Welcome Message

Dear Colleague,

I write to you as President of the Intestinal Transplant Association, and host of the upcoming XII International Intestinal Transplant Symposium. Our meeting occurs every two years, and the upcoming meeting will be in Washington D.C. just across from the White House from September 15 to 18, 2011. The study of and clinical practice of Intestinal transplantation and intestinal failure management has evolved with exciting clinical and scientific developments over the last several years. Ours has been an organization mostly made up of transplant surgeons, nutrition specialists and other transplant professionals. We desire to broaden the scope and involvement of clinicians and scientists in related fields to help forge ahead with new innovations, leading to dynamic collaborations and future studies. With this in mind, we have chosen "Prospectus: the next decade of intestinal failure and transplantation" as the theme of this years meeting.

Scientists interested in mucosal biology and immunology, stem cell biology, cholestasis and fibrotic liver disease, tissue engineering, innate immunity and other fields have much to offer us, and we believe we share interests and expertise that might help you. Experts in short bowel, motility disorders, clinical immunology pediatric and adult GI management and surgery likewise have much to share with us. I ask you to consider attending our congress, getting involved, or submitting an abstract on your work.

We are excited to help together to set the agenda for the next decade, when new lipid preparations may change the face of parenteral nutrition therapy, new immunological approaches to transplants may reshape the landscape of transplant surgery, and regenerative medicine and biology promise to lead to new therapies to reshape and repair organs that are failing. Please come be part of "Prospectus: the next decade of intestinal failure and transplantation" in Washington with me.

Sincerely,

Thomas Fishbein MD
President, Intestinal Transplant Association
Executive Director, Georgetown Transplant Institute