May-June 2010

News from the EAVA President:

1. Organisation of the oncoming XXVIIIth EAVA-Congress, 28-31 July 2010 in Maisons Alfort - Parc Floral Paris (https://colloque.inra.fr/eava2010).

The organizers of this congress, NATHALIE CREVIER-DENOIX and HENRY CHATEAU, welcome all congress participants to profit from the rich traditions of this EAVA-congress, which they organize by addressing new challenges in science and education of Veterinary Anatomy, combining this with a pleasant stay and feeling of the special atmosphere of life in France. -

Let us cite some exerpts from the FOREWORD of CONGRESS-PROGRAM which will be printed in a special issue of ANATOMIA-HISTOLOGIA-EMBRYOLOGIA: "This issue comprises 178 scientific abstracts: 175 selected by the EAVA 2010 International Scientific Committee from the 220 abstracts initially submitted, and 3 corresponding to invited lectures. In total, about 220 participants, from 32 countries and about 70 Veterinary Faculties of Europe and from all over the world, will attend the EAVA 2010 congress.
As presented in the enclosed program, out of the 175 presentations, 46 have been selected as oral communications, 129 as posters. Oral communications will be delivered through 7 sessions dealing with the following themes, the first three being the main topics of the congress: - Functional Anatomy of the Locomotor System, Imaging Anatomy, Clinical Anatomy, Anatomy Teaching, Genital Organs, Nervous and Vascular Systems - Lymphoid Tissue, Morphogenesis - Cell Research.
Three sessions of the congress will be devoted to the posters, which have been grouped into 9 themes covering all fields of Macroscopic and Microscopic Anatomy as well as Embryology.
We are honoured to welcome 3 invited lecturers, Dr. Rene Yiou (Human Anatomy, Hopital Henri Mondor, Paris Est University, France), Pr Sue Stover (Veterinary Faculty of Davis, California, USA) and Pr Jean-Marie Denoix (CIRALE-Veterinary School Alfort, France), who have accepted to share with us their experience in Anatomy teaching, and/or their achievements in their respective Anatomy-related fields of research."

2. In this congress we also will discuss and have to take decisions in the General Assembly of EAVA (Saturday 31th of July 2-4 pm). Some proposed topics that will be presented by the Executive Committeee will be the
followings:

A. Election of new members of the Executive Committee

By tradition of EAVA its President steps back after a four years period of charge, therefore the General Assembly 2010 in Paris will have to elect a successor of me. The Vice-president, too, will be elected and the treasurer reelected. When looking for successors, the Executive Committee of the EAVA will follow the procedure, which has been formally discussed and established at the General Assembly in Budapest:

a) Any member of the EAVA can nominate prospective candidates for the vacant mandate.
b) Nominees ought to be longstanding members of the Association with a good reputation. Nominations must be submitted to the President of the Association utterly 24 hours before the start of the General Assembly in which the election is scheduled.
c) At the beginning of the election in the General Assembly, the President presents the names of all candidates who have been nominated for the vacant position.
d) All members of the EAVA who attend the General Assembly receive a ballot form in which they can vote for one single candidate. The candidate who receives at least 50 % of the votes is elected in office. If none of the candidates obtains this score in the first election round, a second round is organized in which all members attending the General Assembly can vote for one of the two candidates who have received most votes in the first round. The candidate who receives at least 50 % of the votes is elected in office. In case of ex aequo scores, additional election rounds will be scheduled until one of both remaining candidates receives the simple majority of the votes. In cases when a single candidate is presented for office, the election can be organized by acclamation without organizing a written procedure.

B. Deceased members

All members of the EAVA are invited to inform the President of the Association of any member of the EAVA who has deceased during recent years.

