EASD News Section 1/2005

EASDEUROPEAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF DIABETESASSOCIATION EUROPEENE POUR L’ETUDE DU DIABETE · EUROPÄISCHE GESELLSCHAFT FÜR DIABETOLOGIE

Rheindorfer Weg 3 · D-40591 Düsseldorf · Germany · Tel: +49-211-7 58 46 90 · Fax: +49-211-75 84 69 29E-mail: secretariat@easd.org · Homepage: http://www.easd.org

EASD

News Section1/2005

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT41st Annual Meetingof the European Association for the Study of Diabetes

Athens, Greece

10–15 September 2005(12–15 September 2005 – EASD Scientific Programme)

1. INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INFORMATION

On behalf of the Local Organising Committee, it is apleasure to invite you to attend and participate in the41st EASD Annual Meeting 2005, to be held inAthens, Greece, the birthplace of civilisation, westerndemocracy, philosophy, home of the goddesses, aswell as home of the Olympic Games. Greece is burst-ing with historical museums, deep blue water, royalblue skies, and is genuinely warm and friendly. Acountry that will surely capture your heart!

The Olympic city of Athens, which recently hostedthe extremely successful Athens 2004 Olympic Games– Games of the XXVIII Olympiad – is ready to wel-come you to the ‘city of lights’. Athens, with an an-cient history of over 3,000 years, is a revamped andrenovated city, but has lost none of its ancient charmand beauty.

The recently modernised Stadium and CongressCentre, the Peace & Friendship Stadium, offers out-standing facilities to accommodate the ever-increasingnumber of participants attending the Annual Meetingof EASD, to organise scientific sessions and symposiaand to host a large industry exhibition.

The venue site of EASD 2005 (20 minutes from thecentre of Athens) can be easily reached by public trans-port (metro, tram, bus). The Meeting will start with theWelcome Ceremony and Welcome Reception at 20:30hrs on Sunday, 11 September 2005 and will end at14:30 hrs on Thursday, 15 September 2005, with theClosing Ceremony followed by the Farewell Receptionat which typical Greek ‘mezes’ can be enjoyed. All reg-

istered participants and accompanying persons are in-vited to these two Ceremonies and Receptions.

We are sure that the outstanding scientific pro-gramme together with the typical Hellenic ‘Philoxe-nia’ will make this 41st Annual Meeting an unforget-table experience for all participants. We look forwardto welcoming you to Athens in September 2005.

With best regards,

Professor Sotirios A. Raptis, M.D.Chairman Local Organising Committee, EASD 2005 Athens

1a. THE LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE

Chairman: S.A. RaptisVice Chairmen: Ch. S. Bartsocas

N.L. Katsilambros

Secretary General: G. Dimitriadis

Members: B. KaramanosD.T. KaramitsosA. Tsatsoulis

Administrative & Scientific Co-ordinators: E.I. Boutati

P.G. HalvatsiotisA.E. Raptis

1b. LOCAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Co-ordinators: E.J. DiamantopoulosA. Souvatzoglou

Secretary: E. Hatziagelaki

Members:A. Alaveras I. MigdalisE. Anastasiou E. PangalosM. Benroubi D. PapachristouP. Christakopoulos S. PapasD. Cokkinos N. PapazoglouE. Dakou-Voutetaki G. PiaditisI. Diamantis J. SaflianisA. Gialouris K. SotiropoulosD.J. Hadjidakis N. TentoulourisD. Hiotis N. ThalassinosK. Kantartzis N. TountasN. Kefalogiannis A. TourkantonisD. Kremastinos K. TsigosCh. Manes A. VagenakisA. Melidonis Ch. Zoupas

2. PROGRAMME

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS are invited on anysubject relevant to the understanding of diabetes mel-litus. Brief instructions are given in PARAGRAPH 4;for detailed instructions please refer to www.easd.org.

THE CLOSING DATE FOR ABSTRACTS IS 1 APRIL 2005. Communications must be delivered inEnglish. There is no simultaneous translation. TheProvisional Programme will be sent to all paid-upmembers of EASD in June 2005.

The programme will include the 37th Claude BernardLecture to be delivered by Professor Jens J. Holst, the40th Minkowski Lecture, the 20th Camillo Golgi Lec-ture, the Aretaeus Lecture by Professor N.L. Katsilam-bros, State of the Art Lectures and Symposia and Oraland Poster Presentations.

It is not permitted to take photographs and/orfilm during any of the sessions.

3. RECEIPT OF ABSTRACTS

Abstracts can only be submitted online (www.easd.org) and cannot be submitted LATER THAN 1 APRIL 2005. THIS DEADLINE WILL BESTRICTLY ENFORCED, as will the regulations giv-en in paragraph 4. Acknowledgement of receipt willbe sent via e-mail to the presenting (=first-named) au-thor. Please contact the EASD Secretariat if no re-ceipt of acknowledgement is received.

4. SUBMISSION OF ABSTRACTS

Authors are not permitted to submit work that theyknow is likely to be published before the EASD Annual Meeting. The Programme Committee has theright to withdraw an abstract from the programmecontaining material that has already been published.EASD will consider abstracts that have been present-ed in recent months at local or national diabetes meet-ings. An author submitting or presenting already pub-lished work will be banned from presenting data at theEASD Meetings for three years.

Abstracts submitted on Human Studies:The box must be marked stating that the study has been reviewed by the Local Ethics Committee and that it has therefore been performed in accor-dance with the ethical standards laid down in theHelsinki Declaration (see World Medical Association: www.wma.net).

Abstracts submitted on Animal Studies:The box must be marked stating that the study hasbeen carried out along the “Principles of laboratoryanimal care” (NIH Publication no. 85-23, revised1985) and according to the national law, if applicable.

Selection of abstracts for the Scientific Programme ismade anonymously. THE ABSTRACT MUST BESUBMITTED as follows:

EACH PRESENTING AUTHOR (=first-named au-thor on the abstract) CAN SUBMIT ONLY ONEABSTRACT. (Presenting authors may be co-authorsof other abstracts). It is MANDATORY that the first-named, presenting author of any abstract accepted forpresentation, be present to deliver his/her paper. Fail-ure to do so, without prior or adequate explanation,may result in the author being banned from presenta-tion of future abstracts for a period of three years.

Abstracts are welcome from non-members ofEASD, but attention is drawn to paragraph 17 of thisOfficial Announcement, regarding the date by whichauthors must become members of EASD, in order toqualify for preferential registration fees. These regula-tions will be strictly enforced.

Online Membership Application is possible by internet (www.easd.org), but forms can also be down-loaded or requested from the EASD Secretariat inDüsseldorf (membership@easd.org).

The abstract must be submitted in English. The au-thor should create an account using a login name anda password, and with this information can revise thesubmission as often as required, make changes, addi-tions, amendments, change / add / delete authors, copyspecial characters easily into the text, re-write the ab-stract, download the text from a file or copy it into thesubmission box. All this is possible until the AbstractSubmission Deadline: 1 April 2005. After this date

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the account will be closed and it will only be possibleto review the abstract. CHANGES IN THE CON-TENT OF THE SUBMITTED ABSTRACT WILLNOT BE ACCEPTED after the submission deadline.

Detailed abstract submission instructions can befound under www.easd.org. These instructions for thesubmission of abstracts must be strictly followed. Ifan abstract is unsuitable for reproduction, it will bedisqualified. The abstract should be submitted in thefollowing way:

1) The title should be short (maximum 180 charac-ters).

2) Please enter your name and the names of co-authors as given in the following example. It isimportant to start each name with a capital letter and continue in lower case (Abcdefg). Example:

First name: SotiriosInitial: ASurname: Raptis

3) The abstract must be structured. Begin each sec-tion with the words Background and aims:, Materials and methods:, Results: and Conclu-sions: in bold characters. One or two sentencesshould describe the methods, and any aspects ofmethodology (e.g. use of control groups, ran-domisation, patient selection, assay variation).The sentences stating the results must includehard data, including statistical analysis.

