Tweetable abstract

This article provides a brief overview of the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Conference (#ACFMilan2023) programme, which will be held on 1–2 December 2023, in Milan (Italy) and online. https://bit.ly/3sKpN6p

The Adult Cystic Fibrosis (ACF) Conference will take place on 1–2 December 2023 at the University of Milan (Milan, Italy) and online. This event is organised by the European Respiratory Society (ERS) in partnership with the European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS), and it will provide an integrated approach to diagnosis, treatment and continuous management of cystic fibrosis (CF) in adults.

Attendance is encouraged amongst health professionals and researchers involved in CF with a special emphasis on adult patient care, including (but not limited to) pulmonologists, internists, paediatricians, physiotherapists, radiologists, nurses, dietitians and psychologists. As a hybrid event, participants will have the option to attend the conference online or onsite in Milan, Italy. The programme has various educational events and opportunities for early career members (ECMs) to network with fellow experts in the respiratory field. In this article, we provide an overview on what to expect from the ACF Conference, including “top picks” for ECMs.

What will be the format of the ACF Conference, and what is available to onsite and online delegates?

Participants will have option to join the ACF Conference in-person onsite in Milan or to meet-up virtually. However, spaces onsite are limited, so you will need to register early to secure your place. Delegates registering before 17 October 2023, 23:59 CEST will benefit from a discounted rate.

Onsite participants will have access to all 14 sessions, including the oral poster discussion and case-based sessions. These sessions, which will not be live-streamed or recorded, are a great way to communicate new scientific research or clinical practice with peers from around the world. Onsite participants will also have the opportunity to network with experts in the field during the welcome reception on the first day of the conference.

All registered participants will have access to the conference platform to review accepted abstracts via e-Poster format. During the live event, virtual participants will be able to follow live-streamed sessions, including the highly interactive Meet the experts and Pro/Con Debate sessions. Virtual participants will also be able to send in their questions and comments to the faculty.

What to expect from the ACF Conference programme and what are the top picks for ECMs?

For several years now, the majority of CF patients have been adults. This requires optimisation of the transition from paediatric to internal medicine care. In addition, the steadily increasing life expectancy of CF patients also brings potential follow-up challenges, which make comprehensive, multidisciplinary and interprofessional care of these patients necessary. This conference, therefore, aims to make a significant contribution to inspiring healthcare professionals, especially from adult medicine, to care for adult CF patients and to reflect the latest state of research and clinical care.

The topics of the symposia focus on the challenges of CF care in the coming years, the possibilities and difficulties in diagnosing CF, the care of CF patients with respect to their lung disease, but also regarding extrapulmonary manifestations, and the important role of infection and inflammation on disease progression.

Exchange on controversial topics, such as the care of CF patients in times of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator therapy, will be possible during the Pro/Con Debate, as well as during the sessions with case presentations. Further stimulating discussion is expected on the topics of fertility and parenthood, and the question of “What makes a good CF centre?”. Participants will be able to present their own data and cases during the poster presentations and discuss them with an international audience of CF clinicians and researchers. The interactive formats will allow ECMs to engage in a lively exchange with experienced CF scientists and physicians and gain inspiration for their own daily work in adult CF patient care.

Will there be specific networking zones for participants?

The programme is designed to offer networking opportunities for both onsite and online participants. Onsite participants can benefit of the welcome reception, taking place on the first day of the conference, while online participants will have a dedicated space on the conference platform for networking. Onsite participants will also benefit in joining experts in the field during the catered breaks at the University of Milan.

Will sessions be recorded and made available during and after the ACF Conference?

All the main sessions will be recorded and made available on-demand within 24 h of the session finishing. In some cases, when more post-production work is required, the replay may be available later. Replays will remain accessible until May 2024. Oral poster discussions and case-based sessions will not be live-streamed or recorded.

Will there be any pre-conference content available?

Registered participants will have the chance to review accepted abstracts available in advance on the ACF Conference platform.

Concluding remarks

This article provides tips on what to expect from the ACF Conference 2023 and various opportunities for ECMs, whether they attend online or in-person. The full programme and more information about the conference is available at: www.ersnet.org/events/adult-cystic-fibrosis-conference/. Don't miss this opportunity to network with peers in the field and present your work at this event. We hope to meet you at the ACF Conference 2023!

Footnotes

Conflict of interest: M. Stahl is the Secretary of Group CF within the European Respiratory Society's (ERS) Paediatric Assembly (7.03), disclosures made outside the submitted work. J. Cruz is the Early career member representative of Assembly 9 of the ERS, disclosures made outside the submitted work. J. Kisseleff, A. Farr and P. Watson are employees of the ERS.

Support statement: J. Cruz acknowledges the support of the Center for Innovative Care and Health Technology (ciTechCare), funded by Portuguese national funds provided by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) (UIDB/05704/2020).

Received August 30, 2023.Accepted September 4, 2023.