Welcome

On behalf of the Organizing Committee, I would like to welcome you to Lodz for the 42nd meeting of the European Histamine Research Society held in the Ambasador Centrum Hotel, in the centre of the City. As usual, the meeting will begin with the Get-together Party on Wednesday 8nd May and end with breakfast on Sunday 12th May. Likewise, the conference will cover our usual wide range of interesting topics: histamine and all of the histamine system aspects, from medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, physiology, biochemistry, behaviour to pathophysiology i.e., histamine receptors, metabolism, transport, histamine containing cells (mast cells, basophils, neurons, etc), interaction of histamine system with other signalling systems.

Presenters of new results from basic and clinical research are welcome, as well as those who will just listen, learn and discuss. An interesting partner programme will be provided for accompanying persons. After long hours spent in the conference room, we all will have plenty of opportunities to recover and network during attractive social sessions, scheduled each day in the evening.

Do not forget, Lodz will be hosting histaminologists for the fourth time already; the previous meetings were in 1978 and 1998, not to mention the first informal one, in August 1971, the satellite symposium to XXVth International Congress of the Physiological Society, the symposium related to our unique amine. The remarkable outcomes of this symposium were the “Histamine Club” and a book entitled “Histamine” edited by Czeslaw Maslinski – the Organiser, and published by Dowden, Hutchinson and Ross Inc., Stroudsburg, PA, 1974.

Lodz has a rather long history; established as a city in 1423, was still very small (700 inhabitants) in XVI century. The abrupt change occurred in XIX century when it was decided to set up a textile industry there. German, Jews, Russians and Czechs with the experience and money came to manufacture and trade cotton, wool, fabrics and cloth. They built up factories, houses and palaces. The City developed very fast; within 100 years Lodz from the town of sixty thousand inhabitants grew up to six hundred thousand before the 2nd World War. Lodz prides itself with both a beautiful and the biggest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe. The most attractive mill owned by Poznanski has recently been renewed, new modern wings were attached and under the name “Manufactura” it serves as a trade, cultural and social center with shops, museums, cinemas, restaurants.

You are cordially invited to Lodz, I am sure you will enjoy both, the EHRS Meeting and the City.

W. Agnieszka Fogel