How to navigate the ESHG 2021 virtual conference

1. Access to the virtual conference platform

You can access the virtual conference platform from your PC, laptop, tablet or mobile device with internet using the following link: https://vmx.m-anage.com/home/release/eshg2021/en-GB

The platform will be published, with limited content, for all registered participants as of August 26, 2021 at 09:00 CEST.

Important note: To have access to the virtual conference platform, a complete and fully paid registration is required. If you have not registered yet, please create an account and complete the registration form and payment here: Register for the conference

2. Virtual Conference Platform

The virtual conference platform is the “venue” of the conference. The ESHG has aimed at incorporating similar aspects of the physical conference to the virtual environment. Therefore, you will have access to the best presentations in the area of human genetics in both a live and pre-recorded format. At the same time, you will be able to chat with speakers and interact with e-Poster presenters. You can drop by the sponsor pages and have a chat with the company of your interest or listen to their corporate satellite. In addition, you can chat with other ESHG 2021 participants in the networking hub groups.

3. ESHG 2021 Programme

To make the best out of the virtual possibilities, the ESHG has separated its programme into the following session types:

Live Sessions

These are sessions that will take place at a specific day and time. During these sessions you can listen to the pre-recorded presentations and afterwards participate in a real time Q&A with the speakers. You will be able to drop your question through the Q&A box available next to the live stream. All live sessions will be recorded and turned into an on-demand content within 24 hours and will be available on the platform until November 1, 2021.

Please note that all times mentioned on our website and the virtual conference platform refer to Central European Summer Time (CEST), that is UTC+2.

To see what time this is in your time zone, click here https://www.thetimezoneconverter.com/

On-demand Sessions

On-demand sessions are available from August 28, 2021 at 9:00 hrs CEST until November 1, 2021 at 24:00 hrs CEST. Interaction with presenters is possible via a messaging system incorporated in the virtual platform. For the on-demand Educational Sessions, attendees will have the opportunity to interact with speakers (as available) during dedicated slots in the programme (“Meet the Educational Session speakers”) on Monday, August 30 & Tuesday, August 31, by accessing the live web conference in the respective sessions. The schedule of these are as follows:

• Monday, August 30 at 18:45 – 19:45 hrs CEST for speakers of sessions E03 – E11
• Tuesday, August 31 at 12:45 – 13:45 hrs CEST for speakers of sessions E12 – E19

To access the live Q&A sessions, please follow these instructions:

• Go to the on-demand page on the virtual conference platform
• Search for your Educational Session of interest
• Click on the session title
• Once in the session page, click on the button to join the live Q&A session

We recommend that you watch your preferred presentations before the live Q&A. This will allow you to prepare in advance a set of questions to ask the presenters during the session.

e-Posters

All e-Posters will be available as of August 26, 2021 at 9:00 hrs CEST until November 1, 2021 at 24:00 hrs CEST. You will be able to click through the different slides uploaded by the presenter and in many cases listen to the audio description found within the e-Poster. Participants will have the opportunity to interact through a live written chat with the presenters of these e-Posters within the following schedule:

• e-Poster Group A: 14.45 – 15.30 hrs CEST on Saturday, August 28 for posters with numbers ending with “A” (e.g. P01.01.A)
• e-Poster Group B: 15.00 – 15.45 hrs CEST on Sunday, August 29 for posters with numbers ending with “B” (e.g. P01.02.B)
• e-Poster Group C: 13.00 – 13.45 hrs CEST on Monday, August 30 for posters with numbers ending with “C” (e.g. P01.03.C)
• e-Poster Group D: 11.45 – 12.30 hrs CEST on Tuesday, August 31 for posters with numbers ending with “D” (e.g. P01.04.D)

In order to interact with the presenter, you will need to access the e-Poster of your choice in the virtual platform during the time specified above. Once you are within the page you will be able to find a chat at the bottom of the page labelled “Questions & Comments” in which the e-Poster presenter will be available to answer your questions. Please note that you will need to refresh the page in order to see new questions & comments.

European Journal of Human Genetics Sessions

Join one of our “How to publish in the European Journal of Human Genetics Sessions”* during the ESHG 2021 – Virtual Conference:

• Saturday, August 28, 2021 at 13:30 – 14:30 (EJHG Live Channel)
• Sunday, August 29, 2021 at 13:45 – 14:45 (EJHG Live Channel)

*Each session has a maximum capacity of 50 participants

4. Tailor your own programme

Within the virtual conference platform you have the opportunity to bookmark the sessions that interest you the most. This way you will be able to keep track of the presentations and not schedule 2 of them at the same time. However, since all sessions will be available as on-demand sessions until November 1, 2021 at 24:00 CEST, you will have the opportunity to decide on your own time to listen to all your favourite talks of the ESHG 2021.

In addition, you can download the ESHG 2021 Mobile App in which you will be able to create your own calendar and have a direct access to the virtual conference platform from your mobile devices.

5. Interact!

Don’t worry just because we do not see each other does not mean we cannot interact! You will have many different opportunties to interaction with the speakers and other colleagues:

• Live sessions: During live sessions you can ask questions to the speakers through the Q&A box located next to the live stream. Moderators will be monitoring all the questions coming through and will address a selected group to the respective speakers. In order to help the moderators select questions, we kindly ask you to only ask questions related to the session in the Q&A chat box (e.g., no general comments).
• On-demand sessions: Do you have a questions for the presenter? Within every presenter profiles you will be able to send messages/email to the respective presenter directly. In here you can leave your name and email with a message. The presenter will receive this information and contact you at their own discretion.
• Meet the speakers of the Educational Sessions: On Monday, August 30, from 18:45 – 19:45 hrs CEST you will have the opportunity to chat with the presenters of on-demand Educational Sessions E03-E11 and on Tuesday, August 31, from 12:45 – 13:45 hrs CEST with the presenters of on-demand Educational Sessions E12-E19. To participate in this Live Q&A simply go to the respective on-demand Educational Session on the virtual conference platform and click the button to join the session, during the allocated time. Please note that only the speakers will be able to activate their video and audio. Participants will only be able to ask their questions by chat.

6. ESHG Networking Hub

For this year we have implemented a networking hub groups for the conference participants. You will be able to join the conversation with other participants within the dedicated topic groups. In addition, you can invite other participants to a 1on1 private chat. The aim of the networking hub is to increase the options you have to expand your network during the ESHG 2021 – Virtual Conference.

To access the Networking Hub group follow these instructions:

• Access the virtual conference platform
• Click on “My Conference”
• Go to “Networking Settings”
• Set up your preferred settings
• Once your networking settings have been selected, access the area labelled “Groups”
• In here you will have access to the different group topic to interact with other participants that share the same interest

7. Abstracts

To read through all of the abstracts that will be presented during the ESHG 2021, please visit our abstract library on this page: https://2021.eshg.org/abstracts-1/abstract-library/

8. CME Credits

The European Human Genetics Conference (ESHG 2021), August 28-31, 2021 has been accredited by the European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME^®) with 20 European CME credits (ECMEC^®s). More information on how to claim these credits can be found here.

9. ESHG 2021 Mobile APP