Welcome Address

Welcome to the International Symposium on the Biology
and Immunology of Cutaneous Lymphoma 2011 in Berlin

Dear colleagues,

The past few years have seen the introduction of a whole array of new highly parallelised technologies that have ushered in tremendous advances in biomedical sciences. Since the completion of the human genome project and with its current extension the accumulation of knowledge on the molecular basis of diseases is accelerating. Next generation sequencing, whole genome expression analyses, gel-free proteomics and new molecular genetic intervention strategies, among others, have become available and affordable for application to diseases with highly individual manifestation patterns such as cutaneous lymphoma, and produce data of unprecedented scope and depth. The integration of this information with clinical observations is a task we all are exploring to gain systems biology level understanding of the pathobiology of these diseases.

The upcoming International Symposium on the Biology and Immunology of Cutaneous Lymphoma is the 5^th in this triennial conference series and the only one on the basic science of cutaneous lymphoma. The meeting will review the new developments in the field and discuss their implications for future research and the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic concepts. It will be held under the auspices of the EORTC Cutaneous Lymphoma Study Group, the International Society for Cutaneous Lymphoma (ISCL) and the European Society of Dermatological Research (ESDR).

In addition to the extensive scientific programme, Berlin always rewards its visitors with its wealth of culture, museums, theaters, operas, cabarets, galleries and off-stage scene. All of you who have visited the city before will still find new paths to explore and will be amazed to discover the rapid changes around.

We look forward to welcoming you in Berlin for a certainly most exciting and rewarding conference and rich personal experience.

Yours cordially