ECMONet 2025, in conjunction with SWAAC ELSO, Conrad Etihad Towers
Dear colleagues, friends and collaborators - As-salamu alaykum!
It is with great pleasure that we welcome you to the 9th Annual International ECMO Network Meeting, hosted for the first time in the Middle East, in beautiful Abu Dhabi.
When it was formed over a decade ago, ECMONet represented a global society with a novel brief. We are thrilled to continue this tradition of excellence in a new region following our last meeting in London. These meetings highlight the global reach of our network and the unyielding spirit of collaboration that motivates us all.
2025 marks a significant moment in the history of ECMONet as our esteemed founders and leaders, Drs Dan Brodie, Alain Combes and Art Slutsky take a (small) step back from the frontline. Their hard work and visionary leadership allowed our fledgling society to evolve into a global force for collaboration in ECMO research and clinical advancement. We owe them a debt of gratitude for fostering a culture of collaboration and excellence built on respect and friendship, uniting practitioners across continents and across disciplines.
This meeting is a testament to the dedication and resilience of our global ECMO community. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr Abdulrahman Al Fares for offering to host us in Kuwait prior to the meeting moving to join SWAAC ELSO under the leadership of Drs Salman Abdulaziz, Vivek Kakar and Huda Al Foudri. We thank SWAAC ELSO and the MENA Conferencing teams including Ms Maica Garcia, Ms Zandy Gonzales and Mr Fred Basilan for their tireless efforts and support in facilitating this transition. Working with Ms Lauren Kelly in Australia, these international teams have not only navigated complex logistical challenges but have also ensured that this gathering is a resounding success. SWACC ELSO’s commitment to covering costs, organising the event, and bringing the meeting to fruition embodies the very ethos of ECMONet.
As the transition of leadership in ECMONet has occurred, we have sought advice from and listened carefully to our members (this year and previously) while navigating these changes. One of the greatest strengths of ECMONet is its size – a huge amount of expertise concentrated in a relatively small number of people ensures a dynamic and innovative society.
Our membership has changed very little over the past decade, (unlike our hairlines and girth) so to remain agile and as productive as we are, we will start to bring new, outstanding contributors from the global ECMO community into the fold as our more senior members become less hands on.
As your new Co-Presidents, we have collaborated for over a decade and know each other’s strengths and weaknesses well (Carol being the strengths, John being the weakness section). However, the shoes we aim to fill are huge and our greatest challenge remains ensuring this group’s continued innovation and efficiency in gaining clinical insights that improve patient outcomes.
While that is our greatest challenge, you – our members – are our greatest asset. Again, welcome to Abu Dhabi! We thank SWAAC ELSO for their generosity and encourage you to attend as much of the Conference as you are able. It will be an outstanding meeting, Inshallah.
Professor Carol Hodgson
PhD FACP FAHMS
Co-President, International ECMO Network
Executive Director, Monash Partners Academic Health Science Centre
Head of the Division of Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
Deputy Director of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care-Research Centre, Monash University
Adjunct Professor, The George Institute, Sydney
Adjunct Professor, Critical Care, University of Melbourne
Professor John F Fraser AO
MB ChB, PhD, FRCP(Glas), FFARCSI, FRCA, FCICM FELSO
Co-President, International ECMO Network
Professor & Pre-Eminent Specialist in Intensive Care Medicine, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane
Director, Critical Care Research Group, University of Queensland & The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane
Director of Intensive Care Unit, St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital, Brisbane
Professor Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Queensland
Professor, School of Medicine, Griffith University
Adjunct Professor, Queensland University of Technology
Adjunct Professor, Monash University