EDITION MARCH 2016 THE EMERGING EULAR NETWORK

SPECIAL EDITION: COUNTRY LIAISONS MEET THE COUNTRY LIAISONS COUNTRY LIAISONS IN ACTION: PROMOTING EMEUNET EMEUNET: A GROWING COMMUNITY

EDITORIAL

Dear young rheumatologists and researchers in rheumatology, We are happy to present to you a new edition of the Country Liaison Newsletter. Our team in the Country Liaisons subgroup works closely with the ambassadors of EMEUNET in the EULAR countries, the Country

DIRECTORY

Liaisons, in order to promote and expand the EMEUNET network and reach enthusiastic young

THE EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISON SUBGROUP

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rheumatologists interested in research. The Country Liaisons are a vital pillar of our community. The activities that they organize in their countries and the fellow networks they build support the development of young rheumatologists

and their

access

EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS Welcome to new Country Liaisons Ongoing Country Liaisons Thank you to former Country Liaisons

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COUNTRY LIAISONS IN ACTION

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EMEUNET A GROWING COMMUNITY

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COUNTRY LIAISON MAP

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EDUCATION AT A GLANCE

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EULAR ON LINE COURSES

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EULAR COURSE ON CAPILLAROSCOPY

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to the

educational and professional opportunities offered by EMEUNET/EULAR. In this newsletter, you can get to know the Country Liaisons and see snapshots from the activities they organized. We also have the pleasure to introduce our new Country Liaisons, who have taken the challenge and joined the team. We warmly thank all our current as well as former Liaisons for their wonderful and inspiring work! We are looking forward to this year’s Country Liaison meeting during the EULAR Congress in London. If this is the first time that you hear about EMEUNET and/or the Country Liaisons, we invite you to read this newsletter and join us! Find your national Liaison, get in contact with him/her or directly speak to any EMEUNET member and become an active member of EMEUNET! The Country Liaisons rotate every 2-3 years, you could be next! We appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm and willingness to support EMEUNET’s initiatives, and we hope you enjoy reading this Newsletter. Questions or comments are always welcomed!

More information about EMEUNET can be found in http://emeunet.eular.org

On behalf of the Country Liaison Subgroup, Elena Nikiphorou, Alessia Alunno, Marlies van der Goes, Marcin Milchert, Anna Moltó, Ania OlewiczGawlik, Valentina Vardanyan, Mary Canavan and Rucsandra Dobrota On behalf of the Newsletter Subgroup,

You can also reach us through the following email [email protected] www.facebook.com/EMEUNET

www.twitter.com/EMEUNET

Alessia Alunno

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THE EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISON SUBGROUP 2015-2016 The aims of the Country Liaison Subgroup are: To promote EMEUNET and to distribute EMEUNET/EULAR information Reach & attract the young rheumatologists/researchers (trainees and specialists included, < 40 years of age) in every country to become EMEUNET members and to participate in EMEUNET activities.

Leader: Rucsandra Dobrota

To encourage and support the Country Liaisons and keep the Country Liaison network active To actively promote EMEUNET at a national level: visibility at national meetings, comprehensive and updated e-mail lists etc. For this, we send out periodical reminders and materials and are always available for queries. To prepare and update EMEUNET advertising materials We have designed a broad choice of posters, flyers, slides etc. serving as resources for the activity of the Country Liaisons. To increase the visibility of the Country Liaisons and their actions We organize the annual Country Liaison meeting, the Country Liaison Newsletter, as well as frequent reports on the Country Liaisons’ actions in the EMEUNET newsletters and social media, all in collaboration with the EMEUNET Newsletter and Social Media Subgroups.

MEMBERS OF THE COUNTRY LIAISON SUBGROUP

Alessia Alunno

Elena Nikiphorou

Mary Canavan

Ania Olewicz-Gawlik

Marcin Milchert

Marlies van der Goes

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Anna Moltó

Valentina Vardanyan

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EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS

WELCOME TO OUR NEW COUNTRY LIAISONS 2015-2016 Goran Sukara, MD - Croatia Goran graduated from the School of Medicine at University of Zagreb in 2009 and is currently working as internal medicine specialist at Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology in University Hospital Zagreb. His main professional and scientific interests focus on systemic autoimmune diseases, most of all on systemic lupus erythematosus. [email protected]

