Dear Friends and Colleagues,

On behalf of the European Society for Paediatric Nephrology and the Renal Association, I am pleased to invite you to register for this special joint meeting of the two societies.  For the ESPN this will be its 43^rd Annual Scientific Meeting. For the Renal Association it will be the main autumn meetings in which a specific and important topic is explored in depth. The conference takes place in Birmingham University on 2-5 September 2009.  The scientific committees of the two societies have made a tremendous effort to put together an exciting scientific programme which you can now see in detail on this website. 

We, the organisers, are conscious of the present international economic climate and we have done our best to keep delegate costs as low as possible without compromising the quality of the enjoyment of the conference.  Some of the turmoil may be advantageous in that many flights into Birmingham are now heavily discounted, and the Pound Sterling has reduced in value against both the Euro and the US Dollar, making the conference rather more affordable to colleagues from overseas.  To take advantage of the "advanced registration fees" I urge you to make your registrations before 26 August 2009. To make your registration, please just click on the registration tab above and follow the online instructions. Please also note that accommodation on campus will only be available at discounted rates until Wednesday 15 July, so please ensure you book accommodation (either with your registration or directly with the conference secretariat) before then.   

 
I am very much looking forward to welcoming you to the cosmopolitan City of Birmingham and its leading University. The conference will be an excellent opportunity for new ideas and new friendships. The central aim of the conference is to point the way to improving clinical practice for the patients that we serve. With your participation, everything is set for that to happen.

C Mark Taylor
President of the Conference