Words of welcome

With great pleasure we welcome you to the 15th Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) in Barcelona. This marks the third lustrum of the EHA Annual Congress. Over the years, EHA congresses have grown in size and quality, and we believe that this year’s congress will be no exception. The Scientific Program Committee and Scientific Advisory Board have done their utmost to compile a program that covers the broad spectrum of benign and malignant hematology. Many different sessions have been created to meet the needs of our delegates.

The plenary sessions, with their excellent speakers, will draw your attention to new insights in the different areas of hematology. The education sessions, with their overarching setup of basic, translational, and clinical research, are an integral part of the congress for every delegate. Simultaneous to the education sessions, this year two workshops will be held in the morning and afternoon: the new Laboratory Hematology Workshop, focusing on diagnostic work, and the Molecular Hemopoiesis Workshop, with special focus on the latest advances in research.

During lunch, you may attend the lunch debates or the meet-the-expert sessions to get answers to any urgent questions you might have. Be sure to attend the Hematology-in-Focus sessions to get further in-depth information on specific aspects or diseases. As part of this program, a new collaboration with the Japanese Society of Hematology (JSH) has resulted in a joint symposium on diseases that have a higher prevalence in Japan compared to Europe, and vice versa. Alternatively, you may want to visit the session organized with the European Cancer Patient Coalition, combining perspectives on access to clinical trials.

The abstract program is as promising as last year’s, with more than 2,100 submitted abstracts, a record for the congress. Based on the abstract review, the six best abstracts will be presented in the Presidential Symposium. Furthermore, oral sessions and poster sessions will provide opportunity for authors to present their data. All accepted abstracts are available in the abstract book.

During the opening ceremony on Friday, June 11, Professor Brunangelo Falini (University of Perugia, Italy) will receive the José Carreras Prize and present the José Carreras Lecture. This year’s Jean Bernard Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Professor Emili Montserrat (University of Barcelona, Spain), in the Presidential Symposium on Saturday, June 12, for his lifetime contributions to the advancement of hematology. This edition of the joint EHA-ASH Symposium will focus on the delivery of health care in outreach countries and will be presented by Professor Ian Magrath (International Network for Cancer Treatment and Research (INCTR), Brussels, Belgium).

The satellite symposium day on Thursday, June 10, demonstrates the fruitful relationship that EHA has with both the pharmaceutical industry, as well as other non-profit organizations. This year, 24 satellite symposia will cover the latest results obtained by innovative treatment modalities.

After a day filled with quality science and education, enjoy the beautiful city of Barcelona. The rich history of the city, combined with the modern architecture and the splendor of Gaudi’s imagination will surely be a perfect evening pastime. Public transport both in the city center and its surroundings is easy, safe, and fast. Your badge is your transport ticket for the duration of the congress.

On Saturday evening, we highly recommend the EHA social event. This year, the Maritime Museum will display its wondrous artifacts and the amazing Sala Marques de Comillas will be filled with Spanish entertainment (from tapas to flamenco dancing and human towers). Tickets can be bought at the information desk in the registration area for € 25 a piece.

On behalf of the EHA board, and all committees and individuals involved in this years’ EHA Congress, we would like to share with you our belief that all the ingredients are in place for yet another successful episode of the EHA Annual Congress story.

With our best wishes,

Robin Foà President of EHA	Jesús San Miguel President of the 15th Congress