International Genetics of Ankylosing Spondylitis Consortium (IGAS) conference
Dear All,
IGAS is an international consortium of investigators studying the genetic and immune basis of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). The meeting is held every two years for a combined meeting in which we update recent advances in AS and seek to broaden the scope of research in this disease by inviting leading researchers in related disciplines.
The past meetings of IGAS have been held in Oxford, Houston, Shanghai and Toronto. I am pleased to announce that this year’s meeting will take place in Naples, Italy, March 30th – April 1st 2023.
We greatly look forward to your contribution to this important meeting.
Best regards,
Francesco Ciccia
General Information
Hotel Accommodation
The Organising Secretariat reserved rooms for all the participants that request accomodation
How to arrive
Congress Venue and hotels are easy to reach, click the button below to open maps and book transfers
FACULTY
Paul Wordsworth
Professor Paul Wordsworth qualified in Medicine from the Westminster Hospital in 1975 at about the same time as Derrek Brewerton was first describing the association between ankylosing spondylitis and HLA-B27. He trained in rheumatology in London and Oxford, undertaking research fellowships along the way to study the molecular genetics of rare monogenic diseases, such as osteogenesis imperfecta (1983-5) and the immunogenetics of rheumatoid arthritis (1987-1992). He was appointed clinical Reader in Rheumatology in the Nuffield department of Medicine at the University of Oxford in 1992 and made ad hominem professor in clinical rheumatoloy in 1998. He co-founded the International Genetics of Ankylosing Spondylitis consortium and has published more than 600 scientific papers, book chapters and books. He was awarded the Michael Mason prize (1992) and the Heberden Medal (2012) by the British Society for Rheumatology for his work on genetic aspects of rheumatic diseases.
Francesco Ciccia
Prof. Francesco Ciccia is a MD and phD, specialized in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology for many years involved in research on the immunological basis of systemic autoimmune diseases. His training took place between the University of Palermo (Italy) and the King's College of London (UK). Currently Prof. Ciccia holds the position of Full Professor of Rheumatology at the University della Campania L. Vanvitelli. The research of Prof. Ciccia is focused on the study of the innate and adaptive immune mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of Ankylosing Spondylitis, Psoriatic arthritis, Sjogren’s Syndrome and systemic vasculitides. In particular, Prof. Ciccia’s research has clarified many aspects underpinning the immunological bases of gut joint axis in AS patients.
Irene van der Horst-Bruinsma
Since 2021 Irene E. van der Horst-Bruinsma is Full Professor in Rheumatology and Head of the department of Rheumatology at the Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Following the completion of her Medical Degree at the University of Leiden in 1987, she was trained in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology at the Leiden University Medical Centre and became a Rheumatologist in 1997. In 1998 she completed her PhD thesis at the Leiden University called “The relationship between HLA Class II polymorphisms and the susceptibility to and progression of rheumatoid arthritis.” Between 1998-2021 she has been working as a senior staff member at the Rheumatology department of the Amsterdam UMC, location VUmc and is head of the Center of Excellence in Ankylosing Spondylitis. She has supervised over 12 PhD theses and has authored over 300 peer reviewed publications. In 2018 she was appointed as Professor on sex and gender aspects in musculoskeletal inflammatory diseases at the VU University in Amsterdam. Prof Irene van der Horst-Bruinsma was member of the Executive Committee of ASAS (Assessment of Spondyloarthritis international society) and is now Advisory Board member of ASAS. She is also member of the EUROSpA steering group, of the IGAS steering committee, the EULAR task Force Gender Equity in Academic Rheumatology (GEAR), Executive Board of the Dutch Society of Gender and Health.
ORGANISING SECRETARIAT
OUR OFFICE
Via Libertà 56 Palermo – Sicily
ITALY