PerkinElmer Annual Newborn Screening Seminar, Naantali, Finland, 19-22 June 2010

I was thrilled to be invited by PerkinElmer to give the keynote speech at their Annual Newborn Screening Seminar in Naantali Finland, 19th to 22nd June 2010. Representatives from 15 Countries attended the conference.

Scientists and Clinicians met to share and discuss advances in newborn screening programmes internationally, together with the latest technologies and information in regard to newborn screening. We were fortunate to have a number of excellent presentations and it was a great learning opportunity. I was pleased to be able to give the patients perspective of the importance of newborn screening and acknowledge the tremendous work that the scientists and clinicians do.

It was so interesting to hear Dr Harry Hannon from the USA speak on the history of newborn screening, the many developments throughout his long career and in also terms of laboratory quality and excellence. Dr Hannon was honoured by PerkinElmer for his services to newborn screening.

We were also indebted to PerkinElmer for the opportunity to visit their factory and laboratories to see first hand their new technologies in development.

Particular thanks to the scientists from the UK who took me under their wing and kindly explained some of the technical and scientific information that I did not quite understand. It was very generous of them.

Pat Roberts

Executive Director

June 28th 2010

[PerkinElmer Genetics]