Leuven GRIN meeting 2019

General Practice Research on Infections Network: 27 - 28 Sept, 2019

It was a pleasure to host this year's conference in Leuven!

We are looking forward to seeing you again at next year's meeting in Lund, Sweden, for #GRIN2020!

About GRIN

GRIN (General practice Research on Infections Network, formerly General practice Respiratory Infections Network) is a European network of researchers studying respiratory tract and other infections in primary care.

The key issues of GRIN are:

  • Exchange ideas and keep informed about current research
  • Compare guidelines on respiratory and other infections
  • Find consensus on the state of the art on different subjects and formulate European guidelines
  • Set up international studies.

The organisation consists of experts in the field from nearly all European countries, from Asia, Australia, and the United States of America. Members have contributed in national and international guidelines and are part of international collaborations in targeting antimicrobial resistance due to inappropriate management of respiratory tract and other infections.

The GRIN meeting is financially supported by the European Science Foundation (ESF), in the framework of the Research Network Programme TRACE (Translation Research on Antimicrobial resistance and Community-acquired infections in Europe).

Thank you!

Dear GRINners,

It was a pleasure hosting the 21st GRIN meeting, for the first time ever held in Leuven, organised by EPI-Centre, as part of the Academic Centre for Primary Care.

Thanks to a small group of visionary researchers who decided to establish GRIN in 1998, this meeting has grown to over 100 delegates registering for the 2019 GRIN meeting, with over 60 high-quality abstracts across the whole range of infectious diseases in primary care using a plethora of research methodologies. As a result of this success, the programme was quite full, covering topics such as: accuracy and impact of diagnostic tests, urinary and respiratory tract infections, antibiotic stewardship and changing practice.

One of the great strengths of GRIN has always been its friendly atmosphere, resulting in constructive academic discussions, supportive of young as well as more senior colleagues.

Throughout the two decades (already!) of GRIN, this has continuously allowed us to encourage each other and initiate novel national and international research projects.

It was a particular pleasure to welcome Chris Kenyon from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp as this year’s keynote speaker, who guided us through the evidence of the promises and pitfalls of screening for STIs in high prevalence populations over the past 70 years.

This year’s social event was held at the Faculty Club, which is a UNESCO world heritage site and interestingly used to host more than 360 beguines in the 17th century – a medieval feminist stronghold. The conference party in these devotional yet slightly rebellious surroundings has allowed us to catch up with both long-time and newly-found GRIN friends!

We would like to express our sincere thanks to all who have helped make this meeting possible.

We hope to see you again at next year's meeting in Sweden to uphold the great GRIN tradition!

On behalf of the GRIN 2019 team,

Jan Verbakel

Organising committee GRIN 2019

Prof. Dr. Jan Verbakel
Prof. Dr. Ann Van den Bruel
Dr. Tine De Burghgraeve
Dr. Hanne Boon
Dr. Thomas Struyf

Event location

Faculty Club
Groot Begijnhof 14
3000 Leuven