Dear colleagues,

On behalf of BioMedTec Franken e.V. and the co-organisers, the City of Würzburg and the BIOMED Netz Unterfranken, I cordially invite you to the congress "Strategies for Immune Therapy", 16-18 January 2002. The conference will be under the patronage of the Bavarian State Minister Erwin Huber.

Immune therapy is one of the most promising new approaches to fight cancer and infectious diseases, building on the body’s own defence-mechanisms. Scientists from universities, national research centers and from biotechnology companies will discuss the promise held by the application of human(ized) antibodies, immunostimulatory approaches and new vaccination technologies and show how genomics, proteomics, and chip-technology may enhance those approaches.

The conference is organised on the occasion of the opening of the innovation center BioMed/ZmK. The BioMed/ZmK is committed to hosting biomedical and (bio)informatics companies. The topic of the conference expresses the research interest of many start-ups in the region. The companies will present themselves at the conference. During the conference there will be the opportunity to visit the BioMed/ZmK.

As a scientist you will receive a detailed overview about an important and hotly debated topic in plenary lectures with no distracting workshops and you will have the opportunity to present your results related to immune therapy during the poster sessions.

As a representative of a biotech- or pharma-company you will have the opportunity to meet Franconian companies in a partnering forum.

As a student or post-doc the job-exchange will inform you about academic and biotech job-opportunities in Franconia and beyond.

And as a person interested in culture and history you will stay in a city that will reward you amply. The Gothic sculptures of Riemenschneider, the magnificent baroque buildings of Balthasar Neumann, and not least, the local art of wine-making will all give some added value to your stay.

We are glad to welcome you in Würzburg.

Prof. Dr. Ulf R. Rapp

University of Würzburg,
Chairman of BioMedTec Franken e.V.