APSR-ISRD session at the ATS 2016

This inaugural session of the APSR-ISRD (Asian Pacific Society of Respirology – International Symposium on Respiratory Disease) at the 2016 ATS International Conference was held at 11:00 on Saturday 14 May in the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, attracting around 100 attendees with awardees from China and elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region.

Prior to the Oral session, there were presentations of the highest-scoring Posters displayed at the back of room where attendees could view the posters and talk to the young researchers and the APSR facilitators. (Thanks are extended to Dr Paul Reynolds, Dr Peter Eastwood, Dr Pyng Lee, Dr Jane Bourke, Dr Hajime Kurosawa, Dr Mary Sau-Man Ip, Dr Tresita de Guia, Dr Yuanlin Song, Dr Michiaki Mishima, Dr Chunxue Bai and Dr Kazuto Matsunaga for performing this important role.)

It was difficult to select the best abstracts because so many high quality abstracts had been submitted (almost 1,000).

Indeed the session showcased the strong friendship and collaboration between the APSR, ISRD and ATS. The intention of the session was to encourage young researchers from the Asia-Pacific region and China to meet and exchange ideas at the ATS International Conference. This event will undoubtedly contribute to the global expansion of respiratory medicine and better help our patients.

The annual APSR session at ATS conferences demonstrates the valued cooperation of the ATS. The first was in 2014 in San Diego and then in 2015 in Denver. To work more closely with others in our region, the APSR decided to hold a joint session with the ISRD as a trial in San Francisco this year. Its great success has led to plans being made for next year.

The opening remarks by Dr Bai of the ISRD and Dr Mishima of the APSR included their appreciation to Dr Atul Malhotra (ATS president), Dr Zea Borok (chair of the ATS International Conference Committee) and the ATS team for their support in creating this wonderful opportunity to support young researchers in the Asia-Pacific region and China. As a token of this appreciation, Dr Mishima awarded Dr Malhotra the Fellow of the APSR (FAPSR), and presented to Dr Yoshio Watanabe (APSR member from Japan) with the ATS-APSR Best Abstract Award for young investigators (US$2,000). Congratulations to Dr Watanabe and also to the Japanese Respiratory Society for mentoring high calibre researchers such as Dr Watanabe.

The session will be repeated next year, so all junior APSR members are invited to start preparing for the ATS abstract submissions and the chance to win the prestigious award.

After a most informative "State of the art – Global challenge" talk by Dr Malhotra, Dr Eastwood (Editor-in-Chief of Respirology) gave his educational talk "10 tips in 10 minutes for oral presentations". This was then followed by excellent mini-oral presentations by young researchers from the APSR and ISRD, as shown in the programme below.

Last but not least, Dr Bai provided his interesting presentation "Innovations in respiratory e-Health", then with Dr Mishima, closed the session.

Overall, the session was very fruitful for all attendees, particularly young researchers, discussing the latest scientific data. It was also a unique networking opportunity for our future global collaboration.

Programme

The MC for the session was the APSR president-elect Dr Kwun Fong