4) References may not be included.5) For drugs exclusively generic names should be

used (no trademarks).6) Abbreviations may not be used in the title. A

list of approved abbreviations and units of ex-pression for use without definition appears in DIABETOLOGIA, Vol. 48, 1, 2005.

7) Grant/Support information should be entered intothe special field.

8) It is only possible to select one keyword.9) Abstracts CANNOT be submitted as an e-mail

attachment.10) A signed copy of the abstract must be faxed to the

EASD Secretariat in Düsseldorf by 3 April 2005:Fax: +49-211-758 469 25 or +49-211-758 469 29.

In case of questions, please call: +49-211-758 469 20.

5. KEYWORDS

One keyword from the list below should be selectedfor the submission:

GROUP 1: Genetics/Epidemiology01 Epidemiology02 Genetics of type 1 diabetes03 Genetics of type 2 diabetes

04 Monogenic forms of diabetes05 Environmental factors (viruses, nutrients, toxins)

GROUP 2: Islets06 Developmental biology07 Stem cells08 Transcriptional regulation and protein synthesis09 Insulin secretion in vitro and exocytosis10 Beta-cell signal transduction11 Beta-cell damage, degeneration and apoptosis12 Other islet cells/hormones (IAPP, glucagon, so-

matostatin etc.)

GROUP 3: Immunology/Transplantation13 Experimental immunology and animal models of

type 1 diabetes14 Inflammatory mediators (cytokines, free radicals,

chemokines)15 Clinical immunology16 Pancreas and islet transplantation17 Prediction and prevention of type 1 diabetes

GROUP 4: Pathophysiology/Metabolism18 Insulin action19 Insulin sensitivity and resistance20 Insulin secretion in vivo21 Hormone receptors22 Gastro-entero pancreatic factors23 Other hormones, action24 Glucose transport25 Carbohydrate metabolism26 Protein metabolism27 Lipid metabolism28 Adipose tissue biology and adipocytokines29 Weight regulation and obesity30 Inflammation and type 2 diabetes31 Prediction and prevention of type 2 diabetes32 Animal models of type 2 diabetes and obesity33 Other

GROUP 5: Clinical Science and Care34 Clinical diabetes35 Nutrition and diet36 Oral pharmacological agents37 Hypoglycaemia38 Exercise

GROUP 6: Clinical Science and Care39 Diabetes in childhood40 Pregnancy41 Insulin therapy42 Devices43 Health care delivery44 Education45 Psychological aspects46 Socio-economic aspects47 Information technology48 Other

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GROUP 7: Complications49 Neuropathy-somatic50 Neuropathy-autonomic, incl. erectile dysfunction51 Diabetic foot and skin disorders52 Retinopathy53 Nephropathy54 Hypertension55 Other

GROUP 8: Complications56 Lipids, lipoproteins57 Cardiac complications58 Macrovascular disease59 Glycation, AGE60 Endothelium61 Pathogenic mechanisms62 Animal models with complications

6. “EASD Rising Star Symposium”

The “EASD Rising Star Symposium” aims to identi-fy promising and innovative young researchers. Selected candidates will have the opportunity to pres-ent an overview of their past and ongoing research ac-tivities during a multidisciplinary research symposiumat the 41st EASD Annual Meeting in Athens. Fourcandidates will be selected, two in basic research andtwo in clinical research. Selected candidates will beinvited by EASD to present a 30 minute lecture (25minute lecture + 5 minute discussion) and will receivea commemorative certificate. EASD will cover travel,hotel and registration expenses for the selected scien-tists.

The Candidates:Candidates for the EASD Rising Star Symposiummust be paid-up members of EASD and have a PhD,MD or equivalent degree. The candidates must be un-der the age of 35 (for basic research) or 37 years (forclinical research) on 1 January 2005. Preference willbe given to individuals who have consistently pursueda well defined and innovative research line, leading toseveral publications in high impact, peer reviewedjournals.

The application to deliver a lecture at the “EASDRising Star Symposium” should include:

a. A two-page description of the applicant’s researchline not including supporting references.

b. Full name, address, date of birth and brief curricu-lum vitae of the applicant (two pages maximum),plus complete list of publications.

c. Proof of current EASD membership.d. Date and nature of the present appointment held by

applicant.e. Letter of recommendation from the Head of the

Department.

Please use the application form available on theEASD WEB pages www.easd.org – go to AnnualMeeting 2005 (word file for download). Please sendthe application to:

abstracts@easd.org, to arrive no later than1 March 2005.

Selection of the 4 speakers will be made by theEASD Scientific Programme Committee. Applicantswill be informed on the outcome of their applicationby the end of May 2005.

7. PROGRAMME COMMITTEE

The Programme Committee Members will meet inMay 2005 and have the absolute right to accept or re-ject abstracts. Their decision is final. Only acceptedabstracts will be printed. Presenting authors will beadvised of the Programme Committee’s decision by e-mail by the end of May 2005.

8. POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Poster presentations rank equally with oral presenta-tions at EASD Meetings. Posters must be displayedthroughout the Meeting and should be mounted on themorning of the first day and removed at the end of theEASD Meeting. The Posters should be accessible forstudy at any time during the Meeting hours.

Furthermore, all posters are presented at specialPoster Presentation Sessions during the lunch breakswhen no other scientific session will take place.These Sessions offer an excellent opportunity for direct scientific exchange. During the Poster Presen-tation Sessions, the authors must be present or makearrangements for somebody with knowledge of thedisplayed work to be present at their posters.Reprints of the posters should be made available andplaced in the envelopes / cases which are attached tothe poster boards. Detailed instructions will be sentto the presenting author on notification of accep-tance.

9. PROJECTION FACILITIES

PowerPoint presentation via beamer will be available.Instructions on presentation will be sent to the pre-senting authors on notification of acceptance. Onlysingle projection is provided.

10. VOLUME OF ABSTRACTS

Abstracts accepted for presentation will be publishedin the Volume of Abstracts and will be sent to mem-bers together with the August issue of Diabetologia.

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The Volume of Abstracts will be included in the conference bags. Furthermore, all accepted abstractswill be available on the Association’s web sitewww.easd.org before the Annual Meeting.

11. MEETINGS ON THE OCCASION OF THE ANNUALMEETING

Other meetings held on the occasion of 41st AnnualMeeting of EASD will be announced by means of an ad-hoc programme, produced and distributed bythe Local Organising Committee. Symposia held on the occasion of the Annual Meeting are not endorsed by EASD. For further information on sym-posia held prior to, or after, the official programme,please contact the Chairman of the Local OrganisingCommittee:

Professor S.A. Raptis, M.D.H.N.D.C.3 Ploutarchou Str., 3rd FloorGR-106 75 Athens, Greece

or

P.O. Box 17151, GR-100 24 Athens, GreeceTel: +30 210 7295160; +30 210 7209859;

+30 210 5831255; +30 210 5831260Fax: +30 210 7295167; +30 210 7297565;

+30 210 7239472E-mail: secretariat@easd2005athens.grwww.easd2005athens.gr

12. CREDIT POINTS

Certificates of Continuing Medical Education CreditPoints will be provided by the EASD Secretariat uponrequest at the EASD Annual Meeting.

13. TRAVEL GRANTS / STAYMENT GRANTS

Only EASD Members can apply for either a Travelor a Stayment Grant.

Travel Grants – Deadline 1 April 2005A limited number of Travel Grants will be available toPAID-UP MEMBERS OF EASD UNDER THE AGEOF 35 ON 1 SEPTEMBER 2005, who are presentingauthors of accepted abstracts.

Stayment Grants – Deadline 1 April 2005A limited number of Stayment Grants will be avail-able to PAID-UP MEMBERS OF EASD, who are pre-senting authors of accepted abstracts and who are liv-ing in countries facing financial problems.