Christina Tsalapaki, MD - Greece Christina has graduated from Athens Medical School and completed a MSc program in the University of Athens on “Cardiovascular and Intensive Care Medicine”. She has attended the International Observership Program in the Rheumatology

Department of Cleveland Clinic,

Cleveland and Harvard Medical School, Boston. She recently completed the fellowship in Rheumatology and she is a PhD candidate. Her scientific interests focus on systemic autoimmune diseases, mainly on vasculitis. [email protected]

Trudy McGarry, PhD – Ireland Trudy graduated with a Bachelor in Biomedical Health & Life Science in 2011 and recently finished her PhD with the thesis title Mechanisms of Toll-like Receptor-2 induced inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis as part of the Clinical and Translational Research Scholars Programme in Molecular Medicine of the University College Dublin (UCD) & St. Vincent’s University Hospital. [email protected]

Marlies van der Goes, MD, PhD – the Netherlands Marlies is rheumatologist in training at the Department of Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology of the University Medical Center Utrecht in The Netherlands. Her research focuses on rheumatoid arthritis and glucocorticoid therapy. She is EMEUNET working group member. [email protected]

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EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS

WELCOME TO OUR NEW COUNTRY LIAISONS 2015-2016 Ana Maria Gherghe, MD – Romania Ana is a rheumatology specialist working at the Cantacuzino Clinical Hospital in Bucharest. She is also PhD candidate with a project focused on vascular involvement in systemic sclerosis. [email protected]

Katja Perdan, MD, PhD – Slovenia Katja is a rheumatology resident at Department of Rheumatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia, with a strong focus on immunology. In 2013 she successfully defended her PhD thesis on The role of astrocytes in histamine inactivation. She is also actively involved in the academic life as Assistant of Pharmacology and Experimental Toxicology as well as Assistant of Internal Medicine. [email protected]

Chamaida Plasencia-Rodriguez, MD - Spain Chamaida is a specialist in rheumatology. Her research activity is focused on therapeutic drug monitoring and immunogenicity of biological therapies in rheumatic diseases as rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis. She made an international training during a half year fellowship in Reade Centre in the Netherlands. [email protected]

Valgerdur Sigurdardottir, MD – Sweden Valgerdur is a resident in rheumatology and is currently involved in research on the epidemiology, risk factors, management and outcome of gout in the Swedish population. She is also a member of the board of directors for the Swedish Society of Rheumatology. [email protected]

Enida Xhaferi, Albania, [email protected] Sofia Symeonidou, Cyprus, [email protected] Maria Filkova, Czech Republic, [email protected] Antti Puolitaival, Finland, [email protected] Jeanine Menassa, Lebanon, [email protected]

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EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS

ONGOING COUNTRY LIAISONS 2015-2016 Vahan Mukuchyan, MD - Armenia Vahan graduated from the Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece in 2007. Since 2013, he worked at random medical posts in Armed Forces of Republic of Armenia. He is currently a 2nd year Rheumatology Resident in the Rheumatology department of Erebouni Medical Center of Yerevan. His scientific interests focus on Adamantiades-Behcet’s Disease, Familial Mediterranean Fever and vasculitis. [email protected]

Christian Dejaco, MD PhD – Austria Christian is a consultant and Assistant Professor at the Medical University Graz. His main research interests are the value of ultrasound in psoriatic arthritis, clinical research on polymyalgia rheumatica and translational research on T lymphocyte senescence in Rheumatology. [email protected]

Anastasia Tushina, MD PhD - Belarus Anastasia completed her PhD program and is currently working as an assistant at the 2nd Department of Internal Diseases in the Belarusian State Medical University, Minsk (Belarus). Her field of interest in rheumatology concerns secondary amyloidosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. [email protected]

Ellen de Langhe, MD PhD - Belgium Since 2014, she works as a rheumatologist at the University Hospital Leuven in Belgium, with a special interest in systemic connective tissue diseases. She obtained her PhD in 2013, focusing on the role of BMP and Wnt signaling in mouse models of systemic sclerosis. Her areas of interest focus on pulmonary and skin fibrosis, animal models, BMP and Wnt signaling pathway. She is an EMEUNET working group member. [email protected]

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EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS

ONGOING COUNTRY LIAISONS 2015-2016

Samir Mehmedagice, MD - Bosnia and Herzegovina He completed his training as an internist in 2011 in the Clinical Center of the University of Sarajevo, and is currently working in the Department of Rheumatology. His main area of interest is cardiovascular disease in rheumatic patients. [email protected]

Russka Shumnalieva, MD, PhD – Bulgaria Russka currently works as a rheumatology specialist at the Medical University, Sofia (Bulgaria). She joined EMEUNET in 2012 and contributes to the Educational and Newsletter Subgroups. Her major research work focuses on epigenetic changes and microRNA expression in rheumatic diseases. [email protected]

Anne Troldborg, MD PhD - Denmark She finished her medical degree at the University of Aarhus in 2007 and basic training in surgery and internal medicine in 2010, and then began her specialist training in Rheumatology. She is currently doing a PhD in innate immunity and SLE with special focus on the complement system. Her fields of interest include immunology, SLE and CTDs. She teaches medical students at the university of Aarhus and partakes in the evaluation and improvement of the rheumatologic departments in Denmark responsible for training future specialists in rheumatology, led by the Ministry of Health in Denmark. [email protected]

Sandra Tälli, MD - Estonia Studied medicine in University of Tartu, Estonia, graduated in 2009. In 2014 she finished training in rheumatology. As part of her training spent 3 months in Paris, at Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital doing research. Currently working as a rheumatologist in East-Tallinn Central Hospital in Estonia. Areas of research/interest: psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitis and ultrasonography. [email protected]

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EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS

ONGOING COUNTRY LIAISONS 2015-2016 Camille Souffir, MD – France Camille graduated from Paris Descartes Medical School in 2011. She is currently a resident in rheumatology and a master degree student in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the research unit of the Rheumatology department (Pr Dougados) in the Cochin Hospital. Her main areas of interest are epidemiology, osteoporosis, body composition in RA and ultrasound. She is responsible for communication at the Young Rheumatologists Section of the French Rheumatology Society. [email protected]

Nino Gobejishvili, MD - Georgia Nino is the Head of Georgian young rheumatologists union ( SARG) and currently works at Aversi and Medical House Clinic, Tbilisi, Georgia. Her professional and scientific interests focus on the principles of immune tolerance and autoimmune disease. [email protected]

Axel J Hueber, MD PhD - Germany Axel is a clinician and group leader in the Immunology and Rheumatology Department at University of Erlangen in Germany. He completed his PhD in immunology in Glasgow, UK in 2011. Following a year in industry in Immuno-oncology as a medical advisor he now focuses on cytokine biology in skin and synovial inflammation, but also on clinical areas such as adherence and patient communication. [email protected]

Tamás Németh, MD PhD - Hungary Tamás received his MD diploma at Semmelweis University in 2007. During his PhD period, he investigated the signaling pathways of innate immune cells and experimental autoimmune arthritis by a transgenic method, while he was involved in the education of Hungarian medical and dentist students in human physiology and instructed student researchers in a research lab. He started his medical residency in rheumatology in 2013, while continuing his work in research and education. [email protected]

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EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS

ONGOING COUNTRY LIAISONS 2015-2016

Gunnar Tomasson, MD - Iceland [email protected]

Doron Rimar, MD - Israel Doron completed his medical training at the Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva in 2001 and his residency in internal medicine in Haifa in 2007. His Rheumatology fellowship was completed in 2011. Since 2011 Doron serves as senior physician in the Rheumatology department at Bnai-Zion Medical center. His research interest includes biomarkers in FMF and systemic sclerosis. Doron's academic degree is a lecturer in the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. [email protected]

Sara Monti, MD - Italy Sara is a trainee rheumatologist, currently working at the Rheumatology Department of the University of Pavia, Italy. She gained previous international experience with an elective program in Oxford. Her professional and scientific interests focus on systemic autoimmune diseases, vasculitides, arthritides and biological therapies. [email protected]

Julija Zepa, MD - Latvia Julija became a rheumatologist in 2011 at the University of Latvia. Since 2005 she has been working at the Center of Rheumatology in Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital; her areas of interest focus on rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthropathies (including genetic aspects of ankylosing spondylitis); she is also involved in education of primary care physicians and medical students. [email protected]

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EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS

ONGOING COUNTRY LIAISONS 2015-2016 Diana Karpec, MD - Lithuania Diana completed her MD at Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania. Currently she is a practicing rheumatologist in Vilnius University Hospital and actively taking part in clinical and research activities. Since 2013 Diana is a PhD student in Vilnius University working in the field of phototherapy in systemic sclerosis. She also gained international experience during training in the Florence University Hospital, Italy and in Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain. Her main interest area focuses on connective tissue diseases. She is an EMEUNET working group member. [email protected]

Maja Bojadziovska, MD - Macedonia Maja Bojadzioska became a rheumatologist in 2010. She is currently working at the clinical hospital for rheumatology in Skopje. Her professional and scientific interests focus on patients with arthritis and postmenopausal osteoporosis. She also works as an assistant at the Faculty of Medicine in Skopje. [email protected]

Karen Cassar, MD PhD - Malta Karen trained in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology in Malta with overseas experience in Bangor, North West Wales. She was awarded the Master’s Degree of Bioethics with Distinction 2011. The focus of her research was informed consent and shared decision making in Maltese patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Karen was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London in 2012. She is currently working as Consultant Physician at Mater Dei Hospital, Malta and is a part-time lecturer at the University of Malta. [email protected]

Elena Deseatnicova, MD PhD - Moldova Elena became a rheumatologist in 2001. In 2007 she defended her PhD thesis “ClinicalEvolutionary Features, Indexes of Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant System in Gout“. Currently she has a teaching position as Associate Professor at the Department of Rheumatology of the State Medical and Pharmaceutical University Nicolae Testemitanu and works at the Clinical Municipal Hospital St. Trinity. The field of her scientific interest is osteoporosis, association of rheumatic diseases and other diseases possessing a metabolic background. [email protected]

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EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS

ONGOING COUNTRY LIAISONS 2015-2016

Dusan Mustur, MD - Montenegro Dusan became a rheumatologist in 2010 in Belgrade, Serbia. He is currently working at Igalo Institute, Montenegro. He is also the Vice Dean for Science and Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Applied Physiotherapy, University of Montenegro. [email protected]

Elisabeth Lie, MD PhD - Norway Elisabeth is currently working as a rheumatologist in training and postdoctoral researcher at Diakonhjemmet Hospital in Oslo, Norway. She is responsible for the conduction of the Norwegian multi-centre register study NOR-DMARD, which was the basis for her doctoral thesis. Elisabeth’s main research interests are treatment strategies and outcome measures in psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis. She has also been involved in European register collaborations and has worked with the Swedish biologics register ARTIS. [email protected]

Marcin Milchert, MD PhD - Poland Marcin is an internist and rheumatologist working as a clinician and research fellow in Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, North-West of Poland. As EMEUNET's Country Liaison he is searching for a proper motivation for young rheumatologists in Poland to get involved in EULAR. As a clinician he's especially interested in vasculitides and aging related diseases. As a researcher he's happy to join both of his main interests, which simply means he's the giant cell arteritis studies biggest fan. [email protected]

Vasco Romao, MD - Portugal Vasco works as a Rheumatology Clinical and Research Fellow at the Lisbon Academic Medical Centre. In May 2014 he started his PhD training focusing on rheumatoid arthritis synovitis and pathophysiology. He was awarded a EULAR Scientific Training Bursary in 2014 for a 6-months Clinical Fellowship at Queen Mary University of London. His research interests are synovial pathobiology of RA, personalization of novel therapies and inflammatory rheumatic disease outcomes. He joined the EMEUNET Working Group and Website Subgroup in May 2014. [email protected]

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EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS

ONGOING COUNTRY LIAISONS 2015-2016 Irina Starodubtseva, MD PhD - Russia Irina is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Department of Internal Diseases of the NN Burdenko Voronezh State Medical Academy, Russian Federation. Her scientific interests are diagnostic and therapeutic approaches of secondary knee osteoarthritis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, comorbidities in rheumatoid arthritis. Since 2008 she has been an Assistant Professor of the Department of Internal Diseases. Irina takes an active part in the department’s scientific activity and has authored 65 publications in the national and international press. [email protected]

Stephania Volpinari, MD - San Marino Rheumatologist since 2008, Stefania trained at S. Anna Hospital - University of Ferrara, Italy. She currently works in the Republic of S. Marino’s Hospital, at the Division of Internal Medicine and at the Rheumatology Unit. Her main interest areas focus on rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis, connective tissue disorders, osteoporosis and ultrasound in rheumatic diseases. [email protected], [email protected]

