The Board of the International Federation of Pigment Cell Societies (IFPCS) has approved to support the 4th European Days of Albinism (4EDA) meeting, to be held in Oslo (Norway) on 7-10 March 2018, with four (4) standard registrations for IFPCS members willing to attend this conference. Researchers and clinicians interested to attend this meeting who are current IFPCS members can submit their applications (brief CV and letter of intent are mandatory, abstract is optional) by January 15, 2018, to Lluis Montoliu (montoliu@cnb.csic.es), IFPCS Secretary and co-organizer of the 4EDA meeting, indicating in the subject of the message: application for 4EDA meeting.
Dear colleagues and friends,
Albinism is a rare genetic condition which primarily affects vision. The visual impairments of people with albinism can be associated with problems with pigmentation. For an adequate multidisciplinary approach to albinism, several professional are required, including dermatologists, ophthalmologists, hematologists, neurologists and geneticists. The same holds true for research in albinism, where geneticists, cellular biologists, molecular biologists, biochemists and neuroscientists have to investigate in a cooperative manner. The European Days of Albinism (EDA) are unique occasions for scientists and medical practitioners in charge of patients with albinism and involved in research on this condition to meet the European patients’ associations. The EDAs include scientific sessions, during which the latest advances in the field are presented and discussed, covering all aspects of the disease, from dermatology, to ophthalmology, genetics, cell biology and therapy. In parallel, the EDAs also hold a Meeting of the European Patients’ Associations. The EDAs traditionally end with a half day plenary session where delegates from the scientists and patients’ association groups share the summary of the topics that were discussed in their corresponding meetings.
After the first three extremely stimulating EDAs; held in Paris 2012, Valencia 2014 and Milan 2016, we are pleased to announce that the 4th EDA will take place at the Hurdal Vision and Activity Center, near Oslo, Norway, on March 8th-10th, 2018. The format has been extended to three days, which will leave two full days for the scientific meeting, thus allowing for more in-depth presentations and discussions of the new findings and developments in this complex field.
Another novelty is that the European patients’ associations have now formalized a Network of associations called Albinism Europe (www.albinism.eu). They rely on a scientific committee of thirteen members to both assist them with medical and scientific issues and to prepare the scientific program of the EDAs.
We are looking forward to seeing you in Norway for the 4th European Days of Albinism!
Lluis Montoliu and Benoît Arveiler, for the Scientific Committee of Albinism Europe
ASPCR 
ESPCR 
JSPCR 
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