– Written by Angelo Tinazzi, EU Connect Stream Chair

As the PHUSE EU Connect conferences have grown over the past 20 years, so has the number of abstracts submitted, and the Committee often faces tough decisions in complying with the capacity of the agenda.

Selecting abstracts and constructing the final agenda is a collaborative effort. Per stream, the three Chairs review the submissions and conduct an initial ranking, before accepting presentations and selecting back-ups.

During this review process, it is possible for presentations to be moved from their originally submitted Stream to another. This happens when the Stream Chairs, upon reviewing the abstracts, find that an abstract would better suit the context of a different Stream.

Therefore, it is crucial for submitters to not only craft a well-written abstract, as discussed in the PHUSE blog post How to Write a Standout Abstract, but also to carefully select the most appropriate Stream. This ensures your abstract is reviewed by the appropriate Stream.

We recognise that choosing between one Stream and another can present challenges. This is especially true for the four technical Streams, where the distinctions may not be immediately obvious:

• Coding Tips & Tricks (CT)
• Open Source Technologies (OS) – new Stream added this year
• Scripts, Macros & Automation (SM)
• Trends & Technology (TT)

The CT and SM Streams are more application-oriented and offer practical solutions. In contrast, the new OS Stream and the TT Stream may include both practical applications and theoretical discussions about the future and philosophy of technology in clinical research.

In both the CT and SM Streams, presenters are expected to showcase code, whether SAS or any other language, including open-source options such as R. CT Stream presentations are limited to about 10 minutes, making CT an ideal choice for sharing quick tips, coding lessons, or best practices in programming. On the other hand, the SM Stream may be better suited for longer presentations that delve into project specifics, ideally revealing significant portions of code, decision-making processes, or the details behind certain procedures.

The new OS Stream may share content with the SM Stream, such as open-source tools. However, their core focuses are significantly different. The OS Stream centres on the open-source movement and collaboration, whereas the SM Stream emphasises practical automation and efficiency in