AWARDS  - FELLOWSHIPS
Young Scientist Award
The ESHG awards three prizes of EUR 300.- for outstanding research by young scientists presented as a spoken contribution at the conference. One prize, in memory of Dr. Isabelle Oberlé, will be awarded for research on genetics of mental retardation. All young scientists submitting spoken presentations are encouraged to apply. The Scientific Programme Committee will select the finalists. They will be notified and their names published in the abstract book. The Scientific Programme Committee will judge the presentations during the conference. Winners will be announced and awards given in the closing session on Tuesday, May 28, 2002.
The nominee must be first author (i.e. presenting author) on an abstract submitted for spoken presentation and should not be more than six years post-doctoral. Authors wishing to be considered for this award should complete the appropriate box during abstract submission.
Closing date: January 14, 2002

Conference Fellowships
A number of fellowships will be awarded by the Scientific Programme Committee to applicants from Central and Eastern Europe as well as for applicants from Western Europe. Authors wishing to be considered for a fellowship should complete the appropriate box during abstract submission. The nominee must be first author (i.e. presenting author) of an abstract submitted for either oral or poster presentation, and should not be more than six years postdoctoral.
Closing date: January 14, 2002

Mauro Baschirotto Award
The Mauro Baschirotto Award, established in 1992 and funded through the philanthropy of the Mauro Baschirotto family, is presented by the European Society of Human Genetics during its annual European Human Genetics Conference in recognition of individual achievement in human genetics. Nominations are requested now for the 2003 award.
The laureate receives a ring, specially designed by the silversmiths of Vicenza in Italy and cast in a single copy each year and a cheque in the amount of EURO 1,500.- to cover the expenses of participating in the annual meeting of the ESHG.

Candidates working in Europe may be nominated from any of the disciplines. Nomination letters describing the scientific accomplishments of the candidate should reach the chairman of the Scientific Programme Committee before May 23, 2002. Professor Andrew Read, Department of Medical Genetics, St.Mary's Hospital, Hathersage Road, Manchester M13 0JH, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 161 276 6276, Fax: +44 161 276 6606, Email: andrew.read@man.ac.uk

Previous Award Holders
1992 Lore Zech
1993 Pierre Maroteaux
1994 Mary Lyon
1995 Jean Weissenbach
1996 Malcolm Ferguson-Smith
1997 Leena Peltonen
1998 Jean-Louis Mandel
1999 Pat Jacobs
2000 Dirk Bootsma
2001 Robin Winter

European Alliance of Genetic Support Groups
The EAGS, an umbrella organisation of national and supra-national patient support groups in Europe, working for the benefit of individuals and families with genetic disorders, is holding its annual conference in parallel with the ESHG annual meeting this year. Representatives of the European umbrella groups for the support of those affected by genetic disorders will be gathering to discuss general and specific issues of common concern such as orphan medicinal products and rare diseases, public awareness, education, scientific research, patents, ethics, reproductive choice and screening, insurance, quality of life regulation.
Delegates of ESHG 2002 will be very welcome at any of these open sessions of the EAGS meeting.
For more information please contact:
Mr Alistair Kent, Secretary-general of EAGS,
Tel: +44 207 704 3141, Fax +44 207 359 1447, E-mail: alistair@gig.org.uk