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This year’s chair of the WCN scientific committee, Professor Robyn Langham from the University of Melbourne, Australia, shares her top tips for the program and explains the advantages of offering both online access and a real-world meeting in Kuala Lumpur.

“The ISN is a truly global nephrology community, and we’re very conscious of the contribution that holding the WCN in a particular city makes to the region,” says Professor Langham. “Malaysia fought hard for the right to host the congress, so an in-person component extends the possibilities to showcase their achievements.”

Professor Langham adds that online access opens the congress up to people across the world who are dealing with similar issues but cannot travel. “We need to get the balance right: having a local presence will mean so much to the local people, but joining online means delegates worldwide can fit sessions in with their life and work.”

She continues: “I’m very proud of the program we’ve put together; it’s all really good, but there are some sessions I’m particularly looking forward to. The obvious one is on COVID-19. We’re nearly two years into the pandemic and starting to understand how the disease affects the kidney and kidney patients. We’ve got some fantastic speakers talking about therapeutic options, our molecular understanding of COVID-19, and how we can protect patients who are immunosuppressed.

“Another one I’m especially looking forward to is the session on low-income countries and innovations that can help study, diagnose, and manage kidney disease in countries with fewer resources. These include point-of-care testing and cheaper and easier methods of dialysis.”

Professor Langham also highlights a session on improving clinical trials in nephrology. “Clinical trials are difficult and very expensive in kidney disease, and we have a very set framework of how to conduct trials. Now, researchers are working with regulators to find the best ways to ethically and scientifically recreate how to carry out clinical trials, cutting down on the cost and duration, but still getting to a meaningful answer.”

She recommends a session on health literacy: “I speak for all doctors around the world when I say we all struggle in how best to educate our patients and empower them to understand and help manage their health. Electronic learning is one important key to this as it helps patients to interact with their own healthcare more easily.”

Finally, Professor Langham explains why now is such an important time for the nephrology community to meet: “We’re two years into a pandemic that we never thought we’d be living through for so long. We’re isolated from each other, and certainly here in Australia, we feel it. Now more than ever, it’s time to come together to connect, exchange, support, and learn. We need to re-establish that fantastic sense of networking and comradery that we took for granted when we could catch up with each other regularly.”

Session details

Theme Symposium: “Covid-19-Associated AKI,” Saturday 26 February, 19:30-21:00 hrs Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) time:
https://cm.theisn.org/cmPortal/searchable/WCN2022/config/normal#!sessiondetails/0000015310_0

Theme Symposium: “Managing Dialysis Units During Covid-19: Sharing Worldwide Experiences,” Saturday 26 February, 15:00-16:00 hrs Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) time:
https://cm.theisn.org/cmPortal/searchable/WCN2022/config/normal#!sessiondetails/0000015510_0

Special Session: “Trials and Tribulations: Challenges of Translating HMIC Research, Treatment and Guidelines to LMIC Settings. Joint Session with WIN/WIN India,” Sunday 27 February, 15:00-16:00 hrs Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) time:
https://cm.theisn.org/cmPortal/searchable/WCN2022/config/normal#!sessiondetails/0000015960_0

Theme Symposium: “New Clinical Trial Designs in Nephrology,” Friday 25 February, 18:00-19:30, hrs Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) time:
https://cm.theisn.org/cmPortal/searchable/WCN2022/config/normal#!sessiondetails/0000015360_0

Special Session: “Kidney Health For All – World Kidney Day Perspectives. WKD Special Session,” Sunday 27 February, 00:30-02:00, hrs Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) time:
https://cm.theisn.org/cmPortal/searchable/WCN2022/config/normal#!sessiondetails/0000015950_0