Application for Travel or Stayment Grants:Application can only be made for one grant. The ap-plication for a Travel or Stayment Grant should con-sist of a SINGLE TYPE-WRITTEN PAGE giving thefollowing information:

a) Full name, date of birth and place of work of theapplicant.

b) EASD Membership number of the applicant.c) Date and nature of appointment to current position.d) Copy of submitted abstract.e) Brief recommendation by the Head of Department.

(for Travel Grant Applications only)f) The cost of economy return fare between place of

work and Athens in Euro.

Applications for these Grants should be addressed tothe Honorary Secretary of the Association and sent toEASD to ARRIVE NOT LATER THAN 1 APRIL2005. Applications received after this date cannot beconsidered!

EASD SecretariatAttn: Professor Decio EizirikRheindorfer Weg 3D-40591 DüsseldorfGERMANY

All applicants will be informed of the result of theirapplication in June 2005.

14. PASSPORTS AND VISAS

A valid passport is generally required for entry intoGreece. Being one of the Schengen countries (togetherwith Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France,Germany, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Nether-lands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden) Greece followsthe common visa policy on short-term stays of up tothree (3) months within the Schengen area. The citi-zens of Schengen countries are not subjected to bordercontrols within the common area, though airlines orother carriers do require an identification document(e.g. ID or passport).

For more detailed information regarding visa re-quirements to enter Greece, please visit the website ofthe Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs:www.mfa.gr/english/foreign_policy/eu/visa_inf.html

15. OFFICIAL INVITATIONS

Official letters of invitation to the 41st Annual Meeting of EASD will be sent by the Local Organis-ing Committee, upon request. Please note this proce-dure aims to assist delegates who need to obtain avisa or permission to attend the Meeting and is

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not an official invitation covering fees and other ex-penses. It does not imply any financial support fromthe Meeting organisers. Requests should be ad-dressed to the Chairman of the Local OrganisingCommittee:

Professor S.A. Raptis, M.D.H.N.D.C.3 Ploutarchou Str., 3rd FloorGR-106 75 Athens, Greece

or

P.O. Box 17151, GR-100 24 Athens, GreeceTel: +30 210 7295160; +30 210 7209859;

+30 210 5831255; +30 210 5831260Fax: +30 210 7295167; +30 210 7297565;

+30 210 7239472E-mail: secretariat@easd2005athens.grwww.easd2005athens.gr

16. REGISTRATION

It is requested that all registrations be made by means of the secured online registration programme.However, forms to print out are also available on theInternet: www.easd.org.

Printed registration forms should be sent to:

EASD Secretariat– Registrations –Rheindorfer Weg 3D-40591 Düsseldorf, GermanyTel: +49-211-758 469 20Fax: +49-211-758 469 25E-mail: registrations@easd.orgwww.easd.org

Group-RegistrationFor Group-Registration (10 or more delegates) pleasecontact:

Regina SautterEASD – Registrations – DüsseldorfTel: +49-211-758 469 21Fax: +49-211-758 469 25E-mail: regina.sautter@easd.org

Press-RegistrationJournalists are kindly requested to contact:

EASD -Registrations- DüsseldorfTel: +49-211-758 469 20Fax: +49-211-758 469 25E-mail: registrations@easd.org

Early registration closes on 30 June 2005 and anyregistration received after that date will be charged atthe higher rate. Participants will receive confirmationof registration and payment. On arrival, participantsmust show this confirmation at the Registration Desk.Participants will receive their documentation andname badge, which MUST BE WORN due to safetyregulations throughout the Meeting.

REGISTRATION DESK – OPENING HOURS:Saturday, 10 September 2005 12:00 – 20:00Sunday, 11 September 2005 08:00 – 20:00Monday, 12 September 2005 08:00 – 20:00Tuesday, 13 September 2005 08:00 – 18:00Wednesday, 14 September 2005 08:00 – 18:00Thursday, 15 September 2005 08:00 – 13:00

The registration area will be located at the Main Entrance of the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

Participant’s registration fees include:– Admission to the Scientific Programme,

12–15 September 2005– Admission to the Industry Exhibition,

12–15 September 2005– Programme and Abstract Book– Free access to the Athens Public Transportation

System, 10–15 September 2005– Coffee Breaks– Lunches on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,

12–14 September 2005– Welcome Ceremony and Reception on Sunday,

11 September 2005– Closing Ceremony and Farewell Reception on

Thursday, 15 September 2005– Conference bag

Accompanying person’s fees include:– Free access to the Athens Public Transportation

System, 10–15 September 2005– Access to the accompanying persons lounge at the

Congress Centre– Welcome Ceremony and Reception on Sunday,

11 September 2005– Athens city tour including a visit to the Acropolis,

on Tuesday, 13 September 2005– Closing Ceremony and Farewell Reception on

Thursday, 15 September 2005– Conference bag

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17. REGISTRATION FEES (in EURO)

Until 1 July – 30 June 2005 25 August 2005

and on-site

Paid-up member under Euro 50.00 Euro 160.0035 years of age on 1.1.2005

Paid –up member between Euro 140.00 Euro 320.0035–45 years of age on 1.1.2005

Paid-up member over Euro 180.00 Euro 400.0045 years of age on 1.1.2005

Non-member of EASD Euro 550.00 Euro 700.00Accompanying person Euro 150.00 Euro 150.00

All rates are indicated in Euro. The term “Paid-upmember” refers to persons who are recorded at theEASD Secretariat in Düsseldorf as paid-up membersat the time of the EASD Meeting. Annual membershippayments received after 1 August 2005 from NEWMEMBERS will not entitle them to registration feesfor members. Please bring your membership card tothe EASD Meeting.

Registration will close on 25 August 2005. For reg-istrations after this date, please contact the On-siteRegistration counter.

18. PAYMENT OF REGISTRATION FEES

Please register online at www.easd.org (securedsite) and mark the method of payment.

a) Credit Card (only VISA, EuroCard/Master-Card; all other cards will not be accepted)Card number with expiry date, billing address andcardholder’s name are needed.

b) Bank Transfers regarding registration have to bemade to:Account Holder: EASD – Registrations –Account Number: 8 126 468 05Bank Code (BLZ): 300 700 24Bank: Deutsche Bank,

Ritastr. 2, D-40589 Düsseldorf, Germany

IBAN (for Europe): DE94 3007 0024 0812 6468 05BIC / SWIF: DEUTDEDBDUE(for Overseas)

Please ensure you mention the registered person’sname as reference on the transfer.

c) Cheques in Euro, drawn on a German Bank,payable to EASD – Registrations – and sent togetherwith (a copy) of the registration form to:

EASD Secretariat– Registrations –Rheindorfer Weg 3D-40591 Düsseldorf, Germany

Please indicate “EASD Registrations 2005” and thename of the participant(s) on the cheque.

Other forms of payment different to those listedabove will not be accepted.

All charges due to bank transfers have to be paidby the sender. The name and address of the senderhave to be marked clearly on every remittance!!

When the appropriate fees have been received, del-egates will receive confirmation, which should be pre-sented at the registration desks in Athens. If you donot use the Online Registration System, please submityour Registration Form and payment by regular mailor fax. In order to avoid double charges, only send theregistration form ONCE. If confirmation has not beenreceived after 4 weeks, please contact:

EASD RegistrationsTel: +49-211-758 469 20Fax: +49-211-758 469 25E-mail: registrations@easd.org

19. HOTEL ACCOMMODATION

A large number of hotels varying both in category andin location have been reserved on the occasion of theEASD 41st Annual Meeting. Delegates are invited tochoose a hotel which best suits their accommodationneeds. However due to the ever-increasing number ofparticipants at the Annual Meetings, it is strongly ad-visable to book your room(s) at the earliest possibleopportunity.

Hotel rooms are booked on a ‘bed and breakfast’basis, including all local taxes. Youth hostel accom-modation will be available.

