Thank you for your interest in submitting an abstract to the UEGW in Barcelona in 2010! Abstract submissions to UEGW are increasing year on year in both number and quality, and UEGW has become a premier world meeting at which to present clinical and basic gastro-intestinal and liver research. This year we are improving the environment for both oral and poster presentations to allow your work to get better quality exposure. We are offering a large number of travel and accommodation grants to young abstract presenters. Please note that we are also holding an international stem cell meeting within UEGW Barcelona 2010 and that abstract submissions concerning stem cell research should be submitted in the same format as other abstracts.

Participants are invited to submit original scientific abstracts for oral and poster presentation provided that the abstracts have not been previously published as a full paper. If you have submitted your paper to a journal for publication, please ensure that the publication date will be after the congress. Note that abstracts presented previously at national or international meetings may be submitted providing this is declared, but that we particularly welcome work not previously presented at international meetings.

Accepted abstracts will be published in GUT / ENDOSCOPY as well as on a CD-Rom that will be distributed at the congress. The BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (BMJ Group), Thieme Publishers and the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) require an Exclusive Licence to publish the accepted abstracts which you need to grant on behalf of all authors to the abstract as part of your submission of an abstract to UEGW and for publication in the journals GUT and ENDOSCOPY.

Authors are requested to conform to guidelines for submission of abstracts. Abstracts not conforming to the guidelines will not be referred for review. The abstracts must be submitted in English (UK spelling) and must be presented in that language. Abstracts will be reviewed by a panel of experts and may be selected for oral or poster presentation (or may be rejected). The time allotted for each oral presentation will depend on the session to which the abstract is allocated.

Submission of an abstract constitutes a formal commitment by the author to present the abstract in the session and at the time decided upon by the UEGF Scientific Committee. Any change in the presenting author needs to be communicated in the form of a written statement to the UEGF Scientific Committee. If the original presenting author is unable to present the abstract, it is that person’s responsibility to ensure that one of the co-authors takes over this role. Failure to present the abstract for other than well-founded reasons will lead to rejection of abstracts submitted at the next UEGW Congress. The registration fees for the presenting author will not be waived.

We encourage authors to register via the online registration system at the same time as they submit abstracts. Please note that we offer 300 travel grants in the amount of EUR 1.000 to young clinical and non-clinical investigators who present abstracts at the meeting, and you need to apply for these at the same time as submitting your abstract. Failure by the presenting author to register for the meeting by August 16, 2010 will mean that the abstract will neither be included in the Final Programme nor be printed in GUT / ENDOSCOPY.

Notification of acceptance or rejection by the UEGF Scientific Committee will be mailed to the submitting author at the e-mail address supplied on the submission form by the mid of July 2010. Bearing in mind the increasing security measures and firewalls, we kindly request that you ensure that e-mails can reach you by adapting your spam filter accordingly. Detailed information, guidelines and recommendations for oral or poster presentation, as well as time allotment, date, hour and venue, will be sent in due course.

1. 1. Abstracts may be submitted only electronically by using the online form from January 11, 2010 until the deadline via the conference website, at: www.uegw10.uegf.org
2. 2. Please note that a separate submission form for Video Cases has been created. In addition to the submission of Video Cases via the online form, a CD-Rom or DVD needs to be sent to the organisers by May 10, 2010. Only Video Cases submitted via this special form will be accepted. For more information, please read the call for Video Cases.
3. 3. Please note that a separate submission form for Clinical Cases has been created. Only Clinical Cases submitted using this special form will be considered. For more information, please read the call for Clinical Cases.
4. 4. Abstracts sent by mail, e-mail or fax will not be accepted.
5. 5. The length of the abstract should not exceed 2,900 printable characters including author details and headers.
6. 6. The abstract should be structured as indicated on the website. One table can be included.
7. 7. The Internet submission form will automatically reject abstracts that do not conform to the guidelines.
8. 8. Abstracts can be saved in draft status and completed before the deadline. Only abstracts with the status “Final submission” will be considered for review.
9. 9. The submission system will generate a temporary submission number that must be used in all correspondence. If you do not receive this number immediately after your submission, your abstract has not been registered.
10. 10. Choose one primary topic listed on the website which best corresponds to the content of your abstract. Please note that the first main topic is Stem Cells. This year the UEGW includes a major stem cell meeting and we wish to feature stem cell abstracts separately and prominently. Therefore please also indicate a keyword in this main topic category if your work includes stem cell research. There are special ring-fenced travel-accommodation awards this year for presenters of stem cell research.
11. 11. Tick the relevant box corresponding to your preferred method of presentation. Note that the Scientific Committee may or may not consider this choice.
12. 12. Please tick the box “Basic science” if this applies to your abstract.
13. 13. If you need to withdraw your abstract, a written statement reflecting the reasons for this decision needs to be sent to UEGW 2010 not later than August 15, 2010. Thereafter, UEGF cannot make any changes within its printed matters!