Language

The official congress language is English. Simultaneous translation will not be provided.

The certificates of attendance will only be available on-site.

Usually all foreign visitors must have a valid passport. The visa policy of Hungary is liberal. For visits shorter than a month, no visa is required for citizens of most European countries, the United States, Japan and Israel. Most European citizens can visit Hungary with their domestic identity card. Agreements of the Republic of Hungary on abolition of visa requirements are available on the internet. Visa is required for visitors from most Asian countries, and most states of NIS. Those who experience any trouble in getting visa to Hungary should not hesitate to contact the conference secretariat immediately. Please note that Hungary is a member state of the EU and Schengen agreement, but make sure to check any changes in your visa regulation at the consulate. The list of Hungarian missions can be found on the Internet on the web site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If you need an invitation letter to obtain visa, please contact the conference secretariat. This, however, cannot be considered as a commitment on behalf of the organisers to provide any financial support.

All major credit cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants, ATMs and shops. The Hungarian currency is Hungarian Forint (HUF). Though Hungary is a member of the European Union, only a few shops and restaurants accept Euros (EUR) for payment. Therefore, the exchange of your currency to Hungarian Forints or the use of cash machines is strongly suggested. Check the exchange rate at e.g. Hungarian National Bank. Currency converter is available at www.xe.com/ucc/ .

The electricity is 230 V, 50 Hz. Japanese, UK, USA and other visitors: please note that Hungary has European/continental-type electric plugs. Ask for converters at the airports, hotels.

The organizers cannot accept liability for any personal accidents, loss of belongings or damage to private property of participants and accompanying persons that may occur during the Congress. Participants are advised to make their own arrangements to obtain health, travel and property insurance before their departure.

Friday, 4^th September 2009

Saturday, 5^th September 2009

Sunday, 6^th September 2009

Monday, 7^th September 2009

Tuesday, 8^th September 2009

Registration

Registration fees

On-site registrations will be accepted but cannot be guaranteed to receive all congress documents. Please arrive early if you wish to register on-site.

Registration fee for congress participants include:

• Abstract fee
• Admission to all parts of the Conference
• Printed material of the Conference (final prgram, abstract book)
• Conference bag with proceedings
• Welcome cocktail (5 September)
• Coffee breaks (6-7-8 September)
• Lunches (6-7 September, sandwich lunch on 8 September)
• Banquet ( 7 September)
• Sightseeing tour (8 September)
• Membership for the European Complement Network 2009-2011
• Budapest - Visegrad - Budapest transfer on certain days
  

Registered accompanying persons are entitled to receive:

• Welcome cocktail (5 September)
• Gala dinner ( 7 September)
• Sightseeing tour (8 September)
• Budapest - Visegrad - Budapest transfer on certain days
  

Confirmation

Upon receipt of the correct registration fee, each participant will receive a confirmation of registration. Please bring this confirmation to the registration desk at the conference centre as proof of your registration.

Cancellation / refund policy

Refund of registration fees, less 25% administrative charges, can be applied for in writing until 30 June 2009 to the Congress Secretariat.

After this date no refund will be possible.

To maintain the respectabilities Teaching day will be organized for a limited number of young participants (graduated and post-graduated students and others new to the field).

To apply for the teaching day you must be a student or a junior postdoc who has spent less than three years in the field. A proof of eligibility is required. Please, send a letter of your supervisor/head of department to certify your status to the Congress secretariat, preferably by scanned email addressed to diamond@diamond-congress.hu

Participation in the Teaching Day is possible with valid registration, if the registration fee for the conference is paid. The Teaching day has no specific registration fee.

The topics of the Teaching Day are:

1.) Complement in innate and adaptive immunity

2.) Genetics and deficiencies

3.) Activation and regulation

4.) Structure and function

5.) Inflammatory and autoimmune disorders

6.) Cancer and transplantation

7.) Therapeutical approaches

8.) Factor H-related diseases and animal models

9.) Complement and infection

10.) Modern complement techniques, test

Timetable for the teaching day

5 September 2009

08:30 - 09:00   Registration

09:00 - 09:30   Introduction by Jörg Köhl

09:30 - 11:00   Session I

11:00 - 11:30   Coffee

11:30 - 13:00   Session II

13:00 - 14:00   Lunch

14:00 - 15:30   Session III

15:30 - 16:10   Round table discussion/ Mohamed Daha

All participants are invited to submit abstracts on one of the topics listed below for presentation at the 12th European Meeting on Complement in Human Disease.

Abstracts may only be submitted via internet at this website. Late abstracts will not be considered.

In order to standardise the abstract layout we ask you to read the preparation guidelines CAREFULLY!

