Immunogenetics – Science and Clinical Applications – The Way Ahead

FOREWORD OF THE CHAIRMEN OF THE LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

We are delighted to welcome you to Prague for the 38^th European Immunogenetics and Histocompatibility Conference. Since the last EFI Conference in Prague in 2011, our field has changed immensely, not only in diagnostic procedures, but also in the interpretation of complex laboratory data. For this reason, the motto of the congress “Immunogenetics: Science and Clinical Applications – The Way Ahead” emphasizes the perspectives and new developments in immunogenetics as a science.

We are grateful to the leading experts who have agreed to present at the conference. Their talks will showcase future advances in our field and related areas, highlighting implications for transplant patient care and basic research development.

Prague has attracted many famous scientists for centuries. By the end of the 16^th century, Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe and German mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler laid the foundations of modern scientific research here. This tradition of groundbreaking discoveries continued well into the modern era. A notable example came in 1953, when Prof. Milan Hašek, working independently from Sir Peter Medawar, first observed immunological tolerance in chicken. Hašek went on to found the Prague Immunogenetics School at the Institute of Experimental Biology and Genetics, nurturing a generation of enthusiastic scientists (including J. Klein, P. Ivanyi, P. Demant and many others) who significantly advanced the field of immunogenetics.

This rich scientific heritage is just one facet of Prague's captivating character. We heartily recommend you spend some free time exploring the city, where you'll discover not only its intellectual legacy but also its magical, joyful, and friendly atmosphere.

While Prague's charm sets the stage for our gathering, the success of this conference is due to the hard work of many. We extend our deepest gratitude to all members of the EFI Executive Committee, EFI Scientific Committee, and EFI Education Committee. These committees have supported us with the preparation of the Scientific Program, the Teaching Sessions and the evaluation of the abstracts. Last, but not least, this conference would not have been possible without the generous support from our sponsors, who have also contributed to the Scientific program by organizing intriguing and stimulating symposia.

We are happy to host you again in our beautiful city and we hope that you will find the conference to be fruitful and inspiring.

Antonij Slavcev and Gottfried Fischer
On behalf of the Local Organizing committee