The 53rd ARA Annual Scientific Meeting will be held at the National Convention Centre in the heart of Canberra from Saturday the 12th to Tuesday the 15th of May 2012. This will be the first time the annual conference has been held in Canberra since 1977 so it’s a great opportunity to combine visits to some of Australia’s national icons with a highly stimulating scientific program. The conference includes key speakers, Professor Lindsey Criswell (University of California), Professor Daniel Lovell (Cincinnati Children’s Hospital), Professor Connie Weyand (Stanford University) and Professor Anthony Woolf (Royal Cornwall Hospital). Some of our own prominent Australian clinician-scientists will also share their research and insights into the latest clinical and scientific breakthroughs in rheumatology. The meeting will have a number of new features including commencement on Saturday with concurrent state-of-the art update sessions and topics to please all, an option to visit the Australian Institute of Sport, and a conference dinner in the Great Hall of Parliament House. Whether you’ve never been to Canberra, or know the nation’s capital well, this is an annual conference not to be missed, that I’m sure you will enjoy, remember and keep talking about. I encourage you to mark the dates in your diary and start planning to attend.

Patrick McNeil
Convenor, ARA 53rd ASM
ARA

IMPORTANT DATES

• Early November 2011 - Call for Abstracts submission available
• Late January 2012 - Online registration available
• Friday 3 February 2012 - Closing date for abstract submissions
• Mid March 2012 - Confirmation of acceptance of abstracts
• Friday 16 March 2012 - Closing date for early bird registration

Contact

Ms Lara Birchby
Meeting Manager

ARA 53rd ASM Secretariat
C/- The Meeting People Pty Ltd
PO Box 882
Unley  SA 5061

t: +61 8 8272 7005 - formerly 08 8177 2215
f: +61 8 8272 7006 - formerly 08 8177 2251

e: lara@themeetingpeople.com.au
w: www.araconference.com