Proceedings From the 4th Annual Renal Pathology Society/Kidney and Urologic Foundation of America Satellite Meeting: Update in Renal Pathology

Abstract

The Renal Pathology Society (RPS) hosted its 4th Annual RPS/KUFA (Kidney and Urologic Foundation of America) Satellite Meeting on September 8, 2007, in Istanbul, Turkey, in conjunction with the 21st European Congress of Pathology. The European Nephropathology Working Group cosponsored the event. The meeting was chaired by Laura Barisoni, MD, from New York University Medical Center and Alex Howie, MD, from the Royal Free Hospital in London, United Kingdom. The articles that follow represent articles generated from the invited presentations at this meeting. Since many readers of this special issue may not be familiar with the RPS, we would like to briefly introduce readers to the Renal Pathology Society. The RPS originated as the Renal Pathology Club (RPC). It was conceived by Conrad Pirani, MD, who became its first president. The founding members, many of whom made seminal contributions to other pathology subspecialties, include Peter Burkholder, MD; Jacob Churg, MD; Ramzi S. Cotran, MD; Francis Cuppage, MD; Robert H. Heptinstall, MD; David B. Jones, MD; Michael Kashgarian, MD; Richard Kempson, MD; John M. Kissane, MD; Robert McCluskey, MD; Kash Mostofi, MD; Benjamin Spargo, MD; Gary Striker, MD; Jay Bernstein, MD; Robert Lannigan, MD; and Fred Silva, MD. In 1993 the RPC transitioned to the RPS. The RPS has flourished since its inception and currently has more than 400 registered members from more than 30 countries. The RPS held a 30-year anniversary celebration in 2007, at the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP) meeting in San Diego, California. This afforded an opportunity to reflect upon our historic routes and to honor the founding members whose vision and pursuit of knowledge gave birth to a society structure that has provided a forum for scientific and educational activities for those who share a passion for renal pathology. The RPS fosters collaborative ventures among its membership and between the RPS and professional organizations worldwide. Two notable multi-institutional and multidisciplinary consensus efforts include the 2004 International Society of Nephrology (ISN)/Renal Pathology Society classification of lupus glomerulonephritis and the recently released 2009 Oxford classification of IgA nephropathy. The RPS has affiliations with several international societies but most significantly, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) and the USCAP, where the RPS has multiple recurring activities at their fall and spring annual meetings, respectively. The major activities at the ASN include a 2-day renal pathology course that precedes the meeting, a clinicopathologic conference, and a renal biopsy conference, while at the USCAP, the RPS conducts a companion meeting on Sunday morning and a renal pathology evening session, to mention a few events. The RPS also supports or organizes scientific and educational events at other major meetings in the Unites States and abroad. A visit to the RPS Web site (www. renalpathsoc.org, last accessed October 3, 2009) reveals that in 2010 the RPS will be cosponsoring the first international renal pathology course to be held on June 9–12, 2010, in La Coruna, Spain, a joint venture with the European Society of Pathology Working Group and the Spanish Pathology Society. The RPS will also host its 7th Annual RPS/KUFA Satellite Symposium in conjunction with the XXVIIIth International Congress of the International Academy of Pathology on October 9, 2010, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Since the RPS/KUPS Satellite Meeting in Istanbul, the RPS has lost 2 of its founding members, Gloria Gallo and Jay Bernstein. During their illustrious careers, these 2 individuals advanced our understanding of amyloidosis and cystic renal disease, the topics of the 2 sections of this special issue. In recognition, the RPS dedicates this issue to their memory, with eulogies presented at the beginning of each section. The first section of this special issue consists of a series of presentations on fibrillary deposits and amyloid and begins with an article by Guillermo A. Herrera, MD, and Elba A. Turbat-Herrera, MD. The authors give an overAccepted for publication November 30, 2009. From the Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport (Dr Bonsib); and the Department of Pathology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois (Dr Picken). The authors have no relevant financial interest in the products or companies described in this article. Reprints: Stephen M. Bonsib, MD, Department of Pathology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1505 Kings Hwy, Shreveport, LA 71130 (e-mail: sbonsi@lsuhsc.edu). Special Issue—4th Annual RPS/KUFA Satellite Meeting Proceedings