#Conferences

Decades of genetic and nutrition studies in Dr. Longo’s laboratory have resulted in the identification and understanding of strategies for activating high protection, but also in repairment and regeneration of the systems aimed towards preventing and treating diseases.

Discoveries to be pointed out include: reduction of cancer and diabetes rates in both mice and humans by genetic mutations, prevention of major diseases in monkeys and modulation of risk factors in humans by chronic dietary restriction (CDR). Other points that will be discussed during the conference will be the proven impact of CDR lean on improving body mass, immunity, enhanced wound healing and possibly regeneration with decreased side effects and disease risk factors by Fasting Mimicking Diets (FMDs).

Join us for his exclusive IMSCB Conference, if you cannot wait to discover the practical meaning of these results and to see how FMDs could improve health and prevent a variety of age-related diseases. Our event will provide a sneak-peek of the ongoing and future clinical trials, aimed to determine which diseases could be effectively treated by FMDs.

During this conference, we guarantee that all our participants will be acquainted with the genetics of ageing, gain insight into the effects of calorie restriction on diseases, assimilate information about the effects of FMDs on diseases in mice and learn about the effects of FMDs on disease prevention in humans

Have we sparked your interest yet?

An alumnus of Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Dr. Ivan sensed from his very first year as a medical student that his passion was directed towards the academic field. His prolific career includes a PhD Diploma at Cardiff University and postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. In 2001 Dr. Ivan published his discovery of key oxygen-sensing enzymes in the article “HIFalpha targeted for VHL-mediated destruction by proline hydroxylation: implications for O2 sensing”, which was mentioned as crucial for the research rewarded with last year’s Nobel Prize.

At the moment, Dr. Ivan is involved in further research projects targeting specific molecular responses to hypoxia and he is a persistent supporter of young scientists.

During Dr. Ivan’s conference we will embark on a continuous journey of extensive research, spanning over two decades, and get a glimpse inside the mind of a world-renowned academic. The presentation provides a personal account of a life dedicated to exploring the universe of knowledge, beginning with the discovery of oxygen sensing enzymes, followed by more recent identification of hypoxia-regulated noncoding RNAs. Furthermore, Dr. Ivan will highlight the consequences of cellular oxygen sensing blockade and will introduce a new class of drugs effective against chronic kidney disease (CKD) anemia.

Whether you are interested in delving into the field of clinical or fundamental research, or want to gather information about the latest discoveries in medicine, this conference will suit you perfectly. We encourage you to learn from Dr. Ivan’s vast experience, shedding light onto a compelling topic.

We know that quarantine was the perfect period for catching up with the latest Netflix series. Having this in mind, we have prepared an amazing opportunity for you to meet Dr. Syra Madad, a popular American pathogen preparedness expert and infectious disease epidemiologist who is featured in the Netflix series “Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak” as herself. Currently, she is holding the position of Senior Director of the System-wide Special Pathogens Programs at NYC Health + Hospitals. Her activity ensures that the municipal healthcare system of New York City is alert during epidemic outbreaks, by undergoing simulations beforehand and developing, testing and training on infectious disease plans and processes. Over the years, she has helped in the oversight of several outbreaks, such as Ebola virus disease, Zika fever and more recently COVID-19, being part of the COVID-19 Expert Taskforce of the Federation of American Scientists. ”Fortune” magazine listed her as one of the “40 Under 40” influential people in healthcare, as she contributes to the benefit of public health with her sustained effort to educate the public on respecting safety precautions during pandemics. Dr. Syra Madad is also the Team Lead of the Exercise Resource Team of the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center, Principal Investigator of the Institute for Diseases and Disaster Management and Fellow in the Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

Having this outstanding portfolio of achievements, we are honoured that Dr. Madad will hold a conference entitled “From Ebola to COVID19: Healthcare System Epidemic Preparedness & Response''.

It is known that the impact of COVID-19 over the world exceeds any other epidemic outbreak of the modern era, triggering the worst public health crisis of this century. Dr. Syra Madad operates in New York City, the first COVID-19 epicentre in the US, which experienced a tsunami of cases.
This presentation will address the importance of bio-preparedness, and the response efforts and challenges faced in a healthcare system moving from conventional capacity to crisis capacity as it relates to staffing, supplies, space and overall system from an emergency management perspective. Recommendations on changes that need to be made to improve biological preparedness across the national healthcare infrastructure will also be discussed.

Being an unusual theme, there aren't many medical scientists that welcome and adopt this topic. Those who choose this path must be extremely dedicated and able to keep an open view of the boundaries of medicine. Dr. Adrian Macovei is one of those exceptional individuals that has devoted his life to studying outer-space human activity and especially its medical aspects. Dr. Adrian Macovei graduated from “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and now he has a medical degree in family medicine. Currently he works at the National Institute of Aerospace Medicine Bucharest.

This conference’s main goal is to make students acquainted with the idea of outer-space medicine and its actual problems. In the introduction, we will be discussing some definitions of space activity, available techniques, and a short history of key moments in space exploration.