Ivan Jeremic, MD - Serbia Ivan is a doctoral research student at the University of Novi Sad. His scientific activity involves clinical research, currently in the first rheumatic pain, with focus on fibromyalgia. [email protected]

Richard Imrich, MD PhD - Slovakia [email protected]

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EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS

ONGOING COUNTRY LIAISONS 2015-2016 Florian Klett, MSc - Switzerland Florian completed his MSc (Project Management) at Birmingham City University in 2006 and started as project coordinator of the EULAR Standing Committee of People with Arthritis/Rheumatism (PARE) in Europe in 2007. He became involved in all aspects of patient centered work, and since 2014 he focuses most of his time on the coordination and development of the Network of Patient Research Partners and the development of the EULAR Young PARE subcommittee. In addition, he serves as Secretary of the FOREUM Foundation for Research in Rheumatology. [email protected]

Hakan Emmungil, MD - Turkey Hakan completed his rheumatology training at the Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine Ege University. He currently works at the Koç University Hospital in İstanbul. His professional and scientific interests focus on spondyloarthritis and Behçet’s disease. [email protected]

Sonia Panchal, MD - United Kingdom Sonia is a trainee rheumatologist in the UK, currently working within the University Hospitals of Leicester. She is the chair of the BSR national trainees committee. Her interests within rheumatology include pregnancy and rheumatic disease, influence of ethnicity on disease and inflammatory arthritis. [email protected]

Iuliia Biliavska MD, PhD - Ukraine Iuliia graduated in 2004 with an honors degree. In 2006 she became a rheumatologist and PhD student in the Department of Non-Coronary Heart Diseases and Clinical Rheumatology. In 2009 she defended her PhD-thesis focusing on the clinical value of antiCCP antibodies in RA patients with different disease duration. In 2011 she undertook an Articulum Fellowship at the Medical University Vienna, Austria. At the moment her main research area of interest are comorbidity in rheumatic patients and musculoskeletal sonography. [email protected]

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EMEUNET COUNTRY LIAISONS

A BIG THANK

YOU TO OUR FORMER COUNTRY LIAISONS

The role of EMEUNET Country Liaison requires networking and communication. Every 2-3 years, the Country Liaisons are rotated, to offer the chance for other young fellows in each country to actively represent EMEUNET at a national level.

We warmly thank the Country Liaisons who handed on their role and their work to new fellows in 2015-2016, and count on their support for EMEUNET in the future! Marko Baresic, Croatia Antonis Fanouriakis, Greece Mojca Frank Bertoncelj, Slovenia Tumoas Rannio, Finland Ladislav Senolt, Czech Republic Francisca Sivera, Spain Diane van der Woude, Netherlands Nelly Ziade, Lebanon Antigoni Grigoriu, Cyprus Johan Karlsson, Sweden Rucsandra Dobrota, Romania

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COUNTRY LIAISONS IN ACTION

COUNTRY LIAISON ACTIVITIES @ NATIONAL EVENTS

EMEUNET was promoted thanks to Vasilia Iorgoveanu and Rucsandra Dobrota, former CL for Romania, @

Romanian Young Rheumatologist Summer School in 2015.

EMEUNET has been advertised among young rheumatologists by Axel Hueber, CL for Germany,

@ German Rheumadocs Fellows Meeting in 2013 and 2014.

Young rheumatologists receive information about EMEUNET from Trudy McGarry, CL for Ireland,

@ Irish Society of Rheumatology Meeting in 2015.

EMEUNET Booth

@ Dutch Congress of Rheumatology in 2015 thanks to Marlies van der Goes CL for The

Netherlands.

EMEUNET was advertised

@ Polish Congress of Rheumatology in 2015 thanks to Marcin Milchert, CL for Poland.

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COUNTRY LIAISONS IN ACTION

COUNTRY LIAISON ACTIVITIES @ NATIONAL EVENTS

EMEUNET is present

@ British Society for Rheumatology Congress in 2014 thanks to Sonia Panchal, CL for the

United Kingdom.

For the first time EMEUNET has been presented

@ Slovenian Rheumatology Meeting in 2014 by Mojca Frank-Bertoncelj, CL for Slovenia. Thumbs up!

