eCM IX Musculoskeletal Trauma - 50 Years of AO Research
June 15-18, 2008, Convention Centre, Davos, Switzerland

This international forum continued the eCM congress series held in Davos. The limited number of participants brought together clinicians, biologists, engineers and material scientists to share knowledge in basic, translational and clinical research and developments in the large field of Musculoskeletal Trauma. The single session permitted in depth multi-disciplinary set of discussions where everyone was welcome to discuss in order to move this research forwards.

50 Years of AO Research
The AO Group, a Swiss Group of thirteen general and orthopaedic surgeons started 50 years ago. This small society developed into an internationally active Foundation that has made essential contributions to fracture treatment based on experimental and clinical research. Fundamental changes made were the direct results of some of this research. Improvements in patient treatment were realized. Generally accepted schools of thought were challenged. This opened up the way for new and creative approaches. This years meeting celebrated some of the areas AO Research works within.

Unfortunately, Professor Berton Rahn, one of the cornerstones of the Research from AO for 35 years until his retirement in 2003 recently passed away and another cornerstone of the Research Professor Stephan Perren started the meeting with a tribute to Berton.

There was a special session on imaging dedicated to Dr. Iolo ap Gwynn, of the University  Aberystwyth, Wales, who has worked in the field of biological electron microscopy for over 40 years. Iolo ran the only full-time postgraduate course in biological electron microscopy in Europe, for over ten years in the 80s/90s, through which he has inspired many scientists (including myself). Iolo has studied (1962-1969) and then taught in Aberystwyth (1969 and ongoing) for 45 years and I can say, from personal experience, he is one of the best lecturers in the microscopy field.

Iolo always keeps the attention of the audience, even with tough subjects such as electron optics. I have known Iolo, originally as my University tutor in 1987, for 20 years and had the honour to teach electron microscopy courses with him for the last 10 years. Iolo also has been connected for a long time with Swiss mountains having climbed the Matterhorn (4478m) and the Dom (4545m, the highest mountain totally within Switzerland, first summited by a Welshman Rev J. Llewelyn Davies in 1858). The imaging session included several areas microscopy.
R.Geoff Richards, AO Research Institute

Conference Organisers

RG Richards- Editor-in-Chief eCM Journal.
Head of Bio Performance of Materials & Devices Program, ARI, Davos, CH

M Alini - Sceintific Editor eCM Journal.
Head of Tissue Engineering & Biomaterials Program, ARI, Davos, CH

CW Archer - Sceintific Editor eCM Journal
Connective Tissue Biology Research Group, Cardiff Institute of Tissue Engineering & Repair, Cardiff University,Wales, GB

Accredations
eCM IX: Musculoskeletal Trauma congress is accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME) to provide CME activity for medical specialists. The EACCME is an institution of the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS), www.uems.net. EACCME has granted 21 European CME credits to the conference.
(EACCME credits are recognized by the American Medical Association towards the Physician's Recognition Award (PRA). To convert EACCME credit to AMA PRA category 1 credit, contact the AMA)
SGO (Swiss Society for Orthopaedics) 25 credits
SGC (Swiss Society for Surgery) 22 credits

Download Final Programme.

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