What happens to your body in space? NASA's Human Research Program has been trying to solve this mystery for over a decade. Without family and friends, in zero gravity, exposed to radiation, a diet high in freeze-dried foods will increase a human's risk for cancer and other diseases like malnutrition. Dr. Adrian Macovei will be presenting the Physiology of outer-space condition, the changes that occur when exiting the atmosphere and the gravitational field, changes in body weight, blood circulation, radiation levels, and the day-night cycle as well as some microbiology aspects.

In the next section, we will examine the pathological factors and types of diseases that can manifest in outer-space. Here at the IMSCB, we try to reach beyond limits of understanding and common knowledge and we keep an open window for the next steps in the history of not only medicine, but humanity itself. In this segment, we will be questioning the plans that NASA and other space-exploring units exposed like the Lunar Base, Asteroid Exploration, Journey to Mars.

In the final section of this conference, we will be taking a look at everything discussed previously but strictly from the students' perspective and we will conclude which information is necessary for a medical student.

Jacob Glanville is an American entrepreneur, inventor and computational immuno-engineer. As a Berkeley graduate, he showed a lot of interest in Genetics and Immunology, which led to him becoming Co-Founder, CEO and President of Distributed Bio - a company that explores computationally-guided immune-engineering methods to enable future discoveries regarding monoclonal antibodies and universal vaccine design. Among many imposing titles, such as being a Stanford University Scientific Advisory Committee member, a National Institute of Health Principal Investigator with an SBIR award for universal antivenom program, he was also featured in the Netflix documentary series “Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak”.

Dr. Glanville’s presentation will tackle a topic that prevails frequently both in academic debates and popular media: the elusive universal vaccine against the novel coronavirus. Is it even possible to create one? What methods are used and how do they work? During this brand-new conference, Dr. Glanville will aim to respond to these questions and further explain the bioengineering methods designed to create broad-spectrum COVID-19 vaccines, as well as cost-efficient and scalable antibody therapies.

The presentation will include a comprehensive description on these methods and how they can be used to adapt the antibodies targeted against the SARS-CoV to the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, Dr. Glanville will track the studies conducted in a network of five independent laboratories and their results regarding the therapy and the prophylaxis against the wildtype virus or the pseudovirus in animal models. Another key point covered in this talk is the use of small fragments of antibodies (Fv and Fc) in bioengineering to obtain better results in terms of efficiency and safety: a longer biological half-life, a lower risk of adverse events. Last but not least, there will be a deliberation on the future of biological engineering, the challenges of manufacturing this type of vaccine and why scientists believe it is possible.

What can we do when we have to deal with a health emergency or a natural disaster? What challenges do we need to overcome? Guidance, protection and prevention might be the perfect 3 key-words when it comes to emergency preparedness.

Assoc. Prof. Ronald St. John, MD, MPH, was the first Director-General of the Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Public Health Agency of Canada. He is a physician who holds degrees from Yale University, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Harvard University School of Public Health. Prior to retirement in 2007, his public health career included assignments at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pan American Health Organization (Regional Office of the World Health Organization) and the Canadian Department of Health. His work in public health focused on infectious disease control and the management of small and large epidemics. Since retirement, he has continued to consult with the World Health Organization and co-Founded Sitata, an internet-based company dedicated to helping travellers stay safe and healthy wherever they travel. Other assignments included work as a Peace Corps physician in Bolivia and Peace Corps public health planning and programming for the Philippines. From 1989 to 1992 he was Deputy Director of the National HIV/AIDS Program Office in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Keeping in mind that any emergency can have vital and unexpected consequences, this conference is the perfect scenario for challenges faced in emerging infectious diseases, or in natural disasters. We all know the significance of being exceedingly aware of situations that pose substantial risks, but how do we manage people, resources, information and time? First things first, let's find out together what stands behind The Incident Management System (IMS) and all the essential elements. Are you ready to dive into a new kind of conference?

Daniel Kraft is a Stanford and Harvard trained physician-scientist, inventor, entrepreneur and innovator and is serving as the Chair of the XPRIZE Pandemic Alliance Task Force. With over 25 years of experience in clinical practice, biomedical research and healthcare innovation, Kraft has served as Faculty Chair for Medicine at Singularity University since its inception and is the Founder and Chair of Exponential Medicine, a program that explores convergent, rapidly developing technologies and their potential in biomedicine and healthcare. Following undergraduate degrees from Brown University and medical school at Stanford, Daniel was Board Certified in both Internal Medicine & Paediatrics after completing a Harvard residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital & Boston Children's Hospital, and fellowships in haematology, oncology and bone marrow transplantation at Stanford.

He is often called upon to speak to the future of health, medicine and technology and has given 5 TED and TEDMED Talks. He has multiple scientific publications and medical device, immunology and stem cell-related patents through faculty positions with Stanford University School of Medicine and as clinical faculty for the paediatric bone marrow transplantation service at University of California San Francisco.

From the perspective of a leading physician, scientist, inventor and innovator this presentation examines rapidly emerging, game-changing and convergent technology trends and how they are and will be leveraged to change the face of healthcare and the practice of medicine in the next decade. Daniel Kraft offers a fast-paced look at the next few years of innovations in medicine, powered by new tools, tests and apps that bring diagnostic information right to the patient's bedside.