OBITUARIES in 2009

Four honorable members of EAVA passed away during the ending year:

- In January: Prof. Dr. G. Feher in Budapest. - Vice-president of EAVA from 1974-1990

- In May: Prof. Dr. C.G.J. Wensing, Utrecht - President of EAVA 1986-1990

- In August: Prof. Dr. H. Wilkens, Hannover

- In December: Prof. Dr. H.M. Vollmerhaus, Munich - President of EAVA from 1990-1994

The Plenum of EAVA officially will express the mortuary tribute to the deceased in the General Assembly of EAVA Congress 2010 in Paris.

You all, colleagues and members of EAVA, are very welcome to contact the members of the Executive Board by giving them your comments, critics and new ideas. This always could be great help for management of EAVA into future.

With my best wishes and friendly regards,
Rudi Leiser (President of EAVA)

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July 2009

Dear Members of European Association of Veterinary Anatomists (EAVA),

Dear colleagues

Herewith, we want to give you an update about the establishment of the European College of Veterinary Anatomy (ECVAnat). Recently, a very interesting opportunity has occurred, which might result in a major change in the establishment of our college.

Prof. dr. Jimmy Saunders, secretary of the European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging (ECVDI), contacted me some weeks ago, with the question whether or not we (i.e. the founding members of the ECVAnat) are interested in joining their college. Their College is a rather “small” one, and although clinical in nature, they experience some difficulties. Furthermore, an American College of Veterinary Anatomy has been refused recently, and based on the general comments of the European Board of Veterinary Specialization (EBVS) liaison officers, I think that our chances to establish a European College of Veterinary Anatomy are also limited. This is also the idea of Prof. Saunders, and therefore he suggested to join our forces and to establish a joint College. The board of the ECVDI is positive about this idea (see attached letter), and during the last YGVA meeting in Utrecht, this proposal has been presented to the younger veterinary anatomists.

So far, no real agreements have been made. Prof. Jimmy Saunders obviously declared that it is not the intention of the AECVDI to “absorb” us. It is really the aim to form a new college, in which two sub-colleges are classed. So for the moment, there is only Aa kind of “agreement in principle” between the ECVDI Board and the ECVAnat Organizing Committee.

We now formally ask you, as a member of the EAVA, whether or not you second this proposal to establish a joint college, together with the already existing European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging. The Organizing Committee of the ECVAnat has obtained the permission to act independently of the EAVA to establish a European College of Veterinary Anatomy, but not to establish a joint college. Therefore, we formally ask you whether or not you second this proposal. May I ask you to respond by email (wim.vandenbroeck@UGent.be) as soon as possible, not later than August 15th. If you do not respond, we assume that you agree with this proposal. As soon as we have your approval, we can than start with the establishment of the joint college, but of course, all the work that has been done in the past, and all the documents that has been prepared so far, can be used. As we want to submit the proposal to the EBVS meeting of November 2009, we cannot wait for the General Assembly of the EAVA in Paris 2010. Therefore, we inform you by email.

So dear colleagues, please think seriously about this proposal, discuss it with your colleagues, and let us know whether or not you second this proposal not later than August 15th. No response means that you agree.

Kind regards, on behalf of the ECVAnat Organizing Committee,

Wim Van den Broeck.

February 2009

Dear Colleagues and Friends, dear Members of European Association of Veterinary AAnatomists (EAVA),

Even though the splendid Congress of EAVA 2008 in Budapest quite a while ago is passed, the board membeArs were asked from many EAVA members who participated in the General Assembly, that this report should be "generally" published - for all EAVA members interested in! Therefore, the "Report of the President of EAVA 2008" in his original version is presented here:

REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT of EAVA presented in the General Assembly, 26th of July 2008 in Budapest

1. EAVA-Congress 2008 and the status of EAVA

I am sure you agree with me that we have enjoyed a very nice congress. The hospitality and congress organization by Professor Sotonyi and his team as well as the location of the congress here in Budapest were all splendid. Concerning the scientific point of view, the congress of 2008 can be classified as good to very good. I am very thankful to you, both the organizers and all the participants, for your efforts!

