The gathering is Europe’s biggest annual skin and sexual health congress and attracts speakers and delegates from all over the world.
Australia’s leaders in dermatology will headline Europe’s biggest congress dedicated to skin and sexual health in Amsterdam next week.
Among the experts presenting at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology’s 2024 Congress will be Professor Peter Soyer, inaugural chair in dermatology at the University of Queensland and former director of the Princess Alexandra hospital dermatology department (2008 – 2023).
Professor Soyer is internationally recognised in the field of dermatology with particular expertise in the areas of preventative dermatooncology, dermatopathology and dermatologic imaging (dermoscopy and reflectance confocal microscopy). He led the development of the morphologic classification system currently used worldwide, and has an extensive publication record with over 680 publications to date.
Professor Soyer will be one of the first to present on 25 September in a plenary lecture entitled Artificial Intelligence: Friend or foe?
“Artificial Intelligence (AI) in dermatology represents a rapidly advancing frontier that has the potential to significantly enhance diagnostic accuracy, personalise treatments, and improve patient outcomes,” his lecture summary reveals.
“This capability is particularly promising for the early detection of skin cancers, such as melanoma, where early diagnosis is crucial for patient prognosis.
“The integration of AI into dermatology presents also challenges. One major issue is the risk of reliance on technology, potentially leading to a decline in clinicians’ diagnostic skills.
“Additionally, there is the question of data privacy and the ethical use of personal health information. AI systems are only as good as the data they are trained on, and biases can lead to disparities in the accuracy of diagnoses across different populations.”
Another Australian dermatology leader taking a key role at the congress will be Professor Dedee Murrell, who will co-chair a session on bullous diseases on 25 September. Professor Murrell is chair of the Department of Dermatology at St George Hospital, University of NSW and holds a doctorate on the pathogenesis of blistering disorders, which is her main subspecialty interest. Her current research focuses on the development and validation of clinical outcome measures for autoimmune blistering diseases and epidermolysis bullosa.
Professor Murrell established Australia’s first dedicated dermatology clinical trial centre and is a key opinion leader in trial design and conduct, serving on numerous advisory boards for more than 20 years. Her group established the ABQOL/TABQOL for measuring quality of life in patients with autoimmune blistering diseases and she co-led the development and validation of the PDAI, BPDAI, and MMPDAI. In 2006, she established the Australasian Blistering Diseases Foundation.
Professor Murrell was founding co-editor of the International Journal of Women’s Dermatology and serves on the editorial boards of the British Journal of Dermatology, JAMA Dermatology, the International Journal of Dermatology, the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, Acta Dermato-Venereologica, and JAAD International.
EADV President Professor Martin Röcken said the hybrid event offered onsite delegates and remote participants the chance to update their clinical knowledge and engage in the latest advances in dermatology and venereology.
“The congress will be opened by an internationally renowned keynote speaker, who will spotlight the human impact on the climate and suggest actionable steps we can take in our personal lives to protect our planet,” he said in a statement.
“The scientific congress program promises deep structured insights into all major fields of dermatology and updates on hot topics, including rapid changes in the understanding and treatment of common diseases such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and skin cancer – from surgery to systemic therapy.
“Special focus sessions will provide a ‘deep dive’ into bullous diseases, hidradenitis suppurativa and cutaneous lymphomas.”
The congress will include more than 160 structured symposia, more than 20 subspecialty sessions and “Late breaking news” sessions, as well as more than 2000 e-posters, hands-on workshops and provide practical insights delivered by over 600 leaders in dermatology and venereology.
“Most esteemed figures in the field of dermatology and venereology from Europe, USA, Asia and other continents will share their latest insights in clinics and clinical research,” said Professor Röcken.
“The 2024 EADV Congress will present a high-level of scientific content and a ‘Residents Track’ and new ‘EADV Games’ dedicated to young dermatologists.”
The EADV Congress 2024 will be held at the RAI Amsterdam from 25-28 September, and will include the academy’s annual general meeting on 27 September and the election of its president-elect. For more details see eadv.org/congress.