A deep dive into where emergent fields such as low-cost personal genomics, the digitization of health records, crowdsourced data, molecular imaging, wearable devices & mobile health, synthetic biology, systems medicine, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, 3D printing and regenerative medicine are transforming healthcare, and have the potential to enable clinicians, empower patients, and deliver better care and outcomes at a lower cost.

Have we caught your attention yet? Join us for Daniel Kraft's unprecedented IMSCB conference and broaden your knowledge!

Dr. Rafael J. Grossmann is a General, Trauma, Advanced Laparoscopic and Robotic surgeon with Venezuelan roots who now operates in Maine, US. He and his team received the “Best Scientific Award” by the American College of Surgeons for their initiative on telemedicine applied to trauma care in 2009. In 2013, he became the world’s first surgeon to ever use Google Glass to live-stream a surgical intervention, this accomplishment featuring him in Forbes Magazine. He deeply believes in the power of the synergy between technological innovation, artificial intelligence and deep learning systems and uses it as a tool to improve the quality of both medical education and healthcare delivery in his activity as an educator, TedxTalk Speaker and Healthcare Futurist.

We all had the chance to observe how technology and medicine reinvented each other and made their own way through unbelievable discoveries that now stand for impressive awards. However, today's Healthcare and Medical Education are in trouble. We just engage in the smart use of technology to reshape their paradigms.

21st-century technology redefines the way we connect and communicate. These same technologies can allow for a better connection between humans and data, improving decision making. From VR, AR and XR to AI and Machine Learning, current technology will create the medicine of the future, TODAY.

Let’s shape together the shadow of the unpredictable and follow Dr. Rafael Grossmann’s conference in order to discover the correlation and dependency between exponential technology and exponential medicine. Astonishing, isn’t it?

Prof. DDr. Waldenberger is, among many other impressive titles, an Austrian heart surgeon, Chair for Health Economics and Organisational Ethics at the Sigmund Freud Private University and Medical Director at Kepler University Hospital Linz, the second largest hospital in Austria. Not only had he performed his first heart surgery at the age of 25, but he was also part of the US team responsible for the world’s first successful heart transplantation on a newborn child in 1984. Among his later accomplishments were conducting Germany’s first bypass surgery on a beating heart, back in 1997 in Berlin, developing novel brain perfusion techniques for aortic arch surgery and publishing numerous scientific papers and books like “Heart Owners Guide”, „Novel Cardiac Assist Devices” and recently “In the Sick House”, philosophical thoughts on medicine and health care.

For millions of years, life has been mainly composed by trial and error, as well as the advancements made in medicine. It often seems impossible to perform future-oriented research on safe and ethical grounds, if we consider the four ethical principles of today medicine: Beneficence, Nonmaleficence, Autonomy and Justice. How far can we pursue nonconventional research areas? Is it moral to perform an ethically-questionable act in the name of research and scientific advancements? We, as future medical practitioners, need to observe the fine line between progress for the greater good and the wellbeing of the patients.

How do we find the balance between necessary progress and mandatory safety for the patient? In the words of Hippocrates, "First do no harm". During DDr. Waldenberger’s enthralling presentation, you will gather valuable information regarding a contentious topic.

Picture this: an avid traveller and hiker, deeply passionate about mountain climbing, who faced an eye-opening experience which ended up being a turning point in his life. One might say this sounds like a fantastic story, beautifully told but rarely happening. However, Dr. Tabin is the living proof that one journey can utterly change your path and showcase your true calling. With his stories of pure determination, Dr. Tabin’s talk will motivate each and every one of you to push past the limits of what you deem possible.

Dr. Geoffrey Tabin, Professor of Ophthalmology and Global Medicine at Stanford University, member of the International Education Committee for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, is the fourth person in the world to reach the tallest peak on each of the seven continents. His passion for mountain climbing directed him to his professional career in eye care – turning him into the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Himalayan Cataract Project in 1995, with a vow to work to eliminate all preventable and treatable blindness from the Himalayan region in their lifetime. This deeply entrenched wish was born on one of his expeditions, when he came across a Dutch team performing cataract surgery on a woman who had been needlessly blind for three years and this is the point when he understood his life calling. Presently, Dr. Tabin is a leader in both the National and International Ophthalmic Community and teaches a course on cataract surgery at multiple societies, such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.

An unbelievable journey involving the ascent of Mount Everest and the discovery of his life purpose… Dr. Tabin will reflect on two distinct yet parallel feats in his life. From becoming the first person to conquer the East Face of Everest to his work with the Himalayan Cataract Project, Dr. Tabin will discuss how to face the unknown and feel comfortable taking on challenges when success is not guaranteed. During this enthralling conference you will learn about the professor’s valiant efforts in eradicating global blindness, his calculated risks as well as insights regarding seemingly impossible goals.

A marvelous presentation of his adventures around the world, Dr. Tabin’s conference strays away from the ordinary and brings a new perspective into discussion. We can only say this much: are you ready?

