From Genes to Grafts: Where Innovation meets Medicine

WELCOME FROM THE CHAIRS OF THE LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE  

It is a great honour and privilege to welcome you to Edinburgh for the 39^th European Federation for Immunogenetics Conference. As you know our last attempt to gather people to Scotland in 2020 did not go so well, so we feel extra proud/relieved that we can now give delegates an opportunity to see some of the sights (and sounds!) of this part of the UK. Our theme for the meeting will be From Genes to Grafts: Where Innovation meets Medicine, reflecting the broad science and clinical interaction which comes under the EFI umbrella.

We would firstly like to thank all the speakers who have agreed to participate in the Scientific and Teaching sessions at the conference. We hope we have created, in collaboration with the EFI Scientific and Education Committees, a varied and interesting selection of talks which will expand our knowledge of the science of immunogenetics and histocompatibility and its role in current treatments and future therapies. Also, thanks to the EFI members who have submitted abstracts to present their data in the oral abstract sessions or poster sessions. This is such a key role of the conference, bringing delegates together to discuss their latest work, triggering new collaborations and projects.

We would also like to thank everyone who’s been involved in the organisation of the meeting. The help of the Guarant team, as EFI’s PCO, is invaluable and the continuity provided by their involvement in the conference over the last few years really helps things to run smoothly. The EFI Office team have helped enormously in ensuring nothing has been overlooked (hopefully!) in the preparations for the meeting. The local team at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) have also been exceedingly helpful from the moment they were first contacted regarding a possible booking for 2026. They, and we, hope you find the venue comfortable and navigable as the conference proceeds.

The last and most important thankyou must go to the Sponsors and Exhibitors at the conference. It is only when involved in the organisation of such a meeting that you really do appreciate the financial commitment of our trade partners to EFI. Thanks also to them for contributing to the Conference with a selection of important and informative symposia. Please support our trade partners by attending these symposia and by visiting their stands during the breaks.

As we now finally have you in Scotland, we do hope you can take some time to get acquainted with the beautiful and historic city of Edinburgh; the best way to see the city is really just to jump in and walk around. The city really divides into the Old Town (the streets around and leading to the castle), and the New Town, which despite its name dates back to the Georgian period (1700s), covering the area to the north of Princes Street. Although the famous Edinburgh festival does not begin until August, there should be plenty of activities; music, theatre, dance, art (the National Galleries of Scotland on Princes St are recommended) to keep people entertained if you are able to stay for an extended period. Many of you may also wish to investigate further into Scotland and we’d recommend Edinburgh, or the city of Glasgow in the west, as great places to use as bases for that exploration!

We hope everyone enjoys the 39^th EFI Conference and their time in Scotland and goes home invigorated with new scientific enthusiasm and with memories of a warm welcome and a great time!

David Turner and Ann-Margaret Little

On behalf of the Local Organising Committee