• Abstracts may be submitted via internet only. Abstracts submitted via fax or e-mail will not be accepted.
• All abstracts must be submitted and presented in English using UK English spelling.
• Abstracts must contain original material neither published nor presented elsewhere prior to 5 September 2009.
• At selection for oral presentation, abstracts on pathomechanism or diagnosis of human diseases will have an advantage.
• The abstract text may not be longer than 2000 characters, including spaces. (excluding title and authors)
• The background and goals of the study should appear clearly to the reader. The methods and results must contain data, and the conclusions must be clearly expressed.
• Tables, charts or other graphics may not be included and will be deleted by the editors.
• Avoid complex mathematical formulae. For the symbols ? or ? type instead <= or >=. For superscript use caret (^) e.g. 10^6 instead of 10⁶. Do not use Greek letters and symbols. Instead of 'IFN-?' use for example 'IFN-g' or 'IFN-gamma'.
• All abbreviations must be defined the first time they appear in your text (but, do not define in the title). Example: membrane cofactor protein (MCP), before being used as an abbreviation only.
• The name of the presenting author should be underlined.
• Authors should indicate their presentation preference:
  • oral / poster presentation
  • poster only
  • The ECN board reserves the right to decide on the final allocation and presentation method.
• Please, indicate which topic(s) you prefer, by checking the appropriate boxes, maximum three options can be assigned.
• After having submitted your abstract, you will receive an acknowledgement by e-mail, confirming the successful file upload (please make sure to register with your correct e-mail address!). Should you wish to make corrections to an abstract already submitted or if you wish to submit other abstracts later, you may simply upload a new file. Corrections to abstracts can only be made up to the deadline of 30 April 2009. If you do not receive a confirmation by e-mail please contact the Abstract hotline.
• Abstracts will be subject to a blind peer review by at least 3 experts.
• Authors will be notified on acceptance in mid June 2009 by email. Full instructions concerning the preparation and presentation of their abstract will be given at this time.
• All presenting authors must register to attend the conference. One participant can be the presenting author of maximum two abstracts.

If you have difficulties in submitting your abstracts or if you need any further information, please contact the Abstract hotline: Phone +36 1?225 0210 (Monday - Friday during CET business hours) or e-mail: diamond@diamond-congress.hu

1. Structure and function of complement proteins
2. Complement activation and regulation
3. Complement genetics and deficiencies
4. Complement and adaptive immunity
5. Complement in infection and sepsis
6. Complement in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
7. Complement in transplantation and cancer
8. Complement in diagnosis of human diseases, standardization
9. Complement oriented therapeutic interventions
10. Complement, aHUS, other renal diseases and AMD
11. Complement in cardiovascular diseases
12. Complement evasion of pathogens
13. Complement in neurological diseases 
14. Other related topics

Travel awards

A limited number of travel awards will be made available to the first author of an accepted abstract. He/she must also be the presenting author.
To qualify for a travel grant, the applicant must be either a

• Graduate student
• Medical resident

Applicants must first submit their abstract online and check the box during submission stating they wish to apply. In addition, the following documentation must be sent by post as well:

• a letter from the applicant's supervisor written on institution letterhead confirming the applicant's status and supporting the applicant's award request.
• a copy of the abstract submitted online

Applicants must send by post or fax the completed application documents, or send by e-mail the scanned document to:

P.O. Box 48.
H-1255 Budapest, Hungary
Tel: +36 1 2250210
Fax: +36 1 2012680
e-mail: diamond@diamond-congress.hu

Applications arriving after 30 April 2009 will not be considered. Please note that the award is limited to one per research group/laboratory.

Publication
All accepted abstracts will be published in a supplement to the journal Molecular Immunology which will be handed out to all registered participants at the congress.

One, preferably retired scientist from Europe or working in Europe will be awarded with ECN-medal.

September 5 2009, Saturday

Welcome cocktail, 18.30

The official welcome cocktail of CHD2009 will be held on the Congress Venue: Thermal Hotel Visegrad. Admission is free for all registered delegates, accompanying persons and exhibitors.


September 7 2009, Monday

Banquet, 19.00
The official closing banquet of  CHD2009 will be held in the Renaissance restaurant with medieval program.  Admission is included in the registration fees.
Description of the evening:

• Knights' tournament
• Guests are greeted by the royal servant with drink and can take a sit on the covered grandstand in the court of the Solomon's Tower. The knight of the St. George Order gives brief information about the building of the tower, about its usage in the Middle Ages and about the activity of the order of knighthood.
• From our guests we choose a king and a queen. We give them royal cloak and they take a seat on the throne.
• The knights demonstrate medieval weapons target practice with lance and battle-star, club, ( archery on both target and alive target).
• The highlight of the show is the knights' tournament. During the single combat the knights demonstrate the small arms of that age. (battle, broadsword, sabre, club, lance).
• At the end of the show all of the knights take part in the mass battle-scene.
• At the end of the show guests can walk down (150 metres) to a Renaissance Restaurant where a Royal Feast is will crown the evening.

September 8 2009, Tuesday

Sightseeing tour, 14.00 - 18.00
After the conference, 2 parallel sightseeing will be organised. The sightseeing is included in the registration fees, but the participation is not automatical.
Registration is necessary via online. Please choose only 1 of the 2 offered tours.
After the sightseeing (appr. at 19.00) transfer will be provided to Budapest airport, for those who have late flight on this day.

Szentendre sightseeing

Szentendre, the most picturesque little town along the Hungarian stretch of the Danube, and home to sculptors and painters, is not likely to forget it. The town is a charming monument to the XVIIIth century, with its undulating cobbled streets and unexpected alleyways, and if it exudes something of a Mediterranean atmosphere then that's probably thanks to the Serbs, Dalmatians and Greek who settled here from the XIVth century onwards. Hungary's largest open-air ethnological museum, or skanzen, is situated at the edge of the town. Its old peasant houses, church and handicraft workshop will be also visited during the sightseeing.

Esztergom sightseeing

Eszergom, Hungary's ecclesiastical center and seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop, the Basilica and the walls of the acient castle rise imposingly on the Danube's right bank.
The Basilica, as well as being Hungary's largest church, is noteworthy for its remarkable altarpiece depicting the Assumption, which is the largest single-canvas oil-painted altarpiece in the world. The church's stately interior contains Hungary's finest complete Renaissance monument, the Bakócz Chapel, built from red marble. The Cathedral Treasury is the richest in Hungary.