One of the privileges of coming towards the end of a fulfilling clinical career is the opportunity to reflect on some aspects of what serendipity in life has thrown in one’s direction, and try to learn something about what seems to matter most in advancing the best aspects of life.

In this talk, Dr. Goodacre hopes to use parts of his experiences, as well as clinical and research interests, to point towards what he has found to be the most helpful way of setting priorities, using the limited energies and resources each of us has, in our all too short lives. He has a wide range of subjects that have demanded attention, not the least the huge global deficiencies in surgical provision that need urgent attention. He is also concerned that much research activity is driven by personal ambition rather than being initially prioritized by the needs of patients and communities – and believes that successful research needs first and foremost to address truly relevant needs, from which personally satisfying outcomes will be much more likely to follow.

Dr. Timothy Goodacre is a British plastic surgeon with an Honorary contract at the Oxford University Hospitals. He was elected Vice President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England in July this year. He was previously President of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) in 2011, and is also currently President of EBOPRAS (the European Board for Plastic Surgery). His lifelong reconstructive surgical practice had a particular interest in problems pertaining to children with cleft-related disorders, and past research involved the development of novel tissue expanders for paediatric work and the evaluation of the role of early psychological intervention in cleft management. He is a great enthusiast for improving the field of reconstructive care in underdeveloped areas of the world, with amongst other activities being the Chair of Interface Uganda - a charity that supports the development of plastic surgery training in East Africa, and an adviser to the Semiliki-Trust, and a trustee of IMET2000. He has also been a passionate lifelong supporter of surgical education both before and after graduation!

Dr. Goodacre looks forward to this meeting – even though the ‘virtual’ aspect is sadly going to diminish the personal contacts that are so important in our developing lasting string relationships that always enhance our lives in unexpected directions. However, he hopes that future better times will see us all meeting face to face once again, and able to further enrich the exceptionally important bonds of community that link us together across the nations.

Remember your first embryology course? We would like to go back down memory lane with an outstanding conference about myelomeningocele and open neural tube defects held by Oscar Guillermo García González, MD.

Dr. González graduated from the Universidad de Guanajuato Medical School in 2000 and has completed neurosurgical training in the Hospital General de Mexico, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). After having completed his residency in neurosurgery, he was offered a fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery at the Instituto Nacional de Pediatria also in Mexico City, led by Prof. Rueda-Franco in 2008. Recently, Dr. González achieved an observer Fellowship auspicated for the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery (ISPN) in the Pediatric Neurosurgery Department at the Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant of Lyon, France, French National Referral Center for Craniosynostosis for further clinical and research education (Prof. F. Di Rocco).

The neural tube is the primary embryological structure from which the early brain and spine develop; therefore it can lead to congenital defects when not closed properly. These types of birth defects develop very early during pregnancy, often before a woman even knows she is pregnant. Myelomeningocele (MMC) has been described as the most common neural tube defect (NTD) and complex congenital anomaly compatible with life. In the time of folic acid fortification, the incidence has been reported at 3.4 per 10,000 live births. The decrease in incidence is thought to be due to a combination of folate supplementation, as well as improvement in prenatal diagnosis and selective termination in some cases. The underlying pathophysiology is secondary to the failure of the posterior neural tube to close. Closure of the neural plate begins on day 19 of gestation with the closure of the anterior neuropore on day 25 and posterior neuropore on day 28. With the now open posterior neuropore, there is a constant egress of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is thought to contribute to the development of the hindbrain herniation (Chiari II malformation) in MMC patients. These patients also have varying degrees of sensorimotor impairment and bowel / bladder dysfunction, based on the level of the lesion, requiring multidisciplinary evaluation and treatment.

This insightful conference will be most suitable for any inquisitive student who wishes to explore the complex human embryology and learn about congenital anomalies and how they manifest in real life.

Onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis, dracunculiasis…. What do they all have in common? “They are hard to pronounce!”, you might say, but that is not the only similarity- they are classified as neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

NTDs are caused by parasites and bacteria found in many parts of the world, leading to disfigurement and disability. The reason they are called “neglected” is because they are not considered public health problems in wealthier nations. These diseases are widespread in the world’s poorest regions, where water safety, sanitation, and access to health care don’t meet the standards. Thus, NTDs have not received as much attention as other diseases throughout history.

Did you know that approximately one-sixth of the world’s population suffers from at least one NTD? Nevertheless to say that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the implementation of essential health services for NTDs, including supply chains for NTD health products. Fortunately, Dr. Nunes is here to shed light on this matter and discuss how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic affects NTDs.

Dr. Fabiola Nunes has a master's degree in epidemiology and a PhD in biotechnology. Dr. Nunes is currently a professor and researcher at the Federal University of Paraíba, in Brazil, where she teaches Parasitology and Entomology. She also coordinates the Laboratory of Biotechnology Applied to Parasites and Vectors (LAPAVET). The LAPAVET has a colony of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, used in various researches, both in the field of entomology and in the development of new insecticides and repellents. Dr. Nunes also conducts research in the field of tropical and neglected diseases, epidemiology of parasitic and vector-borne diseases.

