Dear Colleagues,

We have the great pleasure to welcome you to the 10th International Symposium on Myelodysplastic Syndromes,
which is being held in Patras, Greece, from May 6th to 9th, 2009.

This meeting follows those of Innsbruck (1988), Bournemouth (1991), Chicago (1994), Barcelona (1997), Prague
(1999), Stockholm (2001), Paris (2003), Nagasaki (2005) and Florence (2007), which were very successful.

The important progress in the pathogenesis and treatment of the Myelodysplastic Syndromes gave the Scientific
Committee the opportunity to create a very interesting Scientific Program with speakers who are leaders in
the field, while expanding also the opportunity for oral and poster presentations. We are also for the first
time organizing a Young Investigator’s Plenary Session, where the Bastianello Awards will be presented to the
selected speakers.

The Patras meeting is also hosting a Nursing Education Program, a Patient and Family Forum, an Interactive
Morphology Workshop, a Challenge the Experts Session, and a Poster Walk, with the hope to provide incentives
to attendees working in basic and clinical research as well as for those caring for our patients, for increased
participation and provision of critical information in unique formats.

Patras is a significant university city in proximity to both Olympia and Delphi, an ideal spot for attendees who
would like to combine their scientific interests with the opportunity to see these beautiful and historic sites
and to visit a beautiful landscape especially in the month of May.

The Symposium will also provide continuing education credits within the European Hematology Association CME program.

Thank you very much for joining us in Patras and we wish success in your scientific goals and a pleasant stay.

Nicholas C. Zoumbos, MD	John M. Bennett, MD
Chairman of the 10th International Congress on MDS	Chairman of the MDS Foundation