ICoNS’27 Workshop/Scientific Session Proposal Guidelines
ICoNS is accepting proposals for ~75-minute scientific sessions and workshops to be held at the 2027 meeting of the International Consortium on Newborn Sequencing in Luxembourg on October 4-5, 2027. Please read submission instructions carefully before submitting.
Submission Deadline: Friday Jan 15, 2027 11:59 PM EST.
Decision Notifications: March 2027
Final Workshop Confirmation Deadline: April 5, 2027
Deadline for moderators and presenters to confirm participation (through speaker agreement, financial disclosures and conf registration): Apr 5, 2027
General registration for attendees opens: April 12, 2027
Final PowerPoint presentations uploaded and any relevant Materials/Surveys submitted (incl any pertinent instructions for target audience): Sep 20, 2027
See you at ICoNS’27! Oct 4-5, 2027
Submitter Instructions:
Elements of a successful session proposal include:
Overall Quality of the Proposal: The proposal itself is thorough, clear, and provides enough insight into the proposed session.
Submitter: The submitter (preferably the session moderator) is deeply versed in the topic and well connected with other authorities in the field. The submitter has contacted all proposed presenters and has confirmed:
Their consent and agreement to participate after having fully reviewed the proposal
That they are willing to travel to Luxembourg
Presenter availability on both Oct 4 and Oct 5 as the ICoNS’27 organizing committee arranges the date and time of each session.
Moderators/Presenters: The proposed moderator is an ICoNS Member and has relevant subject-matter expertise and the ability to facilitate an engaging session. The proposed faculty are experienced presenters.
Each session requires one ICoNS member as moderator, and at least one additional presenter must also be an ICoNS member. There can be a maximum of 5 presenters.
Support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by including presenters from varied backgrounds: institutions, regions, genders, ethnicities, and generations.
Content:
The topic is practical - meaning there will be knowledge, skills, or information that can be applied right away.
The topic will have an impact directly on improving gNBS research. This is a hot topic, innovative or fresh perspective, or widely applicable skill/knowledge.
If not, explain why there will still be significant interest in the session.
Rationale for proposal: The rationale for proposing any action is rooted in identifying a need or gap, which signifies a disparity between current and desired states.
A need arises from deficiencies in knowledge, competence, or performance. Provide two sources to substantiate this need.
Conversely, a gap delineates the disparity between actual and ideal levels of knowledge, competency, performance, or patient outcomes across various professional practices.
Educational Objectives: Provide three measurable educational objectives describing what participants will be able to do after attending the session. Begin each objective with an action verb, such as identify, compare, apply, evaluate, or design. Objectives should align with the proposed content and activities and be achievable within the allotted session time. Avoid terms that cannot be readily measured, such as understand, learn, or appreciate.
Topic Focus and Session Categories (aligned to gNBS):
Integrating gNBS into the “Mainstream” [Public health, Therapeutics, etc]
gNBS Research Methods and Resources
Health Services and Implementation
Health Care Inequities and Health Disparities
ELSI, Public Health and Policy
gNBS Laboratory Genetics and Genomics
gNBS Health Economics
Other topics that may be closely aligned with gNBS science and implementation
Session Type: ~80 minute Workshop or Scientific Session
Short Presentations with Panel Discussion
Debate/Point-Counterpoint
Design Thinking/Hackathons Session – Problem-solving session by small groups
Other ideas are welcome
Use of Artificial Intelligence in Proposal Preparation:AI-assisted tools may be used to support preparation of a proposal, including spelling and grammar correction, language editing, translation, and improvements to clarity and readability. Their use must remain subject to human oversight and review. Submitters and proposed presenters retain full responsibility for the entire submission, including its accuracy, originality, references, scientific integrity, and compliance with these guidelines. All AI-assisted content must be reviewed and verified before submission.
Proposals must be submitted through the ICoNS’27 website by 11:59 PM EST Friday, Jan 15, 2027, and should contain the following:
Submitter Information – Preferably submitter is Moderator. The Moderator is responsible for all further contact with presenters.
Proposal Title (maximum of 100 characters or less)
Description (up to 3000 characters, including spaces)
Rationale for Proposal (up to 2000 characters, including spaces)
Practice Gap (i.e., the difference between actual and ideal performance and/or patient outcomes and how this gap was identified)
Competence (The ability to apply knowledge, skills, and judgment in practice [knowing how to do something])
Performance (what one does, in practice. The degree to which participants do what the activity intended them to do [Purpose of Activity]. Performance is competence put into practice.)
Patient Outcomes (the consequences of performance and are defined as the ability of the learner to apply what they have learned to improve the health status of their patients or those of a community.)
Educational Objectives (each objective upto 250 chars, including spaces): Provide three measurable educational objectives describing what participants will be able to do after attending the session.
Session Type: (maximum of 5 presenters)
Scientific Session: ~80 minutes
Focused on a specific scientific or clinically relevant topic or area as well as trends.
Highlights a wide range of topics of interest to genetics practitioners, laboratorians, researchers, genetic counselors, and others with an interest in the science and implementation of gNBS.
Workshop: ~80-minutes
Workshops are where the attendees will take part in the activity, as opposed to sessions where learners are passively listening to presentations.
Proposal Format:
Short Presentations with Panel Discussion
Debate/Point-Counterpoint
Design Thinking/Hackathons Session – Problem-solving session by small groups
Other ideas are welcome
Topic Focus:
gNBS Research Methods and Resources
Health Services and Implementation
Health Care Inequities and Health Disparities
ELSI, Public Health and Policy
gNBS Laboratory Genetics and Genomics
gNBS Health Economics
Other topics that may be closely aligned with gNBS science and implementation
Short Summary for Website and Meeting Program (600 chars, including spaces): Provide a brief summary suitable for publication on the conference website and in the meeting program. Describe the session’s focus, why the topic matters, and what participants will gain. For workshops, briefly describe the planned activities. Use clear language and define any essential abbreviations. This summary should be written for prospective attendees and may be edited for clarity and length.
Prerequisites and Advance Preparation
Identify any knowledge, equipment, software, or advance preparation participants will need to participate fully. Describe clearly and provide instructions for required preparation and estimate the time needed to complete it. If no prerequisites or advance preparation are required, indicate “None.”
Proposal Acceptance:
Selection of topics and presenters for all sessions is at the discretion of the Program Committee. The Program Committee reviews all submitted proposals and may:
• Accept the proposal as written.
• Modify the proposal.
• Not offer the proposed session.
Submission of a proposal does not guarantee acceptance in whole or in part. In an effort to develop the best program possible, Program Committee members may ask submitters to amend their proposal. Please be prepared to have this discussion. This is to minimize repetition and best address the needs of the attendees. The ICoNS committee will communicate any requested changes to the session proposal to the submitters/moderators in March 2027.
Proposal Selection Criteria:
Proposals are evaluated by the ICoNS’27 Organizing Committee and will be selected based on the following criteria:
The proposed moderator is an ICoNS Member and at least one additional panelist/speaker is also an ICoNS Member.
Provides current information related to the rapidly evolving field of gNBS
Includes a topic of relative importance, originality, focus and timeliness, with expertise by the proposed panelists, and the potential for informative discussions.
Free of economic bias
The review process is strictly confidential. To ensure a balanced program, the Organizing Committee reserves the exclusive right to decline a presentation that lacks scientific content or merit, or merely announces the availability of a resource or service. The Organizing Committee also reserves the right to solicit presentations in addition to those submitted and may contact proposal submitters to discuss the topic, suggested Presenters and/or make recommendations to modify the proposal to develop a comprehensive and topical overall program.