During the conference, you will learn about the epidemiological characteristics of Dengue, Zika, Chikungunya, Yellow fever, Chagas disease, among others. In addition, aspects related to the Aedes aegypti mosquito and its importance in the transmission of arboviruses will be presented.

Our desire to visit other countries physically may have been disrupted by the pandemic, but it definitely can not deter our mind to imagine all the wonders pertaining to all the nations that we yet have to discover. Thus, we highly suggest you join this conference in order to learn more about other countries’ specific diseases.

Bianca Dumitrașcu was appointed Member in the School of Mathematics at the Institute of Advanced Study during the 2019-2020 Special Year in Statistics and Optimization. Having received her PhD at Princeton, where she worked at the intersection between machine learning and genetics, Bianca Dumitrașcu has held, ever since, a main research interest in understanding how local molecular rules give rise to emergent spatial patterns in the context of biological dynamical systems. Therefore, she prevalently uses techniques from statistical optimization, statistical Physics and domain adaptation to identify contextual phenotypes in spatial transcriptomic data. She is currently a Senior Research Fellow and Principal Investigator in the Computer Science Department at Cambridge University.
In her most recent work, she particularly committed to developing methods based on active learning and graphical neural networks, as to study the effects and side-effects of drug cocktails.
We live in a fast-paced, ever-developing world; having this in mind, it should not come as a surprise that progress in medicine has reached an unmatched level. Genomic and medical data are available at unprecedented scales due to developments in high throughput sequencing, imaging technologies, as well as better practices in aggregating electronic health care records. In parallel, innovations in statistics and machine learning boast successful algorithms for a wide array of engineering applications. However, bridging these two worlds - the world of real, messy biological data, and the one pertaining to algorithms and computation - is challenging. In this talk, we will survey current biomedical research areas with a focus on genetics, imaging, drug design and clinical data. We will discuss pitfalls and formulate open questions with an emphasis on statistical challenges arising from both data collection and data analysis.
We invite you to an informative discussion conducted by an expert, where you will gain a new perspective about the elaborate work behind medical statistics.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type of exocrine neoplasm of the pancreas. Currently, it is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States among both men and women. However, due to its increasing incidence, it is estimated that in a few years it will be the second most frequent cause of death by oncological disease. Considering this fact, it is crucial for every millennial physician to be well acquainted with all aspects of this disease, from early diagnosis to treatment strategies and, finally, end-of-life care.

Prof. Claudio Bassi, MD, PhD, is one of the world’s top 10 experts in the surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer, as ranked by Expertscape in 2018. Specialized in both General and Thoracic Surgery, he is Full Professor of Surgery at the University of Verona and Director of the Verona Pancreas Institute. Professor Bassi’s experience covers all the surgical diseases of the pancreas, including acute and chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, cystic, endocrine, and other uncommon neoplasms. Professor Bassi performed and tutored more than 2000 pancreatic resections, and several hundreds of other pancreatic operations (derivations for chronic pancreatitis, necrosectomy, bypass surgeries). His scientific activity is fully dedicated to pancreatology. Professor Bassi authored more than 500 publications and more than 150 book chapters and was Editor of 10 books. He is Past President of the European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (EAHPBA) and is among the founding members and most active participants of the International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS), which developed the definitions of post-pancreatectomy complications (including pancreatic fistula, delayed gastric emptying and post-pancreatectomy haemorrhage) and of standard lymphadenectomy during pancreatic resection for ca

In this lecture Prof. Bassi will review the epidemiology of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), with a particular focus on its main genetic and environmental determinants. He will also talk about its clinical-radiological presentation and the most efficient diagnostic pathways to implement in patients with a suspect pancreatic lesion. Prof. Bassi will discuss the possible therapeutic options based on the specific disease stage, as well as present the main surgical procedures, with photographic and video documentation. Furthermore, a particular emphasis will be given to the most debated topics in the field (such as the use of neoadjuvant therapy) and the recent breakthroughs in clinical and translational research.

An organ of such importance as the pancreas, responsible for glycemic regulation and correlated with various other anatomical structures, requires precise labour and mastering the skills. Having his lifetime work dedicated to perfecting pancreatic surgical procedures and clinical research, there is no better person to seek guidance from than Professor Bassi. Whether you lean towards a surgical speciality or not, Prof. Claudio Bassi’s wonderful presentation is not to be missed.

Prof. DDr. Waldenberger is, among many other impressive titles, an Austrian heart surgeon, Chair for Health Economics and Organisational Ethics at the Sigmund Freud Private University and Medical Director at Kepler University Hospital Linz, the second largest hospital in Austria. Not only had he performed his first heart surgery at the age of 25, but he was also part of the US team responsible for the world’s first successful heart transplantation on a newborn in 1984. Among his later accomplishments were conducting Germany’s first bypass surgery on a beating heart, back in 1997 in Berlin, developing novel brain perfusion techniques for aortic arch surgery and publishing numerous scientific papers and books like “Heart Owners Guide”, ”Novel Cardiac Assist Devices” and recently “In the Sick House”, philosophical thoughts on medicine and health care.

