18th Annual Conference of BHIVA - Detailed post-conference report

This year's Annual Conference was held at The International Conference Centre, Birmingham. The conference was once again a great success and received very positive feedback from delegates.

There were 797 delegates registered for the conference and this number included 30 BHIVA Scholarship winners and a number of Community Registration places.

Events

As usual, a social event was held on each evening of the conference. These events were well attended and enjoyed by all.

Civic Welcome Reception

The Welcome Reception was held on the first evening of the conference among the exhibition stands at The International Conference Centre, Birmingham. This was preceded by a Civic Welcome in the lecture theatre with a speech to welcome delegates from Dr Sat Das (Conference Local Host), followed by The Right Worshipful Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Anita Ward, who kindly agreed to speak. The new Patron of BHIVA, Lord Norman Fowler, then gave a speech followed by a closing speech from Professor Jane Anderson (Chair, British HIV Association) who said a few words of thanks and invited delegates to the exhibition hall to be serenaded by the sounds of a jazz band. The reception provided an opportunity for delegates to meet each other whilst enjoying a drink and some light refreshments.


Left to right: Dr Andrew Freedman (BHIVA Hon Secretary), Lord Norman Fowler (BHIVA Patron), Professor Jane Anderson (BHIVA Chair), Mr Michael Brown (Lord Mayors Consort), The Right Worshipful, Lord Mayor Councillor Anita Ward, Dr Sat Das (Local Host) and Professor Clifford Leen (BHIVA Hon Treasurer)

String quartet

Gala Dinner

This year's Gala Dinner was an impressive event held at the Council House, Birmingham. The event started with a pre-dinner drinks reception which was held at the adjoining Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery amongst the exhibits. Following Dinner, Professor Jane Anderson formally thanked Dr Sat Das (Local Host) and Dr David Asboe (Conference Subcommittee Chair) for their hard work in organising the Conference. To conclude the evening’s events, after-dinner entertainment was provided by HRH Queen, a Queen tribute band, who proved a hit in bringing everyone to the dance floor.


Council House, Birmingham

Jane Anderson (BHIVA Chair) and Dr David Asboe (Conference Chair)

Jane Anderson (BHIVA Chair) and Sat Das (Conference Local host)

HRH Queen (Queen Tribute Band)

Prizes and Awards

Research excellence was again reflected by the breadth and depth of oral and poster research presentations at this year’s conference. Of 289 abstracts submitted, 267 were selected for presentation – 30 as oral presentations and 237 as poster presentations – by the Abstract Review Committee, which comprised members from BHIVA’s Education and Scientific, and Conferences subcommittees. All selected abstracts are published in HIV Medicine (2012, 13 Suppl 1), and available to download here.

Click here to view the full list of this year's prize winners. Pictured below are some of the winners.

Abbott Travelling Scholarships
Abbott has awarded 3 scholarships to the sum of £14K to support practising doctors from resource-poor countries to travel to the UK for training purposes with the objective of increasing understanding of the treatment and management of HIV and to disseminate this information and experience when they return to their country of origin.

Winners:
1. Dr Lilian Mbau, Kenya
2. Dr Gibril Ndow, Senegal
3. Dr Annie Chauma, Malawi

Left: Stuart Venning (Abbott representative), Jane Anderson (Chair BHIVA), Dr Gibril Ndow (Senegal)

Mediscript Awards in collaboration with BHIVA
Two prizes were awarded for the best oral or poster research presentation during the conference in the field of social sciences and community-based work.

Winners:
O21: '4th generation (Ag/Ab) HIV testing: 47% of clinics contradict current guidelines'
Miss Emma Rezel, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

P80: 'The economic hardship faced by families and children affected by HIV in the UK'
Paulino Bravo, Children With AIDS Charity

Left (top): Emma Rezel (not present for awards ceremony)

Left: Jane Anderson (Chair BHIVA), Paulina Bravo (Children with AIDS Charity)

BHIVA Best SpR Case Presentation
This prize was awarded to the presenter of the best case presentations as part of the BHIVA Lunchtime SpR Case Presentations Workshops.

Winner:
'Non-Hodgkins lymphoma responding to antiretroviral therapy alone'
Dr Emily Cheserem, King's College Hospital, London

Left: Jane Anderson (Chair BHIVA), Dr Emily Cheserem (King's College Hospital, London)

BHIVA Ian Williams Best Poster Presentation
This prize was awarded to the presenter of the best poster research presentation during the conference. All poster research presentations were judged by a BHIVA-appointed poster research judging panel, and to be eligible for this prize the presenter had to be of junior grade (sub-consultant or equivalent).

Winner:
P64: 'Treatment of anal intraepithelial neoplasia and prevention of anal carcinoma'
Dr John Thornhill, Homerton University Hospital, London

Left: Jane Anderson (Chair BHIVA), Dr John Thornhill (Homerton University Hospital, London)

BHIVA Margaret Johnson Best Oral Presentation Award
This prize was awarded to the presenter of the best oral research presentation during the conference. All oral research presentations were judged by a BHIVA-appointed oral research judging panel, and to be eligible for this prize the presenter had to be of junior grade (sub-consultant or equivalent).

Winner:
O4: 'The impact of HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy on the predicted risk of Down's syndrome'
Mr Thomas Charlton, Imperial College London

Left: Thomas Charlton (not present for awards ceremony)