EMEUNET was advertised during the Young Rheumatologist Session

@ Italian Society for Rheumatology Meeting in 2015 thanks to Sara Monti, CL for Italy.

Nino Gobejishvili, CL for Georgia, supported EMEUNET

@ Georgian Young Rheumatologists Union meeting and @ Georgian Autoimmune Arthritis Day in 2013 and 2014.

Nelly Ziade, former CL for Lebanon, promoted EMEUNET

@ Lebanons National Rheumatology Meeting in 2013, 2014 and 2015

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EMEUNET: A GROWING COMMUNITY

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UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AT A GLANCE

EDUCATIONAL EVENTS APRIL-MAY 2016 APRIL 2016

1st EULAR Course on Immunology o When and Where: 1-2 April, Lisbon, Portugal o Website: http://www.eular.org/eular_course_on_immunology.cfm 8th Annual International EUREKA Certificate Program o When and Where: 3-9 April, Siracusa, Italy o Website: https://www.eurekainstitute.org/certificate-program/2016-registration-form 10th International Congress on Autoimmunity o When and Where: 6-10 April, Leipzig, Germany o Website: http://autoimmunity.kenes.com/ XIX Pan-American League of Associations for Rheumatology Congress o When and Where: 10-14 April, Panama City, Panama o Website: http://www.panlar2016.org/ World Congress on osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO) o When and Where: 14-17 April, Malaga, Spain o Website: http://www.wco-iof-esceo.org/ Rheumatology 2016 o When and Where: 26-28 April, Glasgow, United Kingdom o Website: https://eiseverywhere.com/ehome/121743

MAY 2016

32nd Annual Congress of Clinical Rheumatology o When and Where: 12-16 May, Destin, FL o Website: http://ccrheumatology.com/ 3rd EUROSPINE Spring Speciality Meeting o When and Where: 12-13 May Kraków, Poland o Website: http://www.eurospine-spring.com/home/ 43rd Annual European Calcified Tissue Society Congress o When and Where: 14-17 May, Rome, Italy o Website: http://2016.ectscongress.org/ International Conference on Rheumatology (ICR) o When and Where: 23-24 May, London, United Kingdom o Website: https://www.waset.org/conference/2016/05/london/ICR

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UPCOMING EDUCATIONAL EVENTS AT A GLANCE

EDUCATIONAL EVENTS MAY-JUNE 2016 MAY 2016 (continued)

European Musculo-Skeletal Oncology Society (E.M.S.O.S) Meeting o When and Where: 25-27 May, La Baule, France o Website: http://www.emsos2016.com/ XIV International Conference on Osteoporosis Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ICOOMD) o When and Where: 26-27 May, London, United Kingdom o Website: https://www.waset.org/conference/2016/05/london/ICOOMD

JUNE 2016

17° EFORT Annual Congress o When and Where: 1-3 June, Geneva, Switzerland o Website: https://www.efo​rt.org/17th-efo​rt-congress-201​6-geneva-ch-1-3​-june 23rd EULAR Ultrasound Course o When and Where: 5-7 June, London, United Kingdom o Website: http://www.eular.org/edu_course_ultrasound.cfm 5th EULAR Course for Ultrasound Trainers in Rheumatology o When and Where: 5-7 June, London, United Kingdom o Website: http://www.eula​r.org/edu_cours​e_ultrasound.cf​m

EULAR Congress o When and Where: 8-11 June, London, United Kingdom o Website: http://www.congress.eular.org/ ESSR 2016 Meeting o When and Where: 9-11 June, Zürich, Switzerland o Website: http://www.essr.org/cms/website.php?id=/en/index/congress_2016.htm FOCIS 2016 o When and Where: 22-25 June, Boston, MA o Website: http://www.focisnet.org/2013-0​3-07-14-01-50/2​015-annual-meet​ing 13th International Conference on Innate Immunity o When and Where: 23-28 June, Rhodes, Greece o Website: http://www.aegeanconferences.org/src/App/conferences/view/104 Bone Research Society Annual Meeting 2016 o When and Where: 29 June-1 July , Liverpool, United Kingdom o Website: http://bonerese​archsociety.org​/meetings/#7

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EDUCATION

THE EULAR ON-LINE COURSES All EULAR courses, as electronic ways of continuous medical education in rheumatology, are managed by a scientific course committee responsible for the structure and content of the courses and for ensuring regular quality control and advancement. Teams of expert authors are regularly reviewing and updating the courses to keep up with the newest developments in the field.