By attending this conference, you will partake in a presentation which introduces to the larger audience a disconcerting question: how do we practice medicine ethically during this pandemic? This is not a topic easy to comprehend and finding an appropriate answer could definitely prove to be a laborious task. As future physicians, we should find a balance between respecting the Hippocratic Oath and striving for medical progress. The four fundamental principles of medical ethics, as defined by Beauchamp and Childress, also considered the building-blocks of people's morality, include: Beneficence, Nonmaleficence, Autonomy and Justice.

Several issues need to be discussed: whether or not vaccination should be mandatory; who decides if we have to accept collateral damage; if it is really in our hands to protect everybody, or if it is just a matter of focusing on the strongest and leaving the disabled and elderly behind. Herd immunity will also be tackled, as well as the fundamentalist war going on between Kantians and Utilitarians. Last but not least, the importance of striving for responsible ethics will be one of the burning topics, meant to provide the answer to all curiosities and misconceptions.

Promoting discussion on the distribution of health and disease demonstrates a reflection of our societies, and how we relate to one another. Such debate is paramount in addressing the measures taken during this pandemic and can help set the precedent for tackling future epidemiological obstacles.

One of the most challenging areas in paediatrics is represented by neonatal surgery. If you combine the diversity of pathologies and congenital malformations conceivable with the fragility and weakness of a newborn’s organism, you may understand the sheer amount of skill and expertise necessary for successfully performing a paediatric surgical procedure. This is the reason why, for this memorable conference, we have invited two experts in this field: Dr. Spătaru and Dr. Cîrstoveanu.

Assoc. Prof. Radu-Iulian Spătaru, MD, PhD, is a Romanian paediatric surgeon and currently the Medical Director of “Maria Sklodowska Curie” Emergency Hospital for Children. Dr. Radu-Iulian Spătaru is also an Associate Professor at “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy who has presented over 100 papers in numerous national and international scientific events and has received multiple distinctions and a patent for a medical device which performs eso-esophageal anastomosis in case of extensive esophageal atresia. With a medical activity of over 25 years, Dr. Radu-Iulian Spătaru has clinical experience in oro-facial anomalies, oncological surgery and most importantly, congenital malformations, being responsible for the first successful separation of siamese twins in Romania.

Sr. Lect. Cătălin Cîrstoveanu, MD, PhD, has been the Head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the “Maria Sklodowska Curie” Emergency Hospital for Children, Bucharest, since 2008. During his career, he has collaborated with multiple NGOs, aiming to make a change in the Romanian healthcare system. None of his efforts were in vain, as this ward has become the most developed one in terms of technology in the Eastern European region, thereby giving a chance at life for over 2000 preterm infants. Furthermore, he has been actively involved in the development of the paediatric cardiovascular surgery and neurosurgery wards within the hospital.

Neonates are very fragile and some congenital malformations encountered in this age group are, if not properly treated, incompatible with survival. Thus, an essential condition for favourable results is the availability of a well-trained team of neonatologists, acting together with experienced paediatric surgeons, with proper facilities in both Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and OR. The collaboration between these medical departments is set out to ensure the optimal outcome when treating neonatal emergencies and ultimately save the patient’s life. Neonatal surgical emergencies are no different than other critical conditions, as they may be categorised into immediate or delayed.

This talk presents the main groups of neonatal surgical pathology, together with illustrative examples encountered in clinical practice. During the presentation you will acquire in-depth information regarding curable congenital malformations, as well as various surgical techniques habitually performed.

Have you ever found yourself wondering if there is more to the medical student life than just endless hours of studying and at times an almost overloaded schedule? Have you ever pictured yourself as an entrepreneur? If your answer is “yes” to either of these questions, then we have a special startup panel brought to you by CDUMP’s Entrepreneurial Innovation & e-Health Centre CieH in partnership with the International Medical Students’ Congress of Bucharest - IMSCB. Welcome to “Why Be an Entrepreneur When You Could Just Be a Student?”!

This panel aims to give aspiring entrepreneurs a range of views about starting a new initiative, facing obstacles, and opportunities that could help them grow. This conference is brought to you by a team with first-hand experience - the Entrepreneurship Student’s Society of CDUMP – who will introduce you to the most important aspects of how to build up your own dream.

The Entrepreneurship Students’ Society of Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy (CDUMP) represents a means for both personal and business development, support and assistance of the entrepreneurial spirit in the academic environment, in students and alumni, who are keen on facing the rising competitiveness in the contemporary socio-economic field.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to develop your skills, gain new perspectives and learn how to become the entrepreneur you have always wanted to be! As Mark Twain once said himself: “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” And what a better job is out there if not the one you create for yourself?

One year ago, the first COVID-19 case was reported in China without raising much suspicion. Nowadays, the current epidemiological situation has escalated at global level, affecting over 55 million people worldwide and reaching a staggering number of 650.000 new cases per day. Considering this data, it is reasonable that one might worry about the safety of their loved ones, especially the people at risk, namely children and the elderly. Discussing the former raises additional issues: will the lack of social interaction or physical activity influence children long-term? Is it safe for them to attend regular school classes and benefit from their education or will they contract the disease and spread it further? We have invited Prof. Alexandru Rafila, MD, PhD to shed light upon this sensitive topic and focus on the COVID-19 transmission in schools.

