
ABOUT THE MEETING
We are pleased to announce the BeSHG/NVHG annual genetics symposium, to be held on 21st and 22nd April 2022 at the Bruges Meeting & Convention Centre (BMCC). This 2-day symposium will be preceded on 20th April 2022 by the Genetics Retreat (previously known as the Rolduc meeting). The 2022 genetics symposium will be organized jointly by the Belgian Society for Human Genetics (BeSHG) and the Dutch Society for Human Genetics (NVHG). We hereby continue a tradition we started in 2016 to have a joint meeting every 3 years. As usual, the NVHG symposium is organized in collaboration with the VKGL, VKGN and NACGG. Please note that neither BeSHG nor NVHG nor Genetics Retreat will organize a separate meeting in 2022. Theme Young researchers Venue Staying overnight in Bruges Abstracts Follow the BeSHG website for the most actual information on the symposium. The final program of the meeting will become available towards the end of March. We hope to meet you all at the 2022 BeSHG and NVHG symposium and Genetics Retreat in April in Bruges. Feel free to forward this mailing to your colleagues. On behalf of the Executive Committees, |
Local organizing team UZA/UA Centre of Medical Genetics Antwerp E: arvid.suls@uantwerpen.be T: +32 (0) 3 275 9763 |
ABOUT THE MEETING
NVHG Annual Meeting 2023
As every year, the NVHG organizes a conference for all Dutch geneticists to connect, share knowledge, collaborate, and network. The NVHG aims to provide the latest genetics and genomics advancements, from basic to translational research from within and outside of the Netherlands.
We are pleased to confirm that the NVHG Annual Meeting will be held on the 20 and 21 of April 2023 in Koningshof, Veldhoven.


WELCOME
Welcome to the 2021 annual meeting of the Dutch Society of Human Genetics.
Exactly one year ago we thought that our successful first virtual meeting would be a “one-of-a-kind interesting experience”, but unfortunately also this year, we will have to go virtual. However, by now everyone is highly experienced in attending virtual symposia, interacting via chats and staring at a screen for a whole day.
We have composed a diverse (interactive) program focusing on the newest developments in the genetics field with frequent breaks to stretch the legs en interact with the sponsors and potential new collaborators.
We will kick of our meeting with the Sandkuijl lecture. From a historical perspective, every two years, the NVHG selected an outstanding researcher with a proven and substantial track record in the same field of genetics as Lodewijk Sandkuijl to award this prestigious personal prize. From this year onwards, we will honor the philosophy of this award but will select a young talent who contribute significant to the development of methodology in the field of bioinformatics and/or statistical genetics. We are pleased to announce that the Lodewijk Sandkuijl Lecture 2021 will be awarded to Michel Nivard for his excellent work in statistical genetics of complex disorders.
Since translational genetic research is the focus of today’s program we have invited Annemieke Aartsma-Rus, Willeke van Roon-Mom and Clara van Karnebeek to update you on national initiatives for therapy development in rare diseases.
Guillaume Canaud, Tjitske Kleefstra and Erica van den Akker will share their experiences with therapeutic trials.
Ruben Kok, Joyce van Meurs and Terry Vrijenhoek will take you on their journey through the field of (inter)national genome initiatives focusing on the collaborative landscapes for optimized disease diagnosis, therapeutics and prevention. We invite you to participate in the round table discussions by using the chat box.
We have received high quality abstracts for our Hot & Happening session in the afternoon and excellent nominees for the NVHG Young Investigator Award that will be presented in the afternoon session.
We will finish the conference with the keynote lecture of Louis Vermeulen, who will present his exciting new work, recently published in Nature, on the competitive behavior of colorectal cancer stem cells, and the possibilities this may give for preventive therapy.
I would like to thank the sponsors for their essential and generous financial contribution to this meeting. Please contact and meet them during the breaks.
I wish you a very inspiring meeting with many new ideas and opportunities for future collaborations!
Mieke van Haelst

