The Scientific Program Committee (SPC) consists of at least seven persons who are appointed by the Board. These have a term of four years. Membership of the SPC is not renewable for at least one year after the end of a term of office.

Professor Andrew Read, immediate past SPC chair explains how the SPC functions.

• How does the SPC organise the programme?

We have two overall aims. First, to present the most exciting and relevant new science, and second, to facilitate development of networks and contacts among geneticists. Although they overlap, the first aim is primarily met through the spoken presentations and posters, and the second through the workshops, the gaps between spoken sessions, and some of the posters.

We do the bulk of this over a weekend a week or so after the submission deadline. Every abstract is reviewed by at least two SPC members with expertise in the area. Abstracts will be rejected if they are unethical or contain no new data. Less than 10% can be scheduled for spoken presentation, and our main criterion for that is high scientific interest. Secondarily, we ask whether the data are such that they suit a poster better than a talk, and whether the topic fits into any of the themes of the sessions. Sometimes we will select for oral presentation an abstract that was submitted for poster presentation, though we would always ask the presenter, and respect their wishes if they really do not want to speak. The poster display is important, both as a place where you can look at detailed data in your own time, and as an overview of who is doing what in Europe. An equal scientific effort produces more results in some countries than others, and within reason we are prepared to accept posters that show modest new data (but not no data!) from countries where any result is an achievement. Hopefully these posters have a useful function in filling out the picture of European science.

This is done over a working weekend shortly after the annual meeting. We rely on suggestions sent in by members, and on our collective knowledge. The most difficult part is trying to guess who will have exciting data a year from now, and what the hot topics will be. We want the best science, and we want the best speakers. It really is very helpful to hear about any outstandingly good presentation that you have heard at a meeting. There are two secondary aims:

• We try to make sure there is something for everybody: for clinicians, paramedics and laboratory workers; for people delivering services and people doing research. Fortunately in human genetics few people are totally uninterested in anything beyond their own little patch.
• We also try to make the invited speakers a showcase of European science, by favouring speakers working in Europe, and by trying to have a reasonable spread of countries represented – but this is definitely secondary to the quality of the science and the speaker.

Inevitably the SPC does not have somebody from every sub-sub-speciality and every country, so we really do very much welcome the suggestions and comments of members. Not every suggestion can be acted on, but each one is welcomed and considered. Between you, you have a vast experience and knowledge, and collectively we should use this to make the annual meeting a maximally rewarding experience. Please send suggestions at any time to the chairman of the SPC, Han Brunner.