Ghent Symposium on Alternative Sampling Strategies in Toxicology and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring

Abstract

The IATDMCT Satellite Symposium on Alternative Sampling Strategies in Toxicology and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring was held in September 2014 at “Het Pand” in Ghent, Belgium. The theme of the 2-days meeting under auspices of IATDMCT was a mixed serving of alternative sampling strategies & alternative samples including micro samples (e.g. dried blood spots), hair, nails, oral fluid,and meconium. The agenda comprised advanced and relevant research topics in the key areas of alternative microsampling of biological fluids and tissue for bioanalysis and drug analysis. The congress provided a perfect platform for networking and the development of professional linking to participants and vendors offering instrumentation in this field of science. The meeting was an initiative from Prof. dr. Christophe Stove, Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences from Ghent University, Belgium under auspices of the IATDMCT. The event was structured as 2 days of oral presentations and poster sessions. The meeting received 180 delegates representing about twenty different countries. The meeting was held in the Culture and Convention Center of Ghent University called “Het Pand”. This Culture and Convention Center is a former Dominican Monastery, located in the center of Ghent near the medieval port at the banks of the river Leie. The oldest parts of this impressive medieval building date from around the 13th century. The purpose of this article is an attempt to summarize the key highlights of this symposium and the key topics/discussions. The symposium program consisted of in total 36 oral lectures and 18 poster presentations. The scientific program of this symposium was divided into two separate parts, each part being the main scientific subjects presented on one of the two days. The scientific subjects covered during the oral lectures