LODEWIJK SANDKUIJL
DR. MICHEL NIVARD

The winner of the Lodewijk Sandkuijl award 2021 is Dr. Michel Nivard, VU University Amsterdam. He will receive this prize during the NVHG Annual Meeting on Friday 17 September, and will give an overview of the research he is conducting. Interested? Register now for the NVHG Annual Meeting 2021.
GALJAARD LECTURE
PROF. CISCA WIJMENGA

The NVHG board is proud to announce that the biannual Galjaard lifetime achievement award 2022 is awarded to prof. dr. Cisca Wijmenga for her international leadership in the field of human genetics. Prof. dr. Wijmenga will give her award lecture at the BeSHG/NVHG joint symposium on 21 April in Bruges, Belgium.
SPEAKERS










PROGRAM
*This is preliminary program (version 16 of March 2023)
DAY 1: Thursday 20 April 2023 |
09:45-10:00 Opening |
10:00-12:00 Plenary session: Diversity in Genetics: a problem or a unique opportunity? |
– Charles Agyeman – Ethnic minorities in Europe |
– Bart Ferwerda – HELIUS study |
– Veronica Lipphardt – Genetic research in underrepresented populations |
– Mieke van Haelst – Clinical genetic experiences in a Caribbean setting |
12:00-13:00 Lunch |
13:00-14:20 Parallel sessions (Co-organized with VKGL, VKGN and NACGG) |
A. Diversity in Genetic Studies – a debate |
B. Lifelong screening |
– Sander Stegmann – Use of WES analysis for preconceptional screening, the Maastricht experience |
– Jasper Linthorst – Improving prenatal screening by NIPT datamining |
– Gea Kiewiet – Towards NGS-based newborn screening: a study to prepare for challenges ahead |
– Nienke van der Stoep – Can PRS for melanoma be used for population screening? |
C. My Profiled Genome (invited session ) |
14:30-16:00 Parallel sessions: Selected abstracts |
16:00-17:30 Coffee break and poster viewing with presenters |
17:30-18:30 Keynote speaker: Dr. Benjamin Peter (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Antropology, Leipzig) |
The Neanderthaler family project |
18:30-00:30 Drinks, dinner, party |
DAY 2: Friday 21 April 2023 |
08:30-10:00 Plenairy session: HugeNL |
– Introduction |
– Johan den Dunnen – My profiled genome: a summary |
– Towards implementation of polygenic risk scores in the Netherlands |
10:00-10:30 Coffee break |
10:30-12:00 Parallel sessions: Selected abstracts |
12:00-12:30 ALV NVHG |
12:00-13:15 Lunch and poster viewing |
13:15-15:10 Plenary session: Innovations in Genomics |
– Alex Hoischen – Optical genome mapping: Hidden SVs in rare diseases |
– Jeroen de Ridder – t.b.a. (nanopore sequencing) |
– Bas Heijmans – t.b.a. (epigenetic profiling) |
– Jesse Swen, Leiden – Genetics informed drug treatment: from promise to practice |
15:10-15:30 Intermezzo |
15:30-16:15 NVHG awards |
– NVHG Sandkuyl lecture 2023 |
– YIA2023 |
– Announcement best presentation and poster awards |
16:15 closure |
DAY 1: Thursday 20 April 2023 |
09:45-10:00 Opening |
10:00-12:00 Plenary session: Diversity in Genetics: a problem or a unique opportunity? |
– Charles Agyeman – Ethnic minorities in Europe |
– Bart Ferwerda – HELIUS study |
– Veronica Lipphardt – Genetic research in underrepresented populations |
– Mieke van Haelst – Clinical genetic experiences in a Caribbean setting |
12:00-13:00 Lunch |
13:00-14:20 Parallel sessions (Co-organized with VKGL, VKGN and NACGG) |
A. Diversity in Genetic Studies – a debate |
B. Lifelong screening |
– Sander Stegmann – Use of WES analysis for preconceptional screening, the Maastricht experience |
– Jasper Linthorst – Improving prenatal screening by NIPT datamining |
– Gea Kiewiet – Towards NGS-based newborn screening: a study to prepare for challenges ahead |
– Nienke van der Stoep – Can PRS for melanoma be used for population screening? |
C. My Profiled Genome (invited session ) |
14:30-16:00 Parallel sessions: Selected abstracts |
16:00-17:30 Coffee break and poster viewing with presenters |
17:30-18:30 Keynote speaker: Dr. Benjamin Peter (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig) |
The Neanderthaler family project |
18:30-00:30 Drinks, dinner, party |
DAY 2: Friday 21 April 2023 |
08:30-10:00 Plenary session: HugeNL |
– Introduction |
– Johan den Dunnen – My profiled genome: a summary |
– Towards implementation of polygenic risk scores in the Netherlands |
10:00-10:30 Coffee break |
10:30-12:00 Parallel sessions: Selected abstracts |
12:00-12:30 ALV NVHG |
12:00-13:15 Lunch and poster viewing |
13:15-15:10 Plenary session: Innovations in Genomics |
– Alex Hoischen – Optical genome mapping: Hidden SVs in rare diseases |
– Jeroen de Ridder – t.b.a. (nanopore sequencing) |
– Bas Heijmans – t.b.a. (epigenetic profiling) |
– Jesse Swen, Leiden – Genetics informed drug treatment: from promise to practice |
15:10-15:30 Intermezzo |
15:30-16:15 NVHG awards |
– NVHG Sandkuyl lecture 2023 |
– YIA2023 |
– Announcement best presentation and poster awards |
16:15 closure |
SPONSORS
We express our gratitude to all our sponsors for their continued support.






