Bonn, December 17–18 2020
**Please note the update: the meeting will be online only**
Topic: Genomics for Health
Dear Members and Friends of the AGD,
This year everything is different because of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. It has also affected our plans for the annual meeting 2020, which will be held at a different place at a different time. It has also influenced the program of the meeting, as it is compellingly demonstrating the power of genomics to protect and foster our health. Therefore, we are going to dedicate a whole session and the keynote lecture to latest breakthroughs in COVID-19 research, therapy and vaccination. Further, we will address the value of polygenic risk scores and its integration into clinics. Recently, genomics approaches have also been instrumental in the discovery of new disease mechanisms, which we want to hear of. But the broad application of genomics in diagnostics poses challenges with respect to the security of health-related data, which we need to discuss.
You are cordially invited to participate in the 2020 AGD meeting, held in Bonn on December 17 and 18, 2020. The meeting will address the above issues in four sessions:
Session 1 — The Power of Genomics in the COVID-19 Combat
Session 2 — Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS)
Session 3 — New Disease Mechanisms
Session 4 — Genome Diagnostics and Health Data Security
From the presentations given at the meeting and from the discussions, we expect fruitful impulses for future developments, not only in research but also in our health care system.
We are convinced that the meeting program is very attractive, and that the excellent speakers will manage to inspire you and your future work. The pleasant atmosphere of the University Club Bonn and of its surroundings at the banks of the Rhine river are ideally suited for this high-profile scientific meeting. A room contingent is reserved in the Hilton Hotel and AMERON Hotel nearby until November 17, 2020. We are well aware of the challenges of physical meetings and will inform you about our safety concept four weeks in advance. We will provide a rapid antigen tests by mail to all participants that register for the meeting to reduce the risk of infection further.
Early bird registration is available through the AGD website (http://www.agdev.de/anmeldung.html) until December 1, 2020, as well as poster submission. Students submitting a poster abstract will have free registration.
We are looking forward to seeing you in Bonn.
Sincerely yours,
| Peter Krawitz Chair, Program Committee | Peter Nünberg President, AGD e.V. |