2017 Annual General Meeting

A message from the Convenor of the 2017 Annual Scientific Meeting of the Australasian Gastrointestinal Pathology Society, Dr Ian Brown:

The third scientific meeting of the Society was held on the 27th and 28th of October 2017 at the Translational Research Institute on the Princess Alexandra Hospital campus, Brisbane. 145 registered participants, largely from Australia and New Zealand, attended the meeting in a wonderful venue. We were particularly honoured to welcome two international guest presenters in Prof Gregory Lauwers from Moffatt Cancer Centre, Tampa, Florida, USA; and associate Prof Ryan Gill from UCSF, San Francisco, California, USA. Our international guest speakers were ably supported by local experts, both clinicians and pathologists. The Friday evening sessions covered genetic aspects of gastrointestinal tract neoplasms and inflammatory bowel disease. The Saturday sessions included an update on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, updates relevant to the gastrointestinal tract in the eighth edition AJCC cancer staging manual, new techniques in gastrointestinal tract endoscopy, molecular aspects of gastrointestinal tract neoplasia, investigative research presentations from our young pathologists, clinical and pathological aspects of coeliac disease and an update on gastrointestinal tract lymphoma.

As has become a feature of AGPS annual meetings, the atmosphere was friendly and interactive. Many new collegiate friendships were developed in the breaks between sessions. The meeting concluded with the annual dinner held at the Rydges hotel South Brisbane.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my meeting co-organisers Caroline Cooper, Kelly McClymont and Ruth Edwards. I also wish the 2018 AGPS president, Masato Yozu, every success in continuing on the work of the Society. The 2018 annual meeting will be held in Auckland at the end of October, and I encourage all to attend what will no doubt be a wonderful educational meeting.