Keynote lectures

Sunday, October 25, 2009
4:30 pm–5:00 pm, ECC Saal D

Prof. Roberto Romero, Detroit, USA
Can we predict or prevent preterm birth?

Roberto Romero, M.D. is Chief of the Perinatology Research Branch and Program Director for Obstetrics and Perinatology in the Division of Intramural Research of NICHD/NIH and Professor of Molecular Obstetrics and Genetics at Wayne State University.

Dr. Romero trained at Yale University in Obstetrics and Gynecology and in the sub-specialty of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. Subsequently, he joined the faculty and became the Director of Perinatal Research. In 1992, he became Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Wayne State University and Chief of the Perinatology Research Branch at NICHD/NIH.

Dr. Romero is widely regarded as one of the most prominent intellectual leaders in modern obstetrics. Over the last 25 years, his work has focused on the early diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy, the prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies and the study of the mechanisms of disease responsible for pregnancy complications and fetal injury with a special emphasis in preterm labor. Dr. Romero’s work has changed the practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology worldwide.

An author of over 500 peer reviewed publications and several books, including a medical best seller (Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Anomalies), Dr. Romero is the recipient of countless awards and recognitions by his peers, including the President’s Achievement Award from the Society for Gynecologic Investigation, Research Excellence Awards from the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Central Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, The Erich Saling Award from the World Association of Perinatal Medicine, The Ian Donald Gold Medal for contributions to Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is also the recipient of five Doctorate Honoris Causa from universities all over the world, and is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

Dr. Romero’s work in premature labor has focused on the role of infection and inflammation in spontaneous preterm labor and delivery. His research team described the involvement of cytokines and chemokines in the initiation of human labor and the fetal inflammatory response syndrome, as well as the preterm parturition syndrome. The Perinatology Research Branch uses high-dimensional biology to understand the mechanisms of disease in preterm parturition and fetal injury of the preterm neonate.

Sunday, October 25, 2009
5:00 pm–5:15 pm, ECC Saal D

Prof. Erich Saling, Berlin, Germany
Efficient measures to prevent premature birth at high risk

Professor Erich Saling, born July 21, 1925, “Professor Emeritus” of Perinatal Medicine at the Charité, Humboldt-University Berlin and internationally named as the “Father of Perinatal Medicine”.

He has activly engagement in research and clinical practice in the field of Obstetrics, Pre- and Perinatal Medicine since 1958 and his main fields of scientific achievements and new developments: are the fetal and neonatal circulation as well as fetal monitoring during pregnancy and during labor (fetal blood analysis). The latter was the very first direct approach to the human fetus. Creation of an efficient simple and inexpensive program for prevention of premature birth. Since 1991 he is the director of the charitable Institute of Perinatal Medicine in Berlin-Neukölln.

In 1967 introduction of the term Perinatal Medicine and foundation of the very first national, the German Society of Perinatal Medicine. In 1968 foundation of the very first international, the European Association of Perinatal Medicine and in 1973 foundation of the first International Journal in this field, the Journal of Perinatal Medicine.

The most important distinction of him was in 2000 the foundation of the ERICH SALING PERINATAL PRIZE by the ”World Association of Perinatal Medicine” which is awarded at each World Congress. 1st President of the 2005 founded International Academy of Perinatal Medicine.

Monday, October 26, 2009
12:00 am–12:30 pm, ECC Saal D

Prof. Øjvind Lidegaard, Copenhagen, Denmark
Effects of IVA on imprinted disorders

Prof. Øjvind Lidegaard graduated January 1981 from Copenhagen University. Clinical residences in neurology, internal medicine, gastro­enterology, psychiatry, pediatrics 1981–1987. Specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology by January 1992. From 1993 until1997 he was a senior resident at Herlev Hospital and from 1997 until 2006 he worked as a consultant, associate Professor for the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at Herlev University Hospital. Since 2006 he is the Professor of the Gynecological Clinic at Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen and responsible for quality assurance, reproduction and epidemiological research in the department. Professor Øjvind Lidegaard has several honoary offices:

  • Member of Board of Directors, Danish Society of Medical Informatics, 1988–1993.
  • Head of “Working group on gynecological technology assessment and quality assurance”, Danish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (DSOG) 1990–1997.
  • Head of “Committee on postgraduate education”, DSOG, April 1992 to April 1996.
  • Head of “Scandinavian Committee on postgraduate education”, Scandinavian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (NFOG) August 1994 to August 1996.
  • Consultant in “Committee on postgraduate education”, Danish Medical Association, 1991–1996.
  • Consultant in WHO on the project “Obstetrical quality indicators”, 1991–1995.
  • Head of guideline group in gynaecological reproduction, DSOG, 2000–2008.
  • Member of guideline group in hormone replacement therapy, DSOG 2000–2003
  • Member of guideline group in contraception,
  • DSOG 2000–2008.
  • Member of Climate and health working group, Danish Medical Association since 2008.

