Organising Committee

The Organising Committee of ISCOMS 2025 is composed of 34 (bio)medical students from Groningen. Each student is responsible for a specific aspect of the congress’s planning and execution. Throughout the year, this team works together to ensure an engaging and well-organised conference. We look forward to welcoming you to ISCOMS 2025 and we are happy to answer any questions you may have.

The president, secretary and treasurer are responsible for overseeing the Organising committee, as head of the Executive Board.

The main task of the president, Bauke Oostheim, is to lead the Executive Board. She is responsible for the whole organisation towards and during the congress. Additionally, her task is to find suitable day chairs and jury members.

The secretary, Philip de Knijff, is the contact person of the organisation. During this year he will work closely with the president. Besides that, he will be responsible for all of the registrations, both online and during the congress. He will manage the registration desk and will be happy to welcome you.

The treasurer, Loek de Esch, is responsible for overseeing all financial aspects of the congress. In this role, he manages both incoming and outgoing funds and he is tasked with preparing and maintaining the congress’s budget estimates.

Furthermore, we will analyse the congress statistics to identify opportunities for improvement and ensure the continued success of ISCOMS in the coming years.

We are looking forward to meeting you at ISCOMS 2025!

The Scientific Programme committee consists of six young and enthusiastic (bio)medical students. It is their responsibility to organise the scientific part of ISCOMS 2025. They are in charge of the keynote lectures, workshops, pre-course, interactive operation, patient lecture and the ISCOMS Research Fellowships (IRF). Their aim is to make the scientific programme of ISCOMS engaging and diverse. Besides this, they also supervise the abstract selection and ensure that students can present their research in a plenary, oral or poster session.

During the pre-course, you will have the chance to improve your research skills in a track of two masterclasses and attend interesting ISCOMS Medical Talks. Additionally, the Graduate School of Medical Sciences will tell you all about the research possibilities in Groningen at ‘Your Future at the UMCG’.

Divided across three congress days, five internationally well-established researchers will present their knowledge and experiences with us through keynote lectures. There are also a lot of exciting workshops you can participate in, ranging from hands-on activities to patient demonstrations and interactive workshops about societal issues. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to attend an interactive operation. So even if you are not very familiar with research yet, you can visit the lectures, participate actively in hands-on workshops and gain new scientific skills.

For students who are interested in doing research in Groningen in the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), the Scientific Programme committee organises the two-week ISCOMS Research Fellowships. These short internships will take place directly after the congress, offering you the chance to connect with researchers at the UMCG.

We are convinced that ISCOMS is the perfect opportunity for students and young researchers from all around the world to present their recent work, meet fellow researchers and get enthusiastic about research. We enjoy creating a challenging and diverse scientific programme for ISCOMS 2025 and we are looking forward to meeting you all!

ISCOMS cannot take place without its financial funding. The Sponsors & Fundraising committee takes care of these financial resources. This committee consists of six enthusiastic, dedicated students who are committed to making the congress financially possible. Their focus is to establish strong partnerships with companies by reaching out to potential sponsors and providing them with detailed information about the opportunities ISCOMS offers.

As one of the largest student congresses for (bio)medical sciences in Europe, ISCOMS attracts numerous national and international students. Additionally, the event is attended by scientists, professors, researchers, and medical specialists from UMCG, making ISCOMS very attractive for potential sponsors.

The wide range of sponsorship options makes ISCOMS appealing to both large and small companies, as they have the chance to increase brand awareness and create new business opportunities. Sponsors benefit from visibility on the ISCOMS website, promotional materials, and the chance to host workshops or set up a stand.

In addition to seeking sponsors, the committee actively applies for various funds to further support the congress. One committee member collaborates closely with the treasurer to manage the event’s financial matters, while another member takes charge of organising an exclusive corporate member dinner at one of Groningen’s finest restaurants. Additionally, the committee oversees journal subscriptions, which are awarded as prizes to participants presenting at the congress.

If you are interested in supporting (bio)medical research and connecting with motivated national and international (bio)medical students, or if you would like to contribute to ISCOMS as a prestigious platform for exchanging international scientific knowledge, we would like to invite you to explore our website. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions, we’re more than happy to provide you with all the information you need.

The International Contacts committee manages the global aspects of ISCOMS. The primary responsibilities include promoting the congress worldwide and assisting participants with registration issues or other challenges as they prepare for ISCOMS 2025.

To promote the congress internationally, we engage in outreach through emails, promo talks, and distributing promotional materials across the globe. Our dedicated and enthusiastic ambassadors, inspired by their own ISCOMS experiences, assist us in this mission. You can learn more about what our ambassadors do and find an ambassador in your country by clicking here.

The International Contacts committee also handles all incoming inquiries from students interested in submitting an abstract or seeking further information about ISCOMS. We assist students with visa applications through communication with embassies, and we are responsible for managing the ISCOMS Travel Grants for those needing financial assistance to attend the congress.

