RELATED MEETINGS

6^th Australasian Mutation Detection Meeting

Methods, Cancer Gene Analysis and Diagnostic Applications

2 - 5 August 2006 - Couran Cove

Genetic Research: Academic Industry Partnerships
Sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline and the Australian Neuromuscular Research Institute.

3 - 4 August 2006 - University Club, Perth, Western Australia

Topics to be discussed include Alzheimer's Dementia, Parkinson's Disease, AO Therapeutics and DMD, Oncology and Imaging and Psychiatry.

Registration is free to registered delegates of ICHG 2006.

4 - 5 August 2006 - Radisson Resort Gold Coast

6 August 2006 (10:00 - 13:00) - Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre - M9

"Capacity Building for Care and Prevention of Genetic and Congenital Disorders in Developing Countries: Partnerships to Built Sustained Capacity in the Care and Prevention of Genetic and Congenital Disorders."

10:00: Welcome
Y. Portman / I. Nippert

10:15 - 10:45: Global Action Plan for Capacity Building
A. Christianson

10:45 - 11:15: The EU CAPABILITY Project
I. Nippert

11:15 - 11:45: Equity, Solidarity and the needs of Patients and Families - Creating the Momentum to Develop Services
A. Kent

11:45 - 12:15: National Capacity Building Projects: Oman
Y. Portman

12:15 - 13:00: Discussion

Sponsors: WAO, March of Dimes International Programs

Sunday, 6 August 2006 - Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre - Room P5 (Plaza)

Email: dianne@agsa-geneticsupport.org.au

IGA would like to invite all families caring for a child with a genetic condition, allied health professionals and support group organizations to attend the first International Genetic Alliance (IGA) satellite meeting to be held Australia as part of the 11^th INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF HUMAN GENETICS.

Admission is free.
Please come along and learn what is happening in the international world of genetic parent/patients organisations. Learn about problems facing developing countries, the network of genetic organisations, what they are achieving and meet first hand the IGA members representing countries from all around the world.

GUEST SPEAKERS
Ysbrand Poortman, Dutch Genetic Alliance of Parent / Patient Organisations (VSOP, Soestdijk)
"The road to treatment, a global, parent/patient driven action to limitation of the burden of genetic disease".
Poortman is the founder of the following organisations:

European Platform for Patients Organisations since 1994 Science and Industry (EPPOSI, Brussels).

World Alliance of Organizations for the Prevention of Birth Defects (WAOPBD, New York)(1994)

International Genetic Alliance of Patient Organisations (IGA, Washington) 2000

European Genetic Alliance (EGA), in 2003 and is Vice President of the European Alliance of Patient and Parent Organisations for Genetic Services .

A number of television productions and educational audiovisuals also bear his name.

He was recently appointed as one of the Chairpersons of the Biovision: World Life Sciences Forum. He is a biologist by education and the father of a daughter with a Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Bronwyn Gray, New Zealand
"Searching for a Cure…a mother's story"
Bronwyn will talk from the point of view of a mother whose daughter has been given a shock diagnosis of a rare and fatal lung disease Lymphangioleiomyomatosis.... Bronwyn will present her successes in forming the New Zealand LAM Trust and her experiences with fundraising, research and setting up support and international links for patient support, information and scientific research.

John Forman, Executive Director, New Zealand Organisation for Rare Disorders (NZORD)
"Genetic Support Groups- Challenging Roles - Nationally and Internationally"
John's involvement in genetic disorders started over 30 years ago with the birth of his twins with a rare genetic condition, but a lack of accurate diagnosis and a scarcity of information meant it was not till nearly 20 years later with the arrival of better diagnostics and the internet, that he was able to take advantage of the wealth of information that is often now taken for granted by so many families affected by rare genetic conditions.

The theme of John's presentation reflects his family and work experience. He argues that we must be more than mutual support groups and we must set much higher goals than simply raising awareness. Our role is also to influence health care services and priorities, set agendas in research and ethics, and define a range of policy and legal objectives that we should pursue on behalf of the groups we represent. Our advocacy needs to be effective so that we become partners with professionals and policy agencies in key decision-making processes.

Dianne Petrie, OAM, Director, Association of Genetic Support of Australasia (AGSA)
"What's happening down under"
Dianne and Richard Petrie have two children and their daughter Natasha has William syndrome. Dianne and Richard started the Williams Syndrome Association of Australia and run an annual WS Picnic Day on the last Sunday in August. Dianne has a BA in Psychology and an Advanced Certificate in Counselling. She has been working in the area of genetics and family support for 23 years and is on many committees both here and overseas. Recently Dianne was awarded an OAM on the Queen's Birthday Honour s List in recognition of her work.

Laurie Taylor, Project Officer, Association of Genetic Support of Australasia (AGSA)
"Filling the Void"
Laurie has worked at AGSA for six years on a Support Group for women who carry a gene fault predisposing them to certain cancers. In addition to this she has worked as a Massage Therapist specializing in Remedial and Pregnancy Massage. Laurie has also worked for a number of years as a Disability Support Worker, and is currently studying for a degree in Social Work. She is the sole parent of two children, one of whom has an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Other speakers to be advised.

It is important to raise awareness about genetic conditions and the needs of families and individuals so I hope you will be able to attend and support this first International Genetic Alliance meeting in Australia. Come along and have your say and let us know about your group.

