University of Groningen, The Netherlands) presented the clinical view on chronic kidney disease, giving impressive facts on the clinical importance of the field. Prof. Matt McQueen (Hamilton General Hospital and McMaster University, Canada) complemented this clinical picture by discussing chronic kidney disease in the context of cardiovascular disease.
The second session of the symposium focused specifically on SysKid aims, goals and expectations. Dr. Bernd Mayer (emergentec biodevelopment GmbH, Vienna, Austria) provided an overview on SysKid, followed by addressing scientific (Prof. Gert Mayer, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria), clinical (Prof. Rainer Oberbauer, Medical University of Vienna and KH Elisabethinen Linz, Austria), application (Prof. Dr.Dr. Harald Mischak, mosaiques diagnostics GmbH, Hannover, Germany) and sponsor expectations (Dr. Grigorij Kogan, European Commission, Brussels). The meeting was concluded by an impressive patient report given by Niki Lauda, clearly bringing the patient needs to the forefront.
INNSBRUCK, March 12, 2010
On March 12 a SysKid symposium was held at the Medical University of Innsbruck. Univ. Prof. Norbert Mutz (Vice-Rector of the Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria) welcomed the audience, and Prof. Gert Mayer (Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria) introduced aims, objectives and work plan of SysKid. Vivid discussions were triggered by great talks on challenges in academic renal research (Prof. Harry Holthofer, Dublin City University, Ireland), case studies from discovery to preclinical development (Dr. Steve Ledbetter, Genzyme Inc., USA), the clinical perspective in the renal (Prof. Timothy Meyer, Stanford University, USA) and cardio-renal context (Prof. Matt McQueen, Hamilton General Hospital and McMaster University, Canada).
We thank our sponsors Amgen, Fresenius Medical Care, Genzyme, Roche and Wyeth for supporting the symposia in Vienna and Innsbruck.
