Covering The Gaps
The Course You Didn’t Know You Needed
In this course, the ESHG team led by Francesca Forzano and Angus Clarke aims to cover topics that are important – often crucial – for your genetics research and practice but that are usually neglected, taken for granted or left for others to cover.
We look at issues of quality, regulation, ethics and justice in diagnostics and research. We look at data sharing and biobanks. We look at the return of results to patients and at the reporting of research in journals: what are the responsibilities of the editorial teams? How do they (and you!) avoid hype? And how can we all prevent unethical research, when human rights are abused by the state or other interests?
The course format includes multiple opportunities for interactive discussions, with one session on human germline genetic engineering and a more structured debate on a controversial topic to be chosen by the course participants.
This first course took place online in October 2024 and was a huge success. The third course will also be virtual only and will occupy two full days in November 2026. We hope that future iterations may be hybrid.
Programme
Please note that all times are in CET (GMT+1).
Thursday, November 26, 2026:
| 09.00 | Welcome and introduction Ice breaking session who we are, what we do aim to achieve with this course | Francesca Forzano and Angus Clarke |
| 09.45 | Just Genomics equitable opportunities? | Angus Clarke |
| 10.45 | Coffee Break | |
| 11.00 | Biobanks | Deborah Mascalzoni |
| 11.45 | Return of Results in diagnostic and in research | Heidi Howard |
| 12.45 | Lunch Break | |
| 14:00 | Use and misuse of data consider the context to avoid unintended consequences | Yves Moreau |
| 14.45 | Research ethics Research ethic, challenges and roles of ethical committees | Jurate Lekstutiene, Lisa Tambornini |
| 15.45 | Coffee Break | |
| 16.00 | Quality matters ..and not just to pass your certification test! | Sandi Deans |
| 16.45 | Workshop: Genomic variants, interpretation and reporting | Julia Baptista (lead), Sandi Deans |
| 18.15 | Q&A on day 1 | |
| 18.30 | End of day one |
Friday, November 27, 2026
| 09.00 | IVD and IVDR | Els Dequeker |
| 09.45 | Data sharing in a connected world how to share responsibly | Emmanuelle Rial-Sebbag |
| 10.45 | Coffee Break | |
| 11.00 | Workshop: sharing data | Emmanuelle Rial-Sebbag (lead), Elizabeth Loehrer |
| 12.15 | Lunch Break | |
| 13.00 | The Press Room how scientific journals work, what are the tasks and responsibilities of an Editor in Chief, what is the role of the Editorial Board | Alisdair McNeill (EJHG Chief Editor), contribution of Yves Moreau |
| 14.00 | The Newsrooom (and the Social Media) Ethical reporting is a two-way street interactive | Mary Rice and Aleena Mushtaq/Juliana Miranda Cerqueira |
| 15.00 | Coffee Break | |
| 15.15 | Controversial future perspectives: the case of germline gene editing interactive, includes group works | Sam Riedijk, Elizabeth Loehrer and Heidi Howar |
| 17.45 | Coffee Break | |
| 18.00 | This House Believes 2 opposite parties (2 participants each) topic to be chosen | facilitators: Francesca Forzano and Angus Clarke |
| 19.00 | Q&A on day 2 | |
| 19.15 | End of the course |
CME accreditation
We are in the process of applying for CME accreditation for this course, to ensure it meets the highest educational standards and provides participants with valuable continuing medical education credits.
Contact
Congress Office:
WMA GmbH
Ms. Magdalena Seidl
Alser Strasse 4
1090 Vienna, Austria
T: +43 1 405 13 83 24
F: +43 1 405 13 83 924
E: Courses@eshg.org