A light lunch will be served before the meeting in the foyer.

For further enquiries please phone Dianne Petrie at AGSA on 02 9211 1462
Email: dianne@agsa-geneticsupport.org.au
or
Trish Fallon at Self Help Queensland Inv on 07 3344 6919
or
Ring the Brisbane Convention Centre on 07 3308 3000

Admission is free. Registration is limited.

Sunday, 6 August 2006 - Rydges South Bank Hotel

Sponsored by Novartis

Sunday, 6 August 2006 - Brisbane Convention Centre, QLD (Room P1/P2)

10.00 - 10.20am: Welcome - An Overview of Thalassaemia in Asia Pacific
Prof. Sir David Weatherall (UK)

10.20 - 11.00am: Thalassaemia overview / Management paradigm / pre-natal diagnosis
Dr. Donald Bowden (Aust)

11.00 - 11.30am: Government program for Thalassaemia screening
Dr. Lin Kai-Hsin (Taiwan)

11.30 - 11.45am: Morning tea

11.45 - 12.20pm: Advances of iron level monitoring
Dr Tim St Pierre (Aust)

12.20 - 12.50pm: Compliance to chelation: A key to life
Sr Libby Reid (Aust)

12.50 - 1.20pm: QoL/ Health Economics perspective re: iron chelators Compliance /complication/Cost
Dr. Thomas Delea (USA)

1.20 - 2.10pm: Lunch

2.10 - 2.50pm: Management of iron overload - introduction of a new agent (Exjade)
Dr. John Porter (UK)

2.50 - 3.20pm: Recent advances in BMT for Thalassaemia patients
Dr. Mammen Chandy (India)

3.20 - 4.00pm: Genetic research into Thalassaemia
Dr. Suthat Fuchareon (Thailand)

4.00 - 4.50pm: Expert panel Q&A session
All speakers

4.50 - 5.00pm: Thanks and close
Prof. Alan Bittles (Aust)

For further information or registration, contact Prescribed Events at confresponse@optusnet.com.au
(Note: Delegates must register separately for this symposium)

Sunday, 6 August 2006 (10:00 - 16:00) - Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

Provisional Programme for the Pre-Congress Satellite Meeting

FREE TO ALL CONGRESS REGISTRANTS

10:00	Registration/Coffee
10:30	Welcome/ Introduction	Dhavendra Kumar
10:45	Diversity of the Indian subcontinent populations	Dhavendra Kumar, Cardiff, UK
11:30	Genetic and genomic developments in India	Prof. Jai Rup Singh, Amritsar, Punjab, India
11:45	Challenges of genetic diseases among the migrant Indian subcontinent community in the United Kingdom	Prof. Peter Farndon, Birmingham, UK
12:45	Lunch Break (Refreshments not provided)
14:00	Genomic diversity in India and susceptibility to infectious diseases	Prof. Pitchapnnrm, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
14:45	Are Indian mutations unique?	Prof. Aravinda Chakraborty, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, USA
15:15	Genomics and global health-implications for the developing world	Prof. Sir David Weatherall, Oxford, UK
16:00	Discussion/ Close

NB: This programme is provisional. Other invited speakers include Dr. I.C.Verma (New Delhi) and Prof. Michael Patton (London)

This meeting is supported by the Institute of Medical Genetics/All Wales Medical Genetics Service, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK and the Wales Gene Park, Cardiff University, UK.

For further information please contact
Mrs. Angela Burgess,
Education Officer, Wales Gene Park, Cardiff Medicentre,
Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4UJ
Tel. +44-2920-682-140; email: burgessam@cf.ac.uk

Sunday, 6 August 2006 (14:00 - 16:30) - Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

Delegates should register their intention to participate with julie_mcgaughran@health.qld.gov.au to whom they should send the digital images of the cases for discussion along with brief clinical details.

Monday, 7 August 2006 (18:00 - 19:30) - Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre - Merivales Lounge

The Australasian Association of Clinical Geneticists warmly invite clinical geneticists and clinical genetics fellows attending the ICHG meeting to meet their mentors from overseas for pre-dinner refreshments. If you know mentors who are coming to Australia for the Congress could you please let them know about the reception?

Matt Edwards
President, Australasian Association of Clinical Geneticists

Wednesday, 9 August 2006 - Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (Room P1/P2)

Time: 12:30pm - 1:30pm

You are invited to join a "Lunch and Learn" workshop with Dr Swaroop Aradhya from Stanford University Hospital and Dr Carsten Rosenow from Agilent Technologies. Learn about the latest in high resolution oligo array CGH innovations and how to extract the most relevant information using CGH Analytics.

Sponsored by Agilent Technologies

To register: http://yan-infogate.com/cgi-bin/english/semi_form.cgi

Further information: Sue Broughton 1800 802 402 or email agilent_assist@agilent.com

A combined meeting of kConFab, Australian Ovarian Cancer Study and the Family Cancer Clinics of Australia

16 - 19 August 2006 - Couran Cove, South Stradbroke Island, Queensland

10 - 14 October 2006 - New Orleans, USA

Members of the Australasian Genetic Alliance will be meeting on 5^th August 2006 from 4pm – 6pm in Room M5, Mezzaine Level, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.