The International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) Reference Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine for Anti-Doping Research are planning a historic event aimed at the development of the new “omics” technologies (including genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and proteomics) with applications in sports medicine and sport science, including anti-doping. Despite numerous attempts to discover genetic variants associated with elite athletic performance, injury predisposition and elite/world-class athletic status, progress is limited. The reliance on candidate gene analyses, involving a small number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and structural variants (eg, the commonly studied insertion/deletion polymorphisms) necessitates coordinated research efforts. New approaches involving large, well-funded consortia and utilising well-phenotyped large cohorts and genome-wide technologies are necessary for meaningful progress.
To develop this capacity, a first of a kind symposium will be held on the Greek Island of Santorini (14-17th May 2015). Here, attendees will review the most significant findings in sports “omics” and explore future trends and possibilities, including a Position Stand/Santorini Declaration. Potential participants have been identified in view of enhancing existing consortia (the Athlome Project, PowerGene, Genesis, GAMES and GeneSmart) and, as necessary, develop new consortia to move the field forward significantly. Representatives of all significant consortia and their respective funding agencies have been invited to participate in this symposium. Papers from the conference can be submitted for publication in a dedicated edition of the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM) to be published in 2015.
Organising bodies:
- Centre for Sport and Exercise Science and Medicine (SESAME), International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) Reference Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine for Anti-Doping Research, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom
- Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, USA
- Sports Medicine Association of Greece
Programme committee:
- Prof Yannis Pitsiladis
- Prof Claude Bouchard
- Prof Vassilis Klissouras (local)
- Prof Konstantinos Natsis (local)
Provisional Conference Programme:
14th May 2015 – Day 1: University of Athens – Keynotes/Life Time Awards
15th May 2015 – Day 2: Santorini – Lessons from the past
16th May 2015 – Day 3: Santorini – Current and future prospectives
17th May 2015 – Day 4: Santorini – Current and future prospectives
Register now: www.celebratorysymposium.net