The times they are a‐changin’: the Cachexia Conference goes annual

The field of cachexia and muscle wasting research has started to move, slowly but steadily, and large and small companies alike are increasing their efforts into the development of new drug therapies for cachexia, sarcopenia and frailty. Recent research has focused on novel screening tools1 and biomarker research to enable an early diagnosis of wasting,2, 3 but also on the pathophysiological understanding of the wasting process4, 5 nutrition,6, 7 exercise, particularly in cachectic cancer patients,8, 9, 10 and novel therapeutic approaches.11, 12, 13 Even though the pathophysiological understanding is making rapid progress – if not by the minute or day, then by the week for sure – recent phase III trials have failed unfortunately to translate gain in muscle mass into gain in muscle function, i.e. more exercise capacity or strength or better stair climbing power.The Cachexia Conference, closely affiliated with this journal and the Society of Sarcopenia, Cachexia and Wasting Disorders (SCWD), until recently held ist conferences only every other year in a different location. The Cachexia Conferences closely follow the rapid progress in the field of cachexia research. Therefore, as of this coming December, the conference will be held annually. Indeed, the 9th Cachexia Conference is due to take place on December 10‐11, 2016, in Berlin, Germany. Berlin is a city that is changing as quickly as the field of cachexia research. Following the lines of Bob Dylanu0027s song The Times They Are A‐changin’, we invite researchers to come to Berlin to share their enthusiam and insight: ‘Come senators, congressmenPlease heed the callDonu0027t stand in the doorwayDonu0027t block up the hallFor he that gets hurtWill be he who has stalledThereu0027s a battle outsideAnd it is raginu0027.Itu0027ll soon shake your windowsAnd rattle your wallsFor the times they are a‐changinu0027.Bob DylanWe would like to make the conference a very hands‐on meeting with (likely) no parallel sessions and a programme made by the audience. We hereby call for your session proposals to be send to Mrs Monika Diek at the SCWD office (ofni.aixehcac@6102ecnerefnoc). Please do so by 15th April, 2016.As we start to go annual, we will still hold a big Cachexia Conference for 3 full days (as done in Paris) every 2 years, and every other 2 years the meeting is a 2‐day affair. As the field gains momentum, we may change this in the future, but fort he time being this seems tob e prudent.So please, safe the date and come to Berlin on 10/11 December, 2016. And send us your session proposals.