We are always eager to establish new international connections and would love to hear from anyone interested in helping promote ISCOMS 2025. If you think you can contribute, please contact us at iscoms@umcg.nl. For any other questions related to promotion, visa, ambassadors, Travel Grants, or any other matters, don’t hesitate to reach out. We are happy to help!

We look forward to seeing you at ISCOMS 2025!

The Hosting and Logistics committee is responsible for the hosting of participants, the social programme and the logistics during the congress.

When participants come to Groningen, they need a place to stay. Next to providing discounts on various hotels and hostels in the city, the Hosting & Logistics committee can usually offer a cheap and fun alternative. With the ‘Housing Hub’ option, participants get to stay in a typical Dutch student house. Next to it being cheaper than a hotel, participants will get to socialise with students from Groningen and see how they live.

Next to the scientific programme, ISCOMS offers a broad social programme for the participants to socialise and to get to know each other.

The Hosting & Logistics committee organises a city tour, a salsa workshop, a formal dinner, a ‘recreational evening’ on which various activities are held and after the last day of the congress, the World Wide ISCOMS night. A night on which everybody dresses up in a typical/classical outfit of their country and comes together to celebrate the amazing week they had. On Friday, the day after the congress, there will be the Post Congress Tour. During this day we will explore another Dutch city. There will be an opportunity to engage in activities and to enjoy some relaxation.

Finally, the Hosting and Logistics committee oversees all the logistical aspects of the congress. Together with the Scientific Programme committee, they organise the congress programme, as well as the plan of action, a comprehensive guide in which every detail of the congress is laid out.

We hope you are as excited as we are and we are looking forward to seeing you at ISCOMS 2025!

The Media & Branding committee is responsible for the appearence and the online promotion of ISCOMS.

Their main task is to deliver the graphical design of all material that will be handed out at the congress, and of all flyers, posters, booklets and cards that are spread all over the world by our colleagues from the International Contacts committee. Furthermore, they compose and design the Book of Abstracts that will be available after the congress to all participants. This book contains information about the congress and the people involved and contains all abstracts of participants who present their research at ISCOMS 2025. Finally, the committee is responsible for the social media community of ISCOMS, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.

The Research & Development committee of ISCOMS focuses on innovating and improving every upcoming edition of the congress.  By evaluating and brainstorming, the Research & Development committee determines what we can and should change, and how these improvements can be implemented at the upcoming congress. The committee makes sure that valuable insights, innovative ideas and feedback from participants will be considered, to maintain the progressive nature of ISCOMS.

At ISCOMS, sustainability is an essential concept. We recognize the urgent need to protect our planet and believe that small actions can create significant change. Each year the Research & Development committee strives to minimize our environmental footprint and promote sustainable practices at the conference, aiming to inspire people from all over the world.

The lSCOMS app is a good example of innovative development which the committee is working on. The application for smartphones was set up and launched five years ago. In the meantime, it has been updated by the committee and is improving every year.

Furthermore, the committee is responsible for the website. In addition to providing the website with its layout, they keep the website up to date to ensure you will receive the correct information and latest updates.

Lastly, they maintain partnerships, among which other student congresses. ISCOMS believes in connecting and representing young (bio)medical scientists from all around the world. We envision that as partner congresses we can strengthen each other in the promotion of scientific research and scientific and cultural exchange. We highly value sharing insights to elevate the quality of (bio)medical student congresses worldwide.

We would be delighted to welcome you to ISCOMS 2025!

The Junior Advisors of ISCOMS are four board members from the past two editions of the congress. Their role is to provide guidance on topics that require a multi-year focus. Together with the current board, they collaborate on developing a long-term strategy addressing key areas such as the quality of education, sustainable partnerships, promotion, and the organisation of the congress. This ensures that ISCOMS continues to grow and thrive in its mission every year.

ISCOMS is a congress organised by and for students. Thirtyfour biomedical students are responsible for all scientific, financial, and organisational aspects of the congress. As the congress is organised every year by a new team of students, the advisory board can assist in the continuity of the congress. They have helped organising ISCOMS for many years now. Their expertise, experience and contacts are of great support for the Organising committee. The advisory board consists of three seniors from the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG).

Prof. Paul de Vos PhD

Full professor immunoendocrinology at the University of Groningen

Advisor since 2009

Robert A. Pol MD PhD

Vascular and transplant surgeon at the UMCG

Advisor since 2018

Matijs van Meurs MD PhD

Intensivist at the UMCG

Advisor since 2016

We would like to thank the advisory board for their continuous support and useful advice.

The ISCOMS First Year Crew (FYC) is made up of 12-15 enthusiast first year (bio)medical students. The FYC gives the Organising Committee a helping hand during the congress. They help build up the congress and they participate in the social and scientific programme. The FYC also awards one plenary speaker with the First Year Jury award. Although these first year students do not have a lot of medical experience, they will judge the plenary sessions open minded and with care. One of the things the FYC likes most about helping out at the congress is meeting and socialising with the international students, so if you see them at the congress, have a chat and say hi!