HOTEL CATEGORY RATES PER ROOM B/BEURODeluxe 420–5504 star 210–3403 star 125–2502 star 80–110

Accommodation will be offered on a “first come-firstserved” basis and will be offered online athttp://www.easd2005.com

C&C INTERNATIONALConventions & Congresses, EASD200516 Paradissou str., GR-15125 Maroussi, Athens, GreeceTel: +30-210-6889100, Fax: +30-210-6844777E-mail: easd2005@cnc.gr, www.easd2005.com

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20. SOCIAL EVENTS(included in the Registration Fees of participants andaccompanying persons)

Opening CeremonyThe Opening Ceremony will take place on 11 Septem-ber 2005 at 20:30hrs, followed by the Welcome Reception.

Closing CeremonyThe Closing Ceremony will take place at the CongressVenue on 15 September 2005 at 14:30hrs, followed bythe Farewell Reception, at which a light buffet offer-ing Greek specialities will be available.

21. OPTIONAL SOCIAL EVENTSwww.easd2005.com

On 13 September 2005, an evening with melodicsounds of world famous composers, under the havenof the Ancient Gods, the Odeon of Herod Atticus, sit-uated under the Acropolis will be offered.

On 14 September 2005, a Congress Party will beorganised at a magnificent venue by the seaside.

22. INDUSTRY EXHIBITION

An Industry Exhibition will be held at the Peace andFriendship Stadium, running concurrently with theMeeting. For issues, such as booking and allocationof space, etc., please contact the Chairman of theLocal Organising Committee:

Professor S.A. Raptis, M.D.H.N.D.C.3 Ploutarchou Str., 3rd FloorGR-106 75 Athens, Greeceor P.O. Box 17151, GR-100 24 Athens, GreeceTel: +30 210 7295160; +30 210 7209859;

+30 210 5831255; +30 210 5831260Fax: +30 210 7295167; +30 210 7297565;

+30 210 7239472E-mail: secretariat@easd2005athens.grwww.easd2005athens.gr

For technical issues, please contact:

Mr Nikos TsakonasC&C INTERNATIONALConventions & Congresses EASD200516 Paradissou str.GR-15125 Maroussi, Athens, GreeceTel: +30-210-6889100Fax: +30-210-6844777E-mail: easd2005@cnc.gr or ntsakonas@cnc.gr

23. ITALIAN DELEGATES

Please note that Italian organisations wishing to spon-sor the participation of Italian doctors should presenttheir applications through our official agency, whichwill forward them to the Italian Health Ministry. Ouragent’s details are as follows:

Mr Alberto FerriniGeneral MangerPandani Viaggi SrlVia G. Fara no.13I-20124 Milano, ItalyTel: +39 02 6693007Fax: +39 02 6694167E-mail: congressi@pandaniviaggi.it

24. GROUP HOTEL RESERVATIONS

Special reservation procedures apply to group hotelbookings. For bookings of more than 10 rooms pleasecontact:

C&C InternationalConventions & Congresses EASD2005Attn: Mary Georgiou16 Paradissou str.GR-15125 Maroussi, Athens, GreeceTel: +30-210-6889100Fax: +30-210-6844777E-mail: easd2005@cnc.gr, www.easd2005.com

25. CANCELLATION POLICY

1. Cancellation of RegistrationRefund of registration fees will be as follows:● received before 30 June 2005:

100% refund (minus Euro 50 handling fee)● received between 1 July and 31 July 2005:

50% refund (minus Euro 50 handling fee)● no refund on cancellations received after

31 July 2005

2. Cancellation of Hotel AccommodationIndividual Bookings:● Any cancellations until 1 June 2005 –

25% cancellation fees will apply.● Any cancellations from 2 June 2005 and until

20 July 2005 – 50% cancellation fees will apply.● Any cancellations from 21 July 2005 and until

20 August 2005 – 75% cancellation fees will apply.● Any cancellations after 21 August 2005 –

FULL cancellation fees will apply.

Cancellation terms also available at www. easd2005.com under Hotel Accommodation

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3. Cancellation of Optional Social Programmes andTours

Cancellation terms for tours and excursions will soonbe available at www.easd2005.com under OptionalSocial Programme & Tours.

All refunds will be processed after the AnnualMeeting.

26. TRAVEL TO ATHENS AND THE PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP STADIUM

The 41st Annual Meeting of EASD will take place inAthens, the capital of Greece and cradle of westerncivilisation. Having the Acropolis monuments as acrowning ornament, Athens does however have muchmore to offer to its visitors apart from the historicsites. As the host of the 2004 Olympic Games, Athenshas been significantly reconstructed, including a newinternational airport, road network, undergroundmetro system and renovated and modern hotels, and istherefore an ideal setting for EASD attendees to enjoythe renowned Greek hospitality.

The Peace and Friendship Stadium, the meetingvenue, is a jewel of modern architecture situated onthe magnificent coast of Faliro, in the south ofAthens, very close to the port of Piraeus. This stadi-um is widely known for being used to host the 2004Olympics, important European and international sportchampionships, as well as professional and commer-cial fairs.

Lufthansa – German Airlines – offers a comprehen-sive global route network linking Athens with manymajor cities around the world. For attendees travellingto Athens for the 41st Annual Meeting, special airfaresare available. For more details, please contact theLufthansa sales office nearest to you and refer to:GGAIRLHCONGRESSCode: LH05ATH592

Please call: +49 (0)180 5 838426.In North America, please call our conference agent,Lyon Travel toll free at: +1 803 803803.

To take advantage of this special offer, you must havethe official confirmation of your registration at theevent or some other proof of attendance available.Note: This offer does not apply for travel wholly with-in Germany.

27. LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

Athens is comfortably accessible from all Europeancountries and from most destinations in other parts ofthe world.

Athens International Airport (www.aia.gr) openedin March 2001 and is dedicated to customer satisfac-tion, providing high security standards and top qualityservices for all users. It is connected daily with over50 cities around the world. The Athens InternationalAirport is located 33 km southeast of Athens and iseasily accessible via the Attiki Odos, a six-lane motor-way constituting the Athens City Ring Road(www.aodos.gr). Public transport to Athens and theport of Piraeus is provided by express airport bus con-nections on a 24hour basis.

Athens Metro (www.ametro.gr) network consists of2 lines (Line 2 and Line 3) and 23 stations, serving500,000 passengers daily with trains arriving every 3minutes at rush hours and every 5–10 minutes at allother times. An additional line (Line 1) of the “electrictrain”, which already existed in Athens, connects theport of Piraeus to the northern suburb of Kifissia andcommutes a further 415,000 passengers per day. TheAthens Metro connects Syntagma Square to theAthens International Airport in 27 minutes.

● From Syntagma to congress venue:Take Line 3 to Monastiraki. At Monastiraki, changeto Line 1 (direction Piraeus) and get off at Falirostation.

● From Airport to congress venue:Take Line 3 (direction Monastiraki). At Monastira-ki, change to Line 1 (direction Piraeus) and get offat Faliro station.

● From Piraeus to congress venue:Take Line 1 (direction Kifissia) and get off atFaliro station.

● From Ambelokipi to congress venue:Take Line 3 (direction Monastiraki). At Monastira-ki change to Line 1 (direction Piraeus) and get offat Faliro station.

Hours of operation:Lines 2 and 3 operate daily from 05:30–24:00hrsLine 1 operates daily from 05:00–00:30hrs

Suburban trainwww.proastiakos.grThe suburban train of Athens, a modern project inau-gurated in July 2004, connects the centre of Athens(Larissis train station) to the Athens International Air-port through 9 stations in 41 minutes. The suburbantrain operates from 04:26 to 23:36hrs with departuresevery half an hour. The coaches are modern and offerplenty of facilities for passenger comfort.

From Airport to congress venue:Take the suburban rail to Neratziotissa. At Neratziotis-sa change to Line 1 (direction Piraeus) and get off atFaliro station.