Compared with the former congresses, the quality of science presented here has increased, which is a clear trend we can observe from one congress to the other during the last ten years. This increase has certainly been positively influenced by the development of the communication media, particularly the internet, which for the researcher opened to the possibility to get precious information by low costs and time. As part of this, the political borders became transparent, or borders didn't restrict scientific communication anymore - a fact that has dramatically influenced the growing together of West and East in Europe - Europeisation - or in worldwide terms - Globalization! The way our congress has presented here during the past days, I may say, is a clear result of europeisation. Together with this development, we have also enjoyed decreased travel expenses, especially regarding the flights. Therefore, the communication between researchers and participating at scientific meetingAs have become more affordable, resulting in more and better scientific cooperation especially in international scientific projects.
We all hope, of course, thAat these relatively favorable conditions to do good research will not be hampered in the future by rising energy costs!

Europeisation for sure have an effect on our congress, as we during the past days could greet and heartily welcome members from countries seldom been represented before, as Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Ukraine (Please, tell me if I missed a nation, or if I am wrong!). You all know of colleagues in your country or somewhere else who never found the way into the EAVA congresses. - How come? Please encourage them to come to the EAVA congresses; it is worthwhile to present the results of research, to discuss them and to learn from each other in an atmosphere of friendship as here, like “in a big family"! - As concerning the statement "big family", it may be interesting for young colleagues herein that the Young Generation of Veterinary Anatomists (YGVA) organizes its own biennial scientific meetings in the years between the general EAVA congresses such as this one. These meetings have the character of workshops, particularly dealing with methodology, and they also function as a very welcome platform for discussing problems of special importance for anatomists who are in different stages of their education. I can really warmly recommend this - this also from the financial point of view (see also below!).

2. What already has been and what can be ameliorated to increase the attractiveness of the EAVA congress?

Our XXVIIth EAVA Congress has held on to the tradition of no-parallel oral scientific sessions and therein especially giving the junior researchers a chance to give scientific presentations. With this policy the scientific communication in Veterinary Anatomy for everyone stays concentrated and genuine in the congress. In addition, the evaluation of the presentations of these yoAung colleagues for the Simic-Grau-Prize is facilitated.

In the present congress, the evaluation of the winner of the Simic-Grau-Prize has been given moAre attention and accuracy than before; that is, the commission of evaluation, in addition to the members of the board and two off-board appointed members (Professors Dantzer and Mirabella), was increased by the chairpersons of the oral sessions. I think, Professor Sotonyi and his team, substantially increased the value of scientific efficiency of the poster sessions in this congress by a more accurate organization and by extending the time, compared to earlier congresses from about 4 to 6 hours. There were expert chairpersons, each appointed to one of 10 themes of Veterinary Anatomy, who presided the discussions of the posters, which were presented in about 3-minute-abstracts by the representing authors. Only Thursday and Friday, by alternative time schedule, the posters were attended and presented by the authors, whereas Saturday was not attended. Just now, it may be too early to judge if this new form of poster session really is a win in efficiency. - Please, tell us, the board members, what you think about this, and do not hesitate to give critics for the better in a next congress! - Since 1982, the quality of the poster session could greatly profit from the Berlin-Prize, which Professor Budras could offer for the last time here in Budapest. For his outstanding effort the EAVA owes him the most sincere thanks!

The attractiveness of the EAVA congresses can of course be increased by low costs for the participants. I may say, however, as long as we want to hold on in our tradition of hard scientific work and leisure time in social events, like sightseeing and excursions, the registration fee cannot be expected considerably lower. Peter Sotonyi, has been very aware of this problem, and for smoothing it he introduced a lower rate for juniors and participants from East European countries. For reducing the expenses of overnight accommodation, he oAffered instead of hotel the choice of student dormitories. We are very thankful to him and his team. - Personally, I was very impressed by the low costs when I wAas invited to attend the meetings of our young colleagues of YGVA. This may be exemplary for how expenses can be held at a low level. However, I am aware of the fact that these meetings with workshop character, even though offering high-scientific contributions, can be organized easier with rather few participants than the larger general congresses of EAVA.