Prof. Alexandru Rafila, MD, PhD is the head of the Microbiology Department of “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy and the president of the Romanian Society for Microbiology. His broad expertise crossed international borders, as he is a recognized expert for WHO, representing Romania in the Executive Board, NATO and also in the European Commission. In 2016, Dr. Rafila decisively contributed to the reestablishment of Medical Microbiology as a speciality in Romania, based on recommendations issued by UEMS - The European Union of Medical Specialists. On the grounds of also having a degree in Public Health & Health Management, he is very well known for educating the population on controversial medical topics such as vaccines or the use of antibiotics. Nonetheless, he is unarguably one of Romania's most influential figures during the pandemic context, gaining nationwide appraisal for his outstanding work.

The presentation will start with an overview of the current situation and a summary about the SARS-CoV-2 transmission in schools. Subsequently, the conference will touch the relation between children and COVID-19 and there will be discussed the information presently known. Prof. Rafila will explain the risks pertained to children by school closures, including the effects on their health, development and education. Furthermore, the talk will cover the methods which can be used to support schools to maintain safety for their students and personnel. These practices encompass, but are not exclusively composed of frequent hand hygiene, appropriate mask use, social distancing and proper ventilation.

We invite you to attend this marvelous conference held by one of Romania’s leading experts in the field of microbiology, where you will gain relevant insights concerning an issue of utmost importance.

Prof. Bogdan POPESCU, MD, PhD1, 2; Assoc. Prof. Sorin COSTREIE, PhD3, Vice-Rector; Prof. Liviu LUCACI, PhD5, Rector; Professor Ion Victor BRUCKNER1; Prof. Emil TOESCU6,7; Gabriela FLOREA, MD3; Ioan MIREA, MD1,4; Delia TULBĂ, MD1,2; Natalia DIMA, MD1,2; Teodor Cristian BLIDARU, MD1;

1. “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania
2. Neurology Department, Colentina Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
3. University of Bucharest, Romania
4. Prof. Dr. Alexandru Obregia Psychiatry Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
5. National University of Theatre and Film “I.L. Caragiale”, Bucharest, Romania
6. Liberal Arts and Natural Sciences, Birmingham University, UK;
7. Institute of Transdisciplinary Discoveries, Pecs University, Hungary

Interdisciplinarity. One of the precious values that, along with multiculturality and thirst for knowledge, forms the core, the essence of our beloved congress. Medicine has always represented more than just a sum of actions, nonetheless, its evolution in the course of the past decades has been spectacular. Nowadays we all are aware of the psychological and humane sides of this profession, that together with medical training, clinical practice and hours of individual study constitute a doctor. We have invited a panel of authorities in the fields of medicine, philosophy and acting to discuss an imperative topic: how to be humane, how to balance compassion and work ethics.

The debate is structured into six parts and overall will attempt to answer three main questions: first and foremost, what exactly are Medical Humanities? Subsequently, how do they contribute to the development of a future doctor? Last, but definitely not least, is it relevant to implement a Medical Humanities Programme in our University?

First Part - During this introductory phase, presented by Assoc. Prof. Sorin COSTREIE and moderated by Prof. Bogdan POPESCU, there will be discussed general ideas about medical humanities in medicine and medical education. The talk will put forth the necessity of critical and analytical thinking in doctors, in particular throughout difficult professional situations.

Second Part - Continuing the discussion initiated at theoretical level, the presentation will shift from critical thinking to enacting the role of a good doctor. The talk will be held by Prof. Liviu LUCACI, and moderated by Prof. Bogdan POPESCU.

Third Part - Throughout this section, the debate will turn swiftly from the conceptual level to the practical aspects, both applied and dynamic. Prof. Ion BRUCKNER will speak about ultra-specialisation and empathy, intertwining science with humanity. The discussion will be mediated by Assoc. Prof. Sorin COSTREIE.

Fourth Part - Aiming to emphasise various models of implementing medical humanities in other medical education centres, Gabriela FLOREA, MD and Prof. Emil TOESCU will talk about developing a medical humanities curriculum, either as an obligatory University subject or as a series of optional courses. Assoc. Prof. Sorin COSTREIE will conduct the discussion, addressing the speakers’ viewpoints.

Fifth Part - This section is dedicated to the presentations of young doctors in Romania. How are things happening now? During an impassioned discussion offered by Ioan MIREA, MD, Delia TULBA, MD, Natalia DIMA, MD and Teodor BLIDARU, MD, all affiliated with "Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest, there will be tackled topics such as Artificial Intelligence, the dangers of medical subspecialities, as well as a historical analysis of medical schools’ curriculum in the European Union. The talk will be moderated by Assoc. Prof. Sorin COSTREIE.

Sixth Part - Both moderators will wrap things up and constructive conclusions may be brought in by them after all speakers’ viewpoint over the matter of the importance and necessity of having a course in humanities as part of the medical education curriculum at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Carol Davila" Bucharest.