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Tram www.tramsa.grThe electric tram was enthusiastically welcomed inAthens in July 2004, approximately 40 years after theold tram routes were terminated in the Greek capital.Its 5 routes operate daily on a 24-hour basis, serving47 stations. Tram vehicles arrive every 8 minutes be-tween 06:00-01:00hrs and every 40 minutes between01:00-06:00hrs.

● From Syntagma to congress venue:Take Line Aristotle, (direction S.E.F.) and get offat S.E.F station.

● From Glyfada to congress venue:Take Line Thucydides, (direction S.E.F.) and getoff at S.E.F. station.

Buseswww.oasa.grThe broad bus network of Athens covers almost everypoint of the city and its suburbs with 7,500 stops. Thefleet consists mainly of modern, environmentallyfriendly buses, complete with air conditioning and fa-cilities for passengers with special needs.

● From Syntagma to congress venueLine 040

● From Airport to congress venueLine E96 (Express)

● From Piraeus to congress venueTrolley bus: Line 20, from Drapetsona to N.FaliroBus: Lines 040, 101, 130, 217, 218, 229, 232, A1,B1 and E1

● From Glyfada to congress venueLines A1, E1

Useful tipsTickets (available at bus terminals and from mostkiosks) must be bought before boarding and validatedin the designated orange ticket machines inside thebus. To stop a bus, a hand signal should be given tothe driver. To disembark, notify the driver by pressingthe “stop” button before the required stop.

The OASA Call Center (185 – dialling from withinGreece) operates from 07:00–21:00hrs on weekdaysand from 09:00–17:00hrs at weekends.

The name badge, which registered participants andaccompanying persons will receive on-site, may alsobe used as a pass for the public transportation system.Delegates wearing the name badge have free access topublic transportation. For further information pleaserefer to www.easd2005.com

28. INSURANCE

The registration fees do not include insurance of par-ticipants against accidents, sickness, cancellation,theft, property loss or damage. Participants are ad-vised to take out adequate personal travel insurance.

29. DISCLAIMER

All efforts will be made in order to adhere to the pro-gramme as printed. However, EASD 2005 and itsagents reserve the right to alter or cancel, without pri-or notice, any of the arrangements, timetables, plansor other items relating directly or indirectly to theMeeting, for any case beyond their reasonable control.EASD 2005 and the Local Conference Organisers arenot liable for any other loss or inconvenience causedas a result of such changes.

30. TOURS

C&C INTERNATIONAL will offer a wide range ofcongress tours and excursions to accompanying per-sons before, during and after the Meeting. For moredetails please visit our web site at www.easd2005.com

C&C InternationalConventions & Congresses EASD200516 Paradissou str. GR-15125Maroussi, Athens GreeceTel: +30-210-6889100Fax: +30-210-6844777e-mail: easd2005@cnc.grwww.easd2005.com

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EASD News Section 1/2005DOI 10.1007/s00125-004-1649-3

EASD Robert Turner Clinical ResearchCourseOxford, UK, 25–29 April 2005

Supported by an educational grant from Johnson &Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and DevelopmentLLC.

Aims of the CourseThe European Association for the Study of Diabetes ispleased to announce the first Robert Turner Course onclinical research in diabetes for young physicians. TheCourse is intended to allow participants to become famil-iar with major theoretical and practical aspects of clinicalresearch and will consist of lectures as well as interactivesessions. By organising this course, EASD hopes to at-tract young clinicians to clinical diabetes research, in ad-dition to fostering diabetes research in new centres.

VenueThe 2nd EASD Robert Turner Course will be hostedby the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology andMetabolism.

OrganiserThe Course is organised by Prof. David R. Matthews.

FormatThe Course will be provided for a maximum of 20participants. There will be an international faculty andthe Course will cover many aspects of clinical re-search, including:

– Design of experiments– Ethical review– Grant applications– Physiological studies– Trials and trial theory– Statistics and statistical review– Good Clinical Practice– Handling samples– Handling data– Science writing methodology– Publication– Pitfalls of research.

The Course will be held in English. It is understoodthat all applicants must be able to communicate inthis language. All participants will be required to attend the entire Course. There will be no exceptionto this rule.

Criteria and eligibility for acceptance to the CourseThe Course is open to all medical doctors who areEASD members under the age of 40 years. It is designedas an introduction to enter clinical diabetes research orfor more experienced researchers from other fields whowish to obtain some basic training in this area.

Cost of the CourseParticipants will be asked to pay Euro 240.00 registra-tion fee as well as their transportation to and from Oxford. All other expenses including board and lodg-ing will be covered by EASD funds, supported byJohnson & Johnson. It is not intended that the registra-tion fee prevent any individual from attending andthose with limited funds at their disposal may requestEASD to waive this fee on the understanding that thiswill be accorded only to those considered truly inneed and without financial support from their homeinstitution. In exceptional circumstances and follow-ing a formal application, EASD may, if necessary, alsoprovide a travel grant.

Application proceduresInterested candidates should submit five (5) copies oftheir application to the

EASD SecretariatRheindorfer Weg 3D-40591 DüsseldorfGermany

The application must include the following:

I. A curriculum vitae giving age, place of birth, cur-rent professional address (with fax number andemail address) and full details of education andacademic and/or clinical career to date. Thereshould be a complete list of publications and men-tion of any meetings or workshops attended.

II. A one-page letter of support from the Head of theapplicant’s current Department attesting to thequalities of the candidate. This letter should alsodescribe the department’s activities in clinical re-search.

III. A one-page description of the applicant’s currentresearch interests, including a brief explanation ofhow the applicant feels the Course will help in afuture career in diabetes research.

Applications not including these pages will not beviewed favourably.

Applications must be received at the EASD Secre-tariat in Düsseldorf before 15 February 2005(regardless of postmark).

EASD has nominated a sub-committee to reviewapplications for the EASD Robert Turner Course.When selecting participants, the members of the Rob-ert Turner Course Sub-committee will be looking forcandidates with some experience in clinical researchand who work in an academic environment favourableto clinical diabetes research. A letter of support fromthe head of the academic department will be consid-ered as an essential part of the application.

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Delegates escaped to the fresh Austrian air in thehome region of the local organiser, Dr. AndreaSiebenhofer (Graz, Austria). The mountain backdropprovided a perfect environment for the relaxed andunpressurised informal discussion which characterisesthe group.

The first session “Improving Quality of Care” in-cluded a presentation of a fascinating randomisedprospective study of patient education for control ofrisk factors in Type 2 diabetes (Ravid, Tel-Aviv). Overan 8-year follow-up, a regular but infrequent brief in-tervention was translated into a significant reductionin cardiovascular events. Chairing the session, Profes-sor John Yudkin (London) provided helpful sugges-tions and characteristic quick-fire interactive statisti-cal re-analysis of presented data.

Continuing on the core HID theme of implementa-tion of current knowledge on a population-wide basis,Professor Thomas Pieber (Graz, Austria) described aquality management initiative (Forum for Quality As-sistance in Diabetes Care), which is running on a vol-untary basis amongst primary and secondary carephysicians responsible for hypertension managementin the Graz region. The apparently positive and sus-tained effect of auditing and monitoring, even in theabsence of a specific intervention, was noted – although the desirability of incentives for participationand governmental support were noted.

Novel data from a high risk Scottish population inPaisley and Renfrew over a 25-year follow-up werepresented in the second session on “Epidemiology”(Padmanabhan, Glasgow).

A doubling of non-cardiovascular mortality withrespect to the control population was noted in the 228patients with known diabetes at baseline, of whom 94had died. This phenomenon, which included an in-crease in cancer mortality, will pose new challengesfor diabetologists if confirmed in other populations.

A switch of theme followed after coffee towards”Basic Science” with careful dissection of the abnor-malities in nitric oxide production and action onsmooth muscle in Zucker fa/fa rats by ProfessorMariella Trovati (Turin, Italy). Discussion centred onthe need to reconsider metabolic processes in vascularsmooth muscle following a decade of scientific atten-tion to the endothelium. Dr Rita Rachmani then pre-sented data demonstrating a counterintuitive inductionof experimental atherosclerosis by interferon-α: herobservations reminded listeners of the limitations ofcurrent cytokine biology, particularly in the cardiovas-cular field. A provocative invited lecturer followed byProfessor Thomas Wascher (Graz, Austria) on the vas-cular effects of acute hyperglycaemia, particularly inthe post-prandial state.

The General Assembly found study group membersin a reflective mood, with a constructive discussion

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9th Scientific Meeting of the ‘Hypertension in Diabetes’ Study Group

Bad Aussee, Austria, 29 April–1 May 2004

regarding strategies for the future development of thegroup as it looks towards its second decade. It wasagreed that permission should be sought from EASDfor the remit of HID to be explicitly widened to en-compass other risk factors and vascular complications– and that this should be reflected by a change ofname. It was agreed that the Executive Committeewould consult further with the full membership beforetaking this forward.

Following agreement on these weighty matters, themembers rapidly found themselves in a crossbow fir-ing range, where Dr. Siebenhofer had arranged a com-petition to assess the reproducibility and accuracy ofmembers’ techniques. Professor Mogensen (Aarhus,Denmark) and Ravid (Tel-Aviv, Israel) were pleasedto demonstrate the value of seniority and experiencein these matters, although they were pipped at the postby “young buck” Padmanabhan (Glasgow, UK).These activities were followed by traditional Austrianmountain music from a group of happy gentlemen inLederhosen. Delegates with linguistic limitations wereassured by German speakers that the lyrics of the latersongs could not be translated into English – or at leastnot in “polite” company.

The fifth session saw the presentation of data onthe vascular effects of metformin (Petrie, Dundee,UK) and rosiglitazone (Nilsson, Lund, Sweden).These were accompanied by an arresting study indi-cating an apparently robust effect of acarbose in im-proving insulin sensitivity in obese hypertensive sub-jects with normal glucose tolerance – although the un-derlying biological mechanism was elusive (Rach-mani, Tel-Aviv). Delegates then enjoyed a historicaltour-de-force on the treatment of hypertension innephropathy by Professor Carl Erik Mogensen. Heforesaw no immediate progress towards more effec-tive novel therapies in this area, but highlighted theneed for more combination therapy trials with lowerblood pressure targets in high-risk patients, and urgedfor implementation of current knowledge on a popula-tion-wide (and world-wide) basis.

The sixth and final session generated lively discus-sion regarding the evidence base for microalbuminuriascreening in Type 2 diabetes (Seereiner, Graz, Austria)and an incisive critique from Kaiser (Cologne, Ger-many) of the “modified” intention-to-treat analysisused in analysis of the cardiovascular prevention datafrom the recent STOP-NIDDM study (full argumentsand replies are outlined in the March and June 2004issues of Diabetologia)).

The overall message was that critical appraisal isrequired even in interpreting the biggest and apparent-ly best-performed studies.

In summary, the diverse intellectual strands of theHID study group are thriving and the group retains aunique chemistry for lively and informal discussion.Having completed my term as Secretary, I look for-ward to the next few meetings unencumbered by the

burden of high office (!), sharing the HID experiencewith prospective new members, who are invited tojoin by submitting an abstract for the 2005 meeting.

It will be held in Istanbul 31 March/1 April 2005and hosted by Dr Pinar Topsever and colleagues. Abstracts should be sent by 21 January 2005 to Dr.Rita Rahmani, Secretary EASD-HID Study Group,Department of Medicine D, Meir Hospital, SacklerFaculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel;email ritam@clalit.org.il or rahmani@post.tau.ac.il.

Dr. John R. Petrie(Outgoing) Secretary EASD-”HID” Study GroupUniversity Department of MedicineNinewells Hospital and Medical SchoolDundeeDD1 9SYE-mail: johnp@memo.dundee.ac.uk

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Present: ChairJean-Claude Mbanya (IDF)

ADAMichael EngelgauEdward HortonRobert RizzaFrank Vinicor

EASDRobert HeineJørn Nerup

IDFPhilip HomeSally MarshallMartin Silink

IFCCKor Miedema

NGSPDavid Sacks

Observers: Delice Gan (IDF)Luc Hendrickx (IDF)

Staff: Richard Kahn (ADA)Carole Brendel (EURADIA)Mary Hata (EASD)

Absent with apologies: Ryuzo Kawamori (IDF)

1 Welcome

Prof Mbanya opened the meeting by welcoming par-ticipants. Apologies of absence from Dr RyuzoKawamori were duly noted.

2 Update on endorsement of the London Report(Report tabled)

2.1 Dr Nerup reported that the European Associationfor the Study of Diabetes (EASD) had raised Euro500,000 in partnership with industry to carry outclinical studies for the next two years. A Europeancollaborative network was now being built to identi-fy centres which could carry out these studies. Thenetwork would be ready to start work at the begin-ning of 2005.

2.2 Prof Mbanya added that there was also collabora-tion on an international level with different stakeholders who had endorsed the resolutions of theLondon meeting.

2.3 Dr Kahn reported that the ADA Executive Boardand Board of Directors have endorsed the resolu-tions of the London meeting. He reported that theADA was totally committed to this initiative andwas ready to start clinical studies. It was now wait-ing for the protocols to be decided. Dr Kahn indi-cated that some steps had been taken to find sub-groups to collaborate with before raising funding.

2.4 Dr Sacks reported that the NGSP and IFCC hadmet with manufacturers and both organizations hadpresented the same approach. He informed themeeting that the NGSP also endorsed the resolu-tions and would support future recommendations.Steps have been taken to carry out action points 1–3(re: page 3 of the Report of the London meeting).

2.5 Dr Miedema reported, with regard to action point 4(re: page 4 of the Report of the London meeting), thathe had carried out a literature search and that the stud-ies available indicated that there was a lot of uncer-tainty regarding the relationship between HbA1C andmean blood glucose (MBG). He also said that therewere no available data for non-white populations.

2.6 A discussion followed concerning the dispersionaround the regression line between the meanblood glucose level and the HbA1c level. It wasagreed that it was important to link these valueswith the risk of complications. An explainableunit must also be found for educational purposes.Participants agreed that well-designed prospectivestudies have to be carried out to confirm or dispelthe HbA1c and MBG relationship.

2.7 Dr Vinicor reported that the CDC and NIH sup-ported the process of this initiative. He informedthe meeting that the US Department of Health andHuman Services was collaborating with the Dia-betes Care Coalition on a campaign to lowerHbA1c levels. These organizations were intend-ing to carry out a sociological study to investigatehow people would react to a change in the values.

2.8 Prof Mbanya reported that the IDF Board of Man-agement and Executive Board have approved theresolutions of the London meeting. He suggestedthat the preliminary results of the clinical studiescould be presented at a symposium at the 19th

IDF World Diabetes Congress in 2006.

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Working Group of the HbA1c AssayMinutes of the follow-up meetingRoom 21b, International Congress Centre Munich, Germany

Monday, 6 September 2004

3 The way forward

3.1 Participants agreed to identify key questions to beanswered by the studies and to set up a small sub-committee to decide the protocol. The key questions were:i) Is there a relationship between mean blood

glucose and HbA1c levels in T1DM andT2DM in all ethnic groups?

ii) Do fluctuations (at the same MBG level) af-fect HbA1c?

iii) Is the relationship between HbA1c and MBGaffected by medication?

iv) Is the relation the same in and throughoutpregnancy?

v) Is the relationship between HbA1c and MBGstable when MGB is rising and falling?

vi) Is the relation the same in diabetes and non-diabetes at all MBG levels in ‘healthy indi-viduals’ (red cell turnover)?

3.2 It was agreed that the sub-committee should develop the core protocol, which would be reviewed by the main Working Group, for useworldwide. The sub-committee also should com-prise of people from outside the Working Group.The remit of the sub-committee included:• development of the protocol;• preparation of the document for the call for

proposals from co-ordinating centres;• organization of the selection procedure and

participation in the selection of successful pro-posals; and

• inviting the participating centres to provide in-put.

3.3 Participants decided that the main WorkingGroup should make the final selection of the co-ordinating centres, and that the studies should bekept simple as it was important to come up withresults speedily.

3.3 Members of the sub-committee would be:Robert Heine (see update below*)Philip Home (proposed by Prof Mbanya in absentia)Edward HortonKor MiedemaJørn NerupRobert RizzaDavid Sacks

3.4 T he terms of reference of the protocol sub-com-mittee group were:i) Results of previous studies should be accept-

ed and such studies should not be re-done.ii) The procedure for the development of the pro-

tocol should start immediately and that the pro-tocol should be ready before the end of the yearsuch that it could be sent out in January 2005.

iii) Other members to this sub-committee couldbe recruited.

iv) A technical group constituted by expertise,and not by institute, should be set up to helpdevelop the protocol.

v) Co-ordinating centres should be chosen fortheir scientific skills and expertise.

vi) Meetings of the sub-committee should be bye-mail and if necessary by conference call tobe organized by the ADA or EASD.

3.5 Prof Mbanya requested that he be kept informedof the sub-committee’s progress.

Action:1. Dr Kahn to set up the first conference call forthe protocol sub-committee in September/October.2. Protocol sub-committee to set up technical groupand develop protocol.3. Sub-committee to inform Prof Mbanya of itsprogress.

3.6 The following timeframe was decided on:

January 2005Protocol finalized/resources must be in place

April 2005Selection of centres

June 2005Recruitment of patients by centres

June 2006 Studies completed

3–7 December 2006Results reported at the 19th IDF World DiabetesCongress

3.7 Dr Kahn said that ADA should be able to put inEuro 500,000 to carry out the studies.

3.8 Dr Nerup suggested that the final results be pub-lished. Prof Mbanya suggested that there shouldbe two reports, one for patients and a second forhealthcare professionals (eg in Diabetologia andClinical Chemistry).

3.9 Dr Vinicor said that the sociological study (seepoint 2.7) would be a good companion study tothe clinical studies. A core group to define theprotocol for that study was now being assembled.Dr Marshall agreed to work with Dr Vinicor onthis study.

3.10 It was also decided to set up an Executive Com-mittee consisting of three people (a biochemist, arepresentative from ADA and one from EASD)with Prof Mbanya as chair. The Executive Com-mittee will drive the project forward while theWorking Group will act as a steering committee.

Action: ADA and EASD to each nominate a repre-sentative.

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4 Future meetings

Meetings for 2005 will take place in April and in June(ADA meeting). Prof Mbanya will send out invita-tions to the next meeting.

Action: Prof Mbanya to send out invitations to theApril 2005 meeting.

5 Close

Prof Mbanya brought the meeting to a close andthanked everyone for their useful input.

*Update from Prof Mbanya

Following our meeting I asked Robert Heine to chairthe protocol sub-committee and he very kindly accept-ed.

Checklist of action points:

1. Dr Kahn to set up the first conference call for theprotocol sub-committee in September/October.

2. Protocol sub-committee to set up technical groupand develop protocol.

3. Sub-committee to inform Prof Mbanya of itsprogress.

4. ADA and EASD to nominate a representative tothe Executive Committee.

5. Prof Mbanya to send out invitations to the April2005 meeting.

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BackgroundThe European Association for the Study of Diabetes(EASD) was founded in Montecatini, Italy, in 1965.In 1999, the Association created the European Foun-dation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD). The aims ofEFSD are to encourage and support research in the field of diabetes, to rapidly diffuseacquired knowledge and to facilitate its application.

Merck & Co., Inc is a global research-driven pharma-ceutical company. Merck discovers, develops, manu-factures and markets a broad range of innovativeproducts to improve human and animal health, direct-ly and through its joint ventures. Merck Sharp &Dohme, or MSD, is the name Merck uses for con-ducting its business in all other countries outside theUnited States and Canada.

PlanThis year EFSD and MSD will establish a new Euro-pean Study Programme on Beta Cell Function andSurvival to encourage new projects aimed at advanc-ing current knowledge in this domain. The Programmeinvites applications from non-profit organisations.

To achieve the goals and objectives of this Pro-gramme, EFSD and MSD invite applications by issuingthis “Request for Applications” (RFA), which indicatesjoint funding as well as areas of research emphasis.

The EFSD/MSD Programme Awards are intendedto stimulate and accelerate European research into allaspects of beta cell function and survival, with partic-ular focus on the following:

– increasing beta cell mass/function– mechanisms of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion– mechanisms of beta cell dysfunction, including

beta cell gluco- and lipotoxicity– non-invasive imaging of beta cells– beta cell intermediary metabolism

FundingSeven grants each of Euro 100,000 will be madeavailable this year.

Mechanism of Support and ReviewResearch will be supported through the award of fixedsum grants, each of upto Euro 100,000. The durationof each award may be one year or longer, dependingupon the needs of the project – which may include ba-sic research and clinical investigation – and as justi-fied in the application, so long as the total budget doesnot exceed the fixed sum of Euro 100,000. The Pro-gramme Board, at the suggestion of the ReviewCommittee, may at its discretion recommend an awardin a lesser amount considered more appropriate for theproposed studies.

Applications for an EFSD/MSD Programme Awardare invited from single non-profit institutions orgroups of affiliated institutions from Europe and asso-ciated countries. Applications will be subject to scien-tific review by a specialised ad hoc committee. Fund-ing will require approval by a joint EFSD and MSDboard convened for this purpose. It is anticipated thatapplications for this year will be received, reviewedand approved for funding by August 2005.

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European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD)AND

Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)

European Studies on Beta Cell Function and SurvivalRequest for Application

EFSD and MSDannounce

7 Grants of Euro 100,000 this year

Research Grant ApplicationsApplications for research grants may be subjected topre-review (or triage) procedures. In this event, anyapplication rejected at pre-review will not be subjectto a complete scientific review.

The deadline for receipt of research grant applica-tions is 15 April 2005.

The budget of research grants for the purposes ofthis Programme is limited to Euro 100,000. All bud-gets are to be prepared in Euro. For countries in whichthe Euro is not yet the common currency, the ex-change rate (between the Euro and the local currencyin the country where the work is to be performed)used for calculating the Euro budget must be men-tioned under “Budget Justification”.

Application forms may be requested from:

Foundation@easd.org

All applications must be prepared on the officialforms and completed in strict accordance with the de-tailed instructions to be found on these forms. In par-ticular, applicants are reminded that any pages in addi-tion to the maximum of 10 allowed for the scientificsection of the application will be deleted prior to re-view. Similarly, no applications using a font or line-spacing smaller than that defined in the instructionswill be considered for review. Additional material (inthe form of an appendix, attachment, reprints, etc.) isnot receivable and will not be sent to reviewers.

Applications should be submitted by 15 April 2005(date of receipt) to:

Viktor Jörgens, M.D., Executive DirectorEuropean Foundation for the Study of DiabetesRheindorfer Weg 3D-40591 Düsseldorf, Germany

Review ConsiderationsCompleted applications will be evaluated in accor-dance with the criteria stated below for scientific /technical merit by an appropriate scientific committeeconvened by EFSD and MSD.

Review criteria are as follows:

● Significance: Does the study address an importantproblem? If the aims of the application areachieved, how will scientific knowledge be ad-vanced? What will be the effect of the proposedstudies on the concepts or methods that drive thisfield?

● Approach: Are the conceptual framework, design,methods and analyses adequately developed, wellintegrated, and appropriate to the aims of the pro-ject? Does the applicant acknowledge potentialproblem areas and consider alternative tactics?

● Innovation: Does the project employ novel con-cepts, approaches or methods? Are the aims origi-nal and innovative? Does the project challenge ex-isting paradigms or develop new methodologies ortechnologies?

● Investigator: Is the investigator appropriatelytrained and well suited to carry out this work? Isthe work proposed appropriate to the experiencelevel of the principal investigator and other re-searchers (if any)?

● Environment: Does the scientific environment inwhich the work will be done contribute to theprobability of success? Do the proposed experi-ments take advantage of unique features of the sci-entific environment or employ useful collaborativearrangements? Is there evidence of institutionalsupport?

● Relevance: A brief statement of the impact of theproposed study on beta cell function and survival.

Reporting RequirementsAll investigators funded by this Programme are re-quired to submit a scientific report at the end of thefunding period.

ScheduleAnnouncement: January 2005Application Deadline: 15 April 2005Anticipated Award: August 2005

Enquiries should be directed to:

Viktor Jörgens, M.D., Executive DirectorEuropean Foundation for the Study of DiabetesRheindorfer Weg 3D-40591 Düsseldorf, GermanyTel: + 49-211-75 84 69-0Fax: + 49-211-75 84 69 29E-mail: Foundation@easd.org

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Agnieszka Trzcinska RN, MScFaculty of Health Sciences, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Smoluchowskiego 11, 60-179 Poznan, Poland.

Host institute: Yale University School of Nursing,100 Church Street South, New Haven, Connecticut06536-0740, USA.

Project title: Quality of Life among children withType 1 diabetes mellitus.

Objectives:There were two major purposes of my fellowship atYale University School of Nursing, Department of Pediatrics, USA.

The first was the planning of a research project onQuality of Life among chronically ill children. I havechosen the Yale School of Nursing because of Prof.Margaret Grey’s (pediatric nurse practitioner with expertise in diabetes, Associate Dean for Research Affairs at the Yale University School of Nursing) re-search focused on the natural history of adaptation tochronic illness in childhood, especially children with

diabetes mellitus, and the study of behavioral inter-ventions that improve both metabolic control of diabe-tes and the quality of life among young people.

The second reason for my interest was instrumenttranslation and validation process including attributesand criterion for reviewing instruments. The DiabetesQOL for Youth scale has been chosen for my studybecause it has never been used in Poland and has notyet been validated under Polish conditions. A propervalidation is indeed important for our future studiesin the field. Instrument validation requires severalsteps, including: conceptual and measurement model,reliability, validity, responsiveness, interpretability,respondent burden, alternative forms, cultural andlanguage adaptation. It is very important for the vali-dation process to assess this eight attributes properly,to guarantee the reliability/reproducibility of themethod. Against this background the Diabetes QOLfor Youth scale was modified to assess adolescents’perceptions of the impact of intensified regiments ontheir general satisfaction with life, and on their con-cern over social, school and relationships with peersrelated to diabetes items. Although this scale was de-veloped with adolescents it was successfully used byProf. Margaret Grey research team with children asyoung as 8 years old.

Work carried out:With funding from the EASD/MSD Travel FellowshipI have worked with Prof. Margaret Grey and her re-search team in improving my understanding of re-search on the quality of life in children with Type 1diabetes. My experiences included: observation ofmany aspects of the research process, observation ofclinical care of children with diabetes in the U.S., par-ticipation in research team meetings, library work,consultation with experts in measurement, and writinga draft of my proposal for critique.

Results obtained:Thanks to the funding from the EFSD/MSD TravelFellowship and Prof. Margaret Grey’s kind hospitali-ty, I completed a four weeks study program at YaleUniversity School of Nursing under Prof. Grey’s direction. As a result of my visit to Yale School ofNursing I was able to complete my research project.

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Report on an EFSD/MSD Travel Fellowship for Young Scientists 2004

European Association for the Study of Diabetes

EASD Executive Committee

President: E. Ferrannini, Pisa (retires 2007)Vice-President: E. Standl, Munich (retires 2006)Vice-President: H. Wallberg-Henriksson, Stockholm (retires 2005)Honorary Secretary: D. L. Eizirik, Brussels (retires 2007)Honorary Treasurer: J. Skrha, Prague (retires 2006) Chairman of the Postgraduate Education Sub-Committee: B. Feldt-Rasmussen, Copenhagen (retires 2005)Editor-in-Chief DIABETOLOGIA: E. Gale, Bristol (retires 2007)

EASD Council comprises of the Officers above and the following members:

Term Expiring September 2005K. Borch-Johnsen, GentofteG. Dimitriadis, Athens K.R. Paterson, GlasgowM. Roden, Vienna

Term Expiring September 2006I. Gourieva, MoscowS. Lenzen, HanoverC. Sanjeevi, StockholmJ.-L. Selam, Tustin

Term Expiring September 2007L. Czupryniak, LodzL. Gardete Correia, LisbonD. Mauricio, BarcelonaT. Otonkoski, Helsinki

The Past President, P.A. Halban, and the Secretary of the Postgraduate Education Sub-Committee, N.D. Hancu, are members of the Council.

HONORARY AUDITORSA.J.L. Scheen, Liège and G.A. Spinas, Zurich

HONORARY MEMBERSG. Alberti, Newcastle – D. Andreani, Rome – W. Creutzfeldt, Göttingen – A. Czyzyk, Warsaw – J.K. Davidson, Atlanta – T. Deckert, Hellerup – L.G. Heding, Copenhagen – C. Hellerström, Uppsala – H. Keen, London. – E. Kohner, London –

P. Lefèbvre, Liège – R. Luft, Stockholm – C. Lurie, New York – J. Pirart, Brussels – S. Rahbar, Duarte – P. Randle, Oxford – E. Shafrir, Jerusalem – D. Steiner, Chicago – E. von Wasielewski, Munich

GOLD MEMBERS Astra Zeneca, Macclesfield, UK – Eli Lilly & Co., Indianapolis, IN, USA – GlaxoSmithKline, Middlesex, UK –

Lifescan, Inc., Milpitas, CA, USA – Merck & Co. Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA – Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland – Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark – Pfizer, Inc., New York, NY, USA –

Sanofi-Aventis, Paris, France – Servier, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France – Takeda Chemical Industries Ltd., Osaka, Japan

SILVER MEMBERS Abbott Laboratories GmbH, Wiesbaden, Germany – Bayer HealthCare, Leverkusen, Germany –

Johnson & Johnson, Raritan, NJ, USA – Merck Santé, Lyon, France – Sooil Development Co., Ltd., Seoul, Korea

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSAmylin Europe Ltd., Oxford, UK – Animas Corporation, Pennsylvania, USA – A. Menarini Diagnostics, Florence, Italy –

Becton Dickinson Consumer Healthcare Europe, Le Pont-de-Claix, France – Berlin Chemie AG, Berlin, Germany – Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, Ingelheim, Germany – Hemocue, Angelsholm, Sweden – Medtronic Europe, Brussels, Belgium –

Owen Mumford Ltd., Oxford, UK – Pendragon Medical AG, Zurich, Switzerland – Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany – Smiths Medical MD, Inc., Minnesota, USA –

Ypsomed GmbH, Sulzbach, Germany

The EASD Executive Committee is also the Executive Committee of the European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes (EFSD)

EASD Secretariat: Office:Executive Director: V. Jörgens Rheindorfer Weg 3J. Burton, M. Grüßer, M. Hata, D-40591 Düsseldorf, GermanyA. Klee, G. Luetkemeier, P. Nani, Tel: +49-211-758469-0K. Page, C. Persidis, R. Sautter Fax: +49-211-758469-29EURADIA: C. Brendel secretariat@easd.orgEFSD: S. Burgess www.easd.org

FUTURE MEETINGS10–15 September 2005: Athens; 14–17 September 2006: Copenhagen/Malmoe;

18–21 September 2007: Amsterdam; 2008: Turin; 2009: Vienna; 2010: Geneva; 2011: Lisbon