ISHLT's First All Virtual Annual Meeting to Kick off This Month

ADDISON, Texas, April 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) will host its 41^st Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions on 24-28 April, 2021. The all-virtual event will include educational content spanning the breadth of clinical practice and research concerning heart and lung transplantation, advanced heart and lung disease, mechanical circulatory support, and pulmonary vascular disease. 

"The historic and inaugural virtual 41^st Annual Scientific Meeting of the ISHLT is just weeks away," says Peter Hopkins, FRACP, ISHLT 2021 Program Chair. "We are excited for attendees to experience the flexibility of planning their day around sessions relevant to their practice. Using live chat and video audio functions, attendees will engage with presenters and our industry supporters. With the removal of the barriers of travel, the ISHLT Annual Meeting has become more accessible than ever before to our global audience."

Attendees of the meeting will be immersed in educational content covering the latest clinical advances, basic science research, and innovative technologies relevant to advanced cardiothoracic disease. Sessions include 42 symposia with live moderated video Q&A, as well as three plenary sessions, 19 workshops (formerly "sunrise" symposia), 40 oral abstract sessions, and 17 mini oral sessions with online chat-based Q&A with presenters. Continuing education credits will be available for many of the meeting's sessions; more information on CME is available at the Annual Meeting website.

The symposia roster includes three "joint" sessions highlighting ISHLT's partnerships in the cardiothoracic space. The joint symposium with the American Society of Transplantation (AST) focuses on challenges in heart and kidney transplantation; the session with the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute (PVRI) answers key questions about the management of PAH and disease-modifying therapies; and a symposium with The Transplantation Society (TTS) will explore ethical challenges in transplantation across borders, highlighting global partnerships. More information on these joint symposia can be found at the ISHLT2021 website.

Topics for all types of sessions span the four Interdisciplinary Networks of the ISHLT—Advanced Heart Failure and Transplantation, Advanced Lung Failure and Transplantation, Mechanical Circulatory Support, and Pulmonary Vascular Disease (PAH & CTEPH). Speakers at the event represent all ten of the ISHLT's Professional Communities (Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Infectious Diseases, Nursing and Allied Health, Pathology, Pediatrics, Pharmacy, Pulmonology, and Research and Immunology).

The event schedule is designed to be "time zone friendly," with plenaries, workshops, and symposia repeating at intervals to allow them to be viewed from all over the world with a local cohort of attendees. Remaining session types will be available on demand for repeat viewing as soon as they air, and all sessions will be available for on-demand viewing for three months after the conference. 

"The ISHLT 2021 Scientific Sessions will provide our members and the global community of healthcare experts interested in advanced thoracic organ disease a unique opportunity to gather, engage, and explore the latest scientific advances in our disciplines. Our Program Committee has done a remarkable job selecting high-impact, innovative, and cutting-edge science that will be relevant worldwide," says ISHLT President Joseph Rogers, MD. "In addition, the virtual format of this year's program will allow global participation in a convenient locale and time for our members."

In addition to the wide variety of educational opportunities at the meeting, ISHLT2021 is also a time for worldwide recognition in the field. ISHLT will present both the 2020 and 2021 Lifetime Achievement Awards at its plenary sessions, honoring Jim Kirklin, MD, Michael Hess, MD, and David Taylor, MD. The closing plenary session will also feature the inaugural presentation of the Amanda Rowe Distinguished Service Award, to its namesake, former ISHLT CEO Amanda Rowe.

The ISHLT Annual Meeting is also a place to see presentations on award-nominated abstracts, including candidates nominated for the Philip K. Caves Award, the Early Career Scientist Award, the Early Career and Trainees Clinical Case Dilemmas Best Presentation Award, and the all-new Professional Communities Awards for Excellence. Judging of these abstracts will occur after the meeting ends, and winners will be announced at the ISHLTv webinar in October 2021. More information about these awards can be found at ISHLT.org.

ISHLT2021 won't be a passive experience. A variety of networking opportunities and connective features make the virtual experience an amazing opportunity to connect with the worldwide community of medical professionals attending the meeting. Chat messaging and video calls are available through the virtual platform, and networking lounges will be available on a variety of topics, including industry-hosted gatherings and meetings of various specialties. "It's more important than ever for our community to find ways to connect," says Lara Danziger-Isakov, MD, MPH, ISHLT President-Elect . "In addition to being a unique and all-encompassing platform for science, clinical practice, and research, ISHLT2021 will be a celebration of the resilience and innovation of our vibrant multidisciplinary community."

Representatives and members from the industry side of the cardiothoracic community will join and support the meeting to share ideas, technology, and solutions. The Industry Showcase on the virtual platform provides a "virtual booth" space for participating industry companies, including product listings, videos, and downloadable resources. Attendees can schedule appointment and meet with industry partners using this tool. Industry Supporters will host Industry Symposia sessions, non-CME educational events where industry partners can share innovations and ideas. And industry-hosted Networking Lounges will provide spaces hosted by industry partners on a wide variety of topics, including those developed by ISHLT members.

Finally, scientific content for the meeting will be available on-demand for three months following the conference, creating a wonderful value that allows attendees to absorb as much of the meeting as possible without marathon sessions at a computer screen. Attendees can view material at their leisure, refer back to interesting sessions, and see all relevant content that otherwise "competes" inside a time slot. 

"The 2021 ISHLT Annual Meeting is a unique virtual destination for the latest science in advanced heart and lung disease," says Greg Schultz, CAE, ISHLT Chief Executive Officer. "The specialty-spanning educational content curated by the Program Committee means there's something for everyone, and with expert speakers from 44 countries, attendees will be exposed to a range of fresh perspectives and interactive opportunities."

For more information about ISHLT2021, and to register for the 24-28 April virtual event, visit ishlt.org/ishlt2021.

About ISHLT
The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation is a not-for-profit, multidisciplinary professional organization dedicated to improving the care of patients with advanced heart or lung disease through transplantation, mechanical support and innovative therapies. With more than 3,800 members in more than 45 countries, ISHLT is the world's largest organization dedicated to the research, education and advocacy of end-stage heart and lung disease. ISHLT members represent more than 15 different professional disciplines. For more information, visit www.ishlt.org.

SOURCE The International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation

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