WHAT IS SAFE?

The SAFE (Special Non-Invasive Advances in Fetal and Neonatal Evaluation) Network started on 1 March 2004, and is set to run for a period of 5 years. It is sponsored under the EU Framework 6 programme and has 50 partners from 19 countries currently participating. SAFE aims to lay the foundations for European advances in NIPD (Non Invasive Prenatal Diagnosis) and NS (Neonatal Screening). It is a programme designed to achieve intellectual and practical integration with a view to enhance the efficacy of NIPD and NS for genetic disorders within and beyond the European Community. This programme is interested in the use of cell-free circulatory fetal DNA as a screening tool to determine pregnancies at risk for heterozygous Mendelian genetic disorders, such as the haemoglobinopathies prevalent in large proportions of the European population. More details on www.safenoe.org

DESCRIPTION

The SAFE workshop will offer:

-          the opportunity to benefit from the training and workshop exercises initiated by the SAFE network;

-          the chance to develop further common training programmes;

-          the dissemination of data generated by training activities inside the SAFE network.

The proposed workshop is jointly managed by the University of Bologna and the University of Graz and supported by the European Genetics Foundation (EGF).

This 2-day practical workshop will consist not only of plenary sessions but also of concurrent practical activities carried out in small groups. The workshop will be taught by a faculty of 12 leading international experts and attended by around 30-40 students.

According to a model successfully experienced by the ESGM, faculty giving the lectures will be asked to stay at the venue in Bologna (Italy) beyond the morning and afternoon training sessions for the whole period.  Their constant presence will provide the students with an uninterrupted, informal and stimulating exchange of experiences and information.

The social programme envisages a dinner in a typical restaurant located in Bologna downtown

The workshop is directed by the SAFE Integration Board, jointly organized by the EGF, the University of Bologna and the University of Graz. The workshop is partially funded by the SAFE Network (fellowships available for PhD students and fellows belonging to the SAFE network). Special thanks to Maj Hultén (University of Warwick) for her contribution in designing the workshop.

www.safenoe.org

N.Avent (Bristol, UK), L.Chitty (London, UK), L.Cremonesi (Milan, Italy), E.Dragon (San Diego, USA), W.Holzgreve (Basel, Switzerland), M.HultÈn (Warwick, UK), T.Legler (Goettingen, Germany), N. Manaresi (Bologna, Italy), T.Marteau (London, UK), A. Munna (Bologna, Italy), G.Romeo (Bologna, Italy), K. Spencer (Essex, UK)

Sunday, February 24^th

Monday, February 25^th

DEPARTURE