YOUNG INVESTIGATOR AWARD
The Young Investigator Award will be awarded to a promising young, talented, early-career scientist, who defended his/her dissertation between 01 of April 2022 and 01 April 2023.
Registration deadline is 1 of April
ANNUAL AND POSTER AWARDS
For outstanding spoken and poster contributions at the NVHG Annual Meeting
Submission deadline is 21 of March
REGISTRATION
When registering for the conference, you will have to agree to the General Terms & Conditions for participants.
NVHG collects and uses your personal information to:
– facilitate registration for the event
– send you a confirmation e-mail
– send you a survey after the event
Non-Members
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This price includes Thursday and Friday
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You can also book only one day:
Only Thursday €300
Only Friday €275
NVHG Members
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This price includes Thursday and Friday
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You can also book only one day:
Only Thursday €225
Only Friday €200
IMPORTANT:
Please note that accommodation needs to booked by the participants themselves.
A link to book at NH hotel Veldhoven is available HERE.
More information about the hotel here below.
GENERAL INFORMATION
VENUE
NH Eindhoven Conference Centre Koningshof in Veldhoven
Book your stay!
Rates April 20, 2023
Standard single room
including breakfast and tourist tax € 128.70 per room
Standard double room
including breakfast and tourist tax € 134.40 per room
*The rate for the tourist tax 2023 is set at € 2.70 per person per night.
CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS
Notice of cancellation must be made in writing by e-mail to the Meeting organisers: henny.schurmann@mumc.nl
Registration fees may be refunded if written cancellation has been received as follows:
- until 31 of March, 2023: full refund
- from 1 of April, 2023: 50% refund
The cancellation will not be effective until a written acknowledgement from the NVHG organisers is received. In the case of over-payment or double payment, refund requests must be made in writing and sent to the meeting organisers by e-mail. No refunds will be granted for unattended events or early termination of attendance, in case of cancellation of speakers or any other incidents during the conference, which are beyond the control of the conference organisers.
No exceptions to the refund policy can be made, including health or family issues. By registering to the NVHG Annual Meeting 2023, participants agree that the organising committee does not assume any liability whatsoever.
CERTIFICATES
Certificates of attendance will be sent to all participants electronically after the meeting when attendance is confirmed in the online platform.
ACCREDITATION
Accreditation will be given only when participants request it at the registration and when the attendance is confirmed.
BIG number and full name should be provided at registration.
LANGUAGE
The official language of the meeting will be English. No simultaneous translation will be provided.