3. What are the challenges for Veterinary Anatomy and how can the EAVA react to it?

By this presidential report I can not profoundly give an answer to this question. In the following, however, I will try to give some input to the discussion.. Like other scientific fields, also the Veterinary Anatomy had a challenge mainly by coming into fashion of the electronic media, which resulted in a tremendous increase of the morphological knowledge. By this, specialization came up with need of solid and profound knowledge of the cell and tissue as a central piece, such as immunotechniques, molecular biology and atraumatic imaging techniques - enormous and voluminous fields that endangered to crumble the classic "frame" of our discipline: gross anatomy, histology, and embryology.
The specialization in part went as far that I could observe that veterinary anatomists are powerful in a few modern and sophisticated techniques adapted for only a few species, but were not fit enough to teach students who will later mainly work in clinics and practice. The critics against these trends, with origin mainly in the clinical part of Veterinary Medicine, in some countries already resulted in a reduction of the veterinary curriculum to pure gross anatomy or even to total omission of our discipline! Cynically, one may say, neighbor disciplines, such as pathology, physiology, biology, can also do the job!

Increased specialization, which may most often be financed by moneAy from scientific grants, certainly is a propellant of development in our discipline. In a rather small entity as the Veterinary Anatomy it may be too expensiveA to finance the necessary manpower and often sophisticated technical equipment In addition, the Veterinary Anatomy normally can not offer a "money-making service" to the public. Hence, with the money subsidized from the university or other sources the Veterinary Anatomy is limited in its activities, and we have again to be aware of the basic duties, which preferably are teaching.

During the last years, I could observe that candidates being trained as generalists - gross anatomy, histology, embryology - were preferred to the best professor positions, this at least in the German-speaking part of Europe.

Therefore, as for the careers of our young colleagues we are bound to the rules of market in our profession, too! That is, we have to compromise with professional input between the specialization (particularly the scientific part of our profession), which we have to control against exaggeration, and the basics (the teaching part), which should include the classic alignments of gross anatomy, histology and embryology.

I am convinced that the way out of these problems is the European College of Veterinary Anatomy, which EAVA hopes to establish soon. This project has during the last years been elaborated well and properly by our colleagues of the young generation, especially by Wim Van den Broeck, its president. In the first oral session at this congress you had the chance to be introduced and updated on the status of the work with establishing a European College of Veterinary Anatomy by the professors Gasthuys and Simoens. So far planned, for reaching the degree of European Diplomate the education is structured by two levels, the basics in Veterinary Anatomy, histology, and embryology as well as the specialization into one of the three fields combined with important methods therein. With this education we will be on the right trAack, and, in my opinion, it is not only a way to go for this degree but also it is an issue to cope with the general needs of future in our discipline!

A Integrated teaching of morphology within other basic courses than anatomy, such as physiology and biochemistry, and in clinics as a kind of applied morphology, is welcome and favors understanding between preclinical disciplines and clinics. By this, however, we have to take care that morphological teaching will not be "misused" as auxiliary discipline only. A firm block of basic morphological teaching, preferably at the beginning of the Veterinary curriculum, is absolutely essential for the veterinary studies and education. - As concerning research, I feel quite a long time ago that basic morphological knowledge is very important, too, and has a future when it is bound in scientific projects with clinical application or outcome. Also in other disciplines, our help in solving specific morphological problems, as a kind of integrated research, is urgently needed!

In conclusion, I believe that the Veterinary Anatomy has a very promising future in the veterinary medicine, but we have to be and stay strong in our traditional fields of activity. In this we have to adapt to new trends, but we must be careful not to exaggerate!

Your comments about my concerns are very welcome!

Budapest, 26th of July 2008

Rudi Leiser, President of EAVA

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