Philippe Liverneaux does not see himself as a surgeon, but rather as a researcher in surgery, ethics and literature. In this conference, he will first describe his personal and professional background, then illustrate his work in the fields of care, teaching, research and medical ethics.

Dr. Philippe Liverneaux is the Chairman of the Department of Hand Surgery at Strasbourg University Hospital and Professor of Orthopaedics & Hand Surgery. He is currently the Secretary-General of the French Society of Hand Surgery. His research focuses primarily on invasive wrist surgery and robotic surgery of the peripheral nerves, even stating in an interview that the goal is for microsurgery to become endoscopic super-microsurgery.

His very eclectic training in neuroscience, music and literature led him to hand surgery somewhat by accident. Prior to embracing medicine, he first dabbled in space exploration, cello practice and baroque singing.

In order to illustrate his care activity, he will describe in detail why and how he has developed a minimally invasive technique of distal radius fractures fixation, thus reducing the size of scars at the centimeter scale, with advantages not only aesthetic, but also functional.

Then, as a teacher, he will show how the use of video improves the performance of surgical procedures for young surgeons and the management of critical care situations for attendings. While mentoring and simple experience are classic surgical learning methods, he also promotes using conscious practice to significantly speed up the learning curve of the movements of learners.

His research has led to the development of robotics in microsurgery in collaboration with a group of international surgeons. He will give the main indications of robotics in peripheral nerve surgery, of which he is a pioneer of.

Finally, he will show that innovation has limits and criticize the unethical excess of live surgeries that he published in an essay in 2018.

Over time, organ transplants have been considered to be one of the most contentious topics in the medical community. This conference will depict the 25-year-old history of liver transplantation, as well as the effectiveness of Dr. Tokat superb technique. For sure, innovation has helped surgeons conduct the most intriguing procedures and the survival rate of people in need has steadily increased. Dr. Yaman Tokat will arouse your curiosity and improve your medical understanding about this subject!

Dr. Yaman Tokat is acting as Professor of General Surgery at the Department of General Surgery and Organ Transplantation of the International Liver Center in Istanbul. Twenty-seven years ago, he performed the first liver transplant in Turkey, paving the groundwork for hundreds of other similar procedures. Many people from all across the globe come to the International Liver Center to have a transplant done by one of the finest general surgeons in the world. Dr. Yaman Tokat is well recognized and respected both nationally and internationally, as the survival rate of his patients is higher than 99%. You can also see his daring methods and remarkable expertise highlighted in his hundreds of articles and reports.

His impressive speech will determine you to follow in his footsteps and make a difference, as he shared with us: “When I did the first successful liver transplantation in Turkey I was just a young surgeon. I performed the first liver transplantation in 1994 at the Ege University Medical school/Izmir. After the first successful liver transplant program was established, we started the first successful living donor liver transplant program in Turkey. Then many firsts followed this, first split, first dual lobe, first domino, and many more.”

This lecture will provide you with an insight into this long and exciting journey and expand your comprehension, building a potential career in surgery.

The micro-world may be invisible to the human eye and also quite mysterious, making it both necessary and challenging to discover it. Microbes are an essential part of our world and play crucial roles in our bodies. Those who think of a flea as small, should be prepared to enter a whole new microscopical dimension - the one of microorganisms. A microorganism, or simply microbe, is a creature that is too small to be seen with the naked eye. In fact, they’re so minute, that a million bacteria – one of the smallest known microbes – can fit on the tip of a pin. Without microorganisms like moulds, yeasts, bacteria, archaea and viruses, life on earth would be nonexistent.

David Y. Graham, MD is a Professor in the Departments of Medicine, Molecular Virology and Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, his MD degree with honour from Baylor University College of Medicine in 1966.  He is board-certified in Medicine and Gastroenterology and a Past President of the American College of Gastroenterology.

He is currently the Editor of the "Helicobacter" journal and the author of over 1000 scientific papers, several books, and more than 100 chapters in medical textbooks. Dr. Graham has been listed among the Top 50 Most Influential Gastroenterology Professionals of the 20th Century by gastroenterology.com, as one of ISI's Highly Cited Researcher in Clinical Medicine and as one of the Best Doctors in America.

Helicobacter pylori, previously known as Campylobacter pylori, is a Gram-negative, helically-shaped bacterium. It is an important human pathogen, etiologically involved in gastric cancer, peptic ulcer disease, atrophic gastritis, as well as other conditions. The current antibiotic therapy is not reliable when aiming for high cure rates. One of the consequences of antibiotic overuse is the development of resistant strains of bacteria, Helicobacter pylori included, as well as an increased prevalence of Clostridium difficile infections. However, by using the principles of antimicrobial stewardship, high cure rates can be achieved. We will discuss the details regarding how to effectively cure this infection.

Dare to dive into a whole new, different and hidden world! By taking a closer look, you will be able to see a fascinating realm ready to uncover its secrets and treasures. What we are not able to observe in everyday life is more spectacular than you can ever imagine. In this case, the closer you look, the more you see.