Charles Lapière's Article Commemorating the Tenth Anniversary of the ETRS
Reprinted from the ETRS Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 1, 1998, pp 2-3

For all children, the end of the first decade marks the termination of infancy, age by one digit and the entry into the era of maturity, age with at least two digits. These statements apply to the ETRS. At the 10th birthday, it is often an occasion to remember the time of delivery and for a first child the expectation of an addition to the family. This also applies to our Society.

On a beautiful November day in 1987, Paul Janssen had invited biologists, pharmacologists and clinicians to discuss with his group the potential of topically applied Ketanserin, an antiserotonin receptor 2 antagonist to promote the healing of ulcers. At the end of a day of interesting presentations there was an excellent dinner for the participants. No one knows if the wine was responsible or if the quality of the presentations on the biology of wound healing had triggered his enthusiasm, but Paul Janssen proposed the Janssen Research Foundation should support a society dealing with wound repair and offered a substantial donation. A steering committee composed of Hugo Degreef (Leuven), Hubert Tytgat (Brussels) and myself was immediately appointed. The seed was in the ground and gestation started. As in embryonic development, the first third was slow but significant since it resulted in the publication of statutes in the official journal of Belgium incorporating the Society in September 1988 under the name of ‘International Tissue Repair Society’. The steering committee with the help of Geert Cauwenbergh, Henwig Janssen, Piet de Doncker and Karel De Beule organized a first and successful meeting held in November 1989 in Corsendonck, Belgium. It was an occasion to meet colleagues from around the world and share views about the project. It resulted in the establishment of the international board of the Society formed by Charles M. Lapiere, Liège, Belgium, as President; Hugo DeGreef, Leuven, Belgium, as Vice-President; Terence Ryan, Oxford, UK, President- Elect; Giulio Gabbiani, Geneva, Switzerland, as Secretary- Treasurer; and Giovanni Abatangelo, Padua, Italy; M. Armijo, Salamanca, Spain; Yan Barrandon, Paris, France; Thomas Krieg, Munich, Germany; Hubert Tytgat, Brussels, Belgium; Wiete Westerhof, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Bengt Zederfeldt, Malmö, Sweden, as board members. The last part of gestation had started.

In the meantime, our American colleagues had set in hand plans to create a similar Society and we prepared to collaborate with the ‘Wound Healing Society’. The name of our group was modified to become what it is now, the ‘European Tissue Repair Society’. Tissue repair was preferred to wound healing to specify clearly the aim of the association ‘To promote scientific knowledge in understanding all types of repair mechanisms, physiological or pathological, inn any organ by means of all possible methods of biological and clinical observation and to provide the means for disseminating this information’. It is illustrated by the logo of the Society, the gap to be repaired in the circle of all the organs, the blue for the immensity of the universe of procedures to investigate it and the stars of the growing European community. The first effective manifestation of this endeavour occurred in Oxford in August 1991 under the leadership of Terence Ryan and George Cherry. The meeting gathered 350 participants from most European countries, a large representation of American colleagues, invited guests from Eastern-European countries and many other parts of the world. The programme was varied, comprehensive and most interesting. The momentum was set to determine that the baby was born, alive and thriving.

Every year since 1991, the month of August has been the traditional time to hold the most visible token of activity, our scientific meeting. It is complemented by an attractive ‘Bulletin’, satellite and consensus meetings. A similar development also occurred in USA with efficient collaborations being immediately established with our sister society leading to the holding of a first joint meeting. The Australian and Japanese colleagues rapidly joined the activity. All these societies are now grouped within the consensus publication ‘Wound Repair and Regeneration’. It is our journal that participates in the goal of the Society. Its success depends on the support that the membership provides to its enthusiastic Chief Editor, William Lindbladt. Industry has largely contributed to the development of what was soon recognised to be a need for the scientific community. We have been most grateful for this support, material and scientific. We look forward to this continuing interest.

Ketanserin for topical application in leg ulcers is now sleeping in some production files. Paul Janssen has kept intact his interest for research and the seed that he offered us to germinate has become a healthy teenager. The baby has been nurtured by a large population of active scientists. Many thanks to all the parents and the neighbourhood that have helped to establish the home and the atmosphere needed for a successful infancy. It is beautiful to see balanced growth and development. Let us look forward to a successful puberty in order to admire a most efficient young adult.

Charles M. Lapière
First President ETRS