Through the last 20 years he has published 135 scientific publications and was first author on 102 of these. The majority epidemiological studies were on risk factors of female cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Professor Øjvind Lidegaard had a dissertation in 1996 on oral contraceptives and thrombotic strokes. Additionally he is the winner of three price essays:

  • 1986: “The role of Doctors in year 2000”, Danish Medical Assoc.
  • 1990: “Obstetrics and Gynecology in Denmark year 2000”. DSOG.
  • 1992: “Structure and financing the Danish health care sector in the 1990s”. Lundbeck Foundation.

Professor Øjvind Lidegaard has held more than 350 postgraduate speeches in Denmark and abroad during the last 15 years on issues from oral contraceptives and cardiovascular diseases, HT and female cancer over methods in epidemiological research to quality assurance, imprinting and climate and health.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009
12:00 am–12:30 pm, ECC Saal D

Prof. Victor Yu, Clayton, Australia
The ethical dilemma of withholding or withdrawal of neonatal intensive care

Victor Yu graduated from medical school at Hong Kong University in 1968, and went to Oxford University in England in 1972 and McMaster University in Canada in 1975 for his postgraduate neonatal training. In 1977, he went to Australia as Director to establish the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Monash Medical Centre in Melbourne, where he became Clinical Director of the Ritchie Centre for Baby Health Research and Professor of Neonatology at Monash University. He gained a Master and a Doctorate degree with his neonatal research and has published 10 books and over 170 chapters, 270 papers and 370 abstracts. He supervised the neonatal training for about 200 pediatricians from 41 countries other than Australia and has been invited to lecture in 44 countries on over 250 occasions. He has been consultant to the World Health Organization and to the Singapore and Hong Kong Governments and President of the Australian Perinatal Society, President of the Federation of Asia-Oceania Perinatal Societies and Vice-President of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine. Victor Yu is also an ordained Christian Minister in the Anglican Church. His theological studies and pastor’s training have given him additional insights into the moral-ethical issues in perinatal-neonatal medicine.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009
10:30 am–11:00 am, ECC Saal D

Prof. Robert Brent, Wilmington, USA
The etiology and prevention of congenital malformation –
will we ever prevent this group of diseases?

Robert Brent received a BS, an MD with Honor, a Ph.D. in radiation biology, physics and embryology and an honorary D.Sc. from the University of Rochester. At Rochester he was a very young research scientist in the Manhattan Project program of the University. He trained in Pediatrics at the Massachusetts General Hospital and then served in the US Army as chief of Radiation Biology at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

He came to Philadelphia in 1957 where he has been a faculty member at Thomas Jefferson University for 51 years. He was Chairman of Pediatrics for almost 30 years (1965–1995) and Director of the Stein Research Institute at Jefferson for 25 years. He was appointed the third Distinguished Professor in Jefferson’s 185 year history and named the Louis and Bess Stein endowed Professor. Although he was a clinician his research has focused on the genetic and environmental causes of birth defects and cancer and the importance of nutrition in embryonic development. He described the “all or none phenomenon” of early embryonic development, that birth defects and mental retardation are threshold effects following embryonic radiation and chemical exposures and that protraction of radiation exposures markedly reduced their toxic effects. His laboratory also described the technique of uterine vascular clamping as an experimental teratogenic procedure as well as preparing potent teratogenic antibodies in mammalian species and many other developmental biology discoveries. He has over 440 publications, 6 books and made four movies. He was continuously funded by the NIH and Department of Energy during his entire academic career and was awarded a training grant in developmental biology and teratology that has trained scientists for developmental biology positions in industry and academia.

In 2007 he recorded his 20,000th consultation from patients and professionals concerned about environmental exposures and their potential toxic effects. On his Health Physics Society Pregnancy website there were 1,299,672 visits in 2007 and 1442 direct contact with Brent. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and the National council for Radiation Protection and numerous other research and clinical societies. He was one of the founding members of the Teratology Society, elected president in 1966 and was also elected three times as editor of the Teratolgy Journal. He has received numerous awards for his teaching and research and he continues to teach at his institution and lecture all over the world. The Heath Physics Society has honored him with their highest awards, the Robley Evans Award. In 2006 he was selected for the highest award of the National Council for Radiation Protection, the Taylor Prize and lectureship, the Teratology Society has created the annual Robert Brent lectureship and Jefferson awarded Brent the Dean’s Medal. In 2008 he received an honorary degree from Thomas Jefferson University, the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Rochester and the Nemours Award from the Nemours foundation.