REGISTRATION OPENS IN APRIL 2016

Course

Duration

Link to course content

11th EULAR On-line Course on Rheumatic Diseases

2 years

http://www.eular.org/myUploadData/files/Online_full _module_planner.pdf

8th EULAR On-line Course on Connective Tissue Diseases (CTD)

9 months

http://www.eular.org/myUploadData/files/CTD%20w eb%20overview%20modules_2012%20(2).pdf

6th EULAR On-line Course on Systemic Sclerosis (SSc)

9 months

http://www.eular.org/myUploadData/files/SSc%20w eb%20overview%20modules_2012.pdf

7 months

http://www.eular.org/myUploadData/files/MSUS%2 0Module%20Planner.pdf

5th EULAR On-line Introductory Ultrasound Course 3rd EULAR / PReS On-line Course in Paediatric Rheumatology 2nd EULAR On-line Course for Health Professionals

9 months

9 months

http://www.eular.org/edu_online_course_paediatric. cfm http://www.eular.org/myUploadData/files/HP%20we b%20overview%20modules_2015.pdf

The EULAR On-line Courses on Rheumatic Diseases, CTDs, SSc and US are also available as APP

THE OPINION OF TWO PARTICIPANTS: “Ultrasonography is essential for the training of Rheumatologists and represents a key aspect of patient’s evaluation. The EULAR On-line Introductory Ultrasound Course offers theoretical basic skills on musculoskeletal ultrasound in rheumatic diseases as well as in healthy subjects. The high quality of contents as well as the experience of the Faculty are the two main reasons to join this course. Moreover, the website is straightforward and very easy to use. Upon passing the final examination, EULAR releases a certificate. This course is very useful for Rheumatologists who would like to acquire a basic theoretical knowledge on musculoskeletal ultrasound.” “I attended the EULAR On-line Introductory Ultrasound Course. It is a well structured basic course on ultrasonography that is divided in different modules according to the different anatomical sites. Each module includes specific exercises and the final test. I found this course very interesting and it provided me with a complete overview of ultrasonography in rheumatology. I would recommend this course as to me it was overall more useful and formative compared to some different on-site courses I previously attended.”

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EDUCATION

EULAR COURSE ON CAPILLAROSCOPY The aim of this intensive and interactive EULAR CAP course is to provide all participants with an update on the power of the safe and non-invasive nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) technique in the field of rheumatic diseases, in particular for the early diagnosis of the scleroderma spectrum diseases, its predictability and prognostic value, as well as its role as a tool for the therapeutic follow up. Participants will be fully involved in interactive theoretical and practical capillaroscopic sessions (Learning and Testing sessions) engaging a large number of rheumatic patients. Updated clinical sessions concerning the diagnostic/prognostic value of NVC in diseases such as systemic sclerosis and the effects of targeted therapies on microcirculation and immune-inflammatory reaction will represent a stimulating gym based on large clinical cases discussion. Links between the CAP patterns and biomarkers such as autoantibodies will also be updated since evoluted. In particular, reading and scoring (manual and automated systems) of the videocapillaroscopic images of living patients will be discussed and their predictive value to identify possible clinical complications (i.e. digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis, lung involvement etc.) will be analyzed including in the pediatric population. Recent international studies reported (CAP study) about new predictive models or index based on capillaroscopic analysis. New sessions on practical evaluation of the peripheral blood flow by laser doppler and LASCA imaging have been introduced. Lessons and practical session on skin ultrasound (US) evaluation will be also available and will be combined with the severity of the videocapillaroscopic images (patterns) in living patients. Important links between CAP, laser blood flow analysis and clinical results of therapies, will be presented and discussed for the follow up of patients. At the end of this top course that is supported by a tutorial team formed by some of the best worlds experts on the matter, the participants will be able to use the capillaroscopy for their day-to-day staging and follow-up in particular of patients affected by scleroderma spectrum diseases. Next EULAR Course on Capillaroscopy will take place on 8-10 September 2016 in Genova, Italy REGISTER NOW TO SAVE YOUR PLACE! TRAVEL BURSARIES ALSO AVAILABLE

For information and to register visit: http://www.eular.org/edu_course_capillaroscopy.cfm

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