The aims of MPN&MPNr-EuroNet's fifth workshop to be held in Belfast, UK, on March 07-09, 2012 are:

1. to share information on the newest developments in MPN and related congenital diseases, congenital erythrocytosis and hereditary thrombocythemia;
2. to exchange and diffuse information on the molecular assays developed for diagnosis or research in laboratories working on MPN and related diseases across Europe;
3. to discuss and plan for the various tasks and objectives of the 4 working groups (WG).

To do so, abstracts will be selected for short talks in each of the working group sessions and posters will be presented during the whole length of the meeting.

Each WG will convene under the direction of the WG chairs, first on March 7th 2012 in plenary sessions, then in simultaneous study groups, on March 8th and 9th. New participants are encouraged to become actively involved in specific WG tasks. In addition, plenary sessions will cover the newest knowledge in MPN, with special focus on genetics, epigenetics, and hypoxia response pathways. Also, a new educational session, specifically aimed at junior colleagues but open to all, will focus on gene mutations in progression in MPN and on histopathology of MPN.

Participants to the fifth MPN&MPNr-EuroNet meeting will have the opportunity to hear from the best experts about the newest developments in the molecular diagnosis of MPN and related congenital diseases. They will have the opportunity to present their own work and original diagnostic assays, and exchange with colleagues on the newest genes and techniques of interest in the field of MPN, congenital erythrocytosis and hereditary thrombocythemia. By joining one of MPN&MPNr-EuroNet working groups, they will be able to contribute actively, productively and durably in innovation, optimization and standardization of the biological diagnosis of MPN and related congenital diseases in Europe.

Participants are encouraged to submit an abstract in relation to the diagnosis of MPN, new mutations in MPN, the histopathology of MPN, congenital erythrocytosis, hereditary thrombocythemia, and the JAK/STAT pathways. Early stage researchers and junior biologists and clinicians are especially encouraged to submit abstracts.
Abstracts should be composed as follows:

• Title
• Names of co-authors
• Institutions and addresses
• E-mail address of corresponding author
• Text (body of text less than 2000 characters, including spaces).

In order to submit an abstract, participants should first be registered, then, being logged in, choose Abstract in the menu bar on Registration page.