EVER newsletter
May 18, 2006

We are honoured to announce that Professor Martine Jager, an active member of the EVER Oncology/Pathology section (and its former Programme Secretary) has become the President Elect of ARVO. We wish her great success.

Opening the Doors For Ophthalmic Research in Europe
The first day at the just passed ARVO meeting, EVER presented opportunities for ophthalmic research in Europe under the title "Successfully Conducting International Research in Europe". Two years ago ARVO and EVER agreed on facilitating cooperation and communication of research in ophthalmology between Europe, and America specifically, and other non-European countries in general. The EVER-ARVO SIS at the ARVO-meeting was an EVER response to the equivalent ARVO effort last year at the EVER meeting.

Per Söderberg introduced the SIS and described EVER and the EVER meeting. Then, Amanda Churchill from United Kingdom outlined research and cultural highlights in Europe under the title "Why Europe?". Ivan Haefliger from Switzerland, continued based on his own experience with many helpful hints about "Where to go and how to find the most suitable lab in Europe". Then, Per Söderberg from Sweden gave an overview of the funding opportunities for European ophthalmic research, trying to shine some light on the mysteries of the European Union research funding mechanisms. Finally, Pinar Aydin from Turkey revealed the multicultural peculiarity of Europe and its consequences for European eye research.

The symposium was very well attended. The presentations seemed to have triggered a lot of interest among non-Europeans, judging from all the comments that we received afterwards during the ARVO meeting. We anticipate that this collaborative effort between ARVO and EVER triggered Americans, and hopefully other non-Europeans, to increasingly consider Europe as a possibility for eye research collaboration in the future.

At our annual meeting in October, it is planned that ARVO will present some successful American eye research centers that may be of interest for Europeans, and at ARVO 2007, EVER will present some successful European eye research projects that are based on specific opportunities in Europe. If anybody has a suggestion on which projects that should be presented, please communicate this and the potential presenter to our administrator, Marlene Verlaeckt.

Finally we want to thank ARVO for excellent organization and a good meeting room.

Per Söderberg, Ivan Haefliger
Download the full presentations

The online abstract submission deadline for paper/poster and SIS abstracts is JUNE 1.
We invite you to participate in the EVER 2006 Meeting by submitting your abstracts and for sharing your talents, new concepts, experience and data.

The guidelines for abstract submission.

Submit your poster and obtain the best poster in your section !
A poster prize of 100 EUR will be awarded for the best poster in each section.
The winners will be chosen by the moderators and will be announced in the General Assembly meeting on Saturday October 7th.

We will have 5 pre-congress courses on Wednesday Oct 4 at 2pm. Space is limited. Book now to ensure your place, only 40 EUR

Course 1:
How to cope with statistics in eye research, Tero KIVELÄ, Bertil DAMATO

Course 2:
Immunology: How to handle Emergency situations in patients with ocular inflammation?, Bahram BODAGHI

Course 3:
Electrophysiology: a/ in acquired retinal disease b/ the use of extended ERG techniques, Graham HOLDER

Course 4:
Visual Fields in Optic Nerve diseases, Pinar AYDIN, Rabla OZDEN, Volkan DAYANÍR, Lene MARTIN

Course 5:
Web-Based Resources in Ophthalmology: Resources and Strategies, Pamela SIEVING

Seven outstanding speakers will give a keynote lecture during the EVER 2006.

ACTA Keynote lecture:
The Interplay of Clinical and Basic Knowledge in X-linked Retinoschisis, Paul Sieving, USA

Ophthalmic Research Lecture:
Photoreceptor Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress in Experimental Uveitis, Narsing Rao, USA

AER Lecture:
Antivirals for viral eye infections, Erik De Clercq, Belgium

EVER Lecture:
The Evolution of Electrical Responses from the Eye,Nick Galloway, UK

Keynote Lecture:
Cone and cone rod dystrophies, genotype, phenotype and disease mechanisms, Tony Moore, UK

Keynote Lecture:
Light damage and retinal degenerations: a model that sometimes tells the truth, Charlotte Reme, Switzerland

Keynote Lecture:
Advance of Ophthalmology in China and the Way Forward to International Ophthalmology, Zhao Jialiang, China

The housing bureau Motivatours has negotiated special rates for accommodation during the EVER 2006 meeting in several categories of hotels, all within walking distance from the congress center, the marina and the beaches.
Housing deadline : AUGUST 15.
The hotel reservation form.

TRANSFER airport service : on arrival dates Oct 3 and Oct 4 every 1/2 hour from 7am till 11pm. On departure dates Oct 7 and Oct 8 every hour from 4am till 8pm.

Private transfer: book in advance with the hotel reservation form. Price net per car per way (1 to 3 persons) 25 EUR per person.
Congress airport shuttle: no reservation in advance, payment should be done to shuttle driver, 12 EUR per person per way.
Taxi's are also available at Faro Airport.

The EVER Board has nominated Amanda Churchill and Per Söderberg as its representatives in the Acta Ophthalmologica Board of Directors.

The Board also nominated Erich Knop, Harminder Dua, Selim Orgul, Uwe Pleyer, Ralph Michael, Marcela Votruba, Lene Martin, Charlotta All-Ericsson, Ivan Haefliger, Charles Riva and Graham Holder to the Editorial Board of the journal.

Acta has accepted the nominations.

Please take a look at Acta and remember that as an EVER member you are eligible to print one page of colour free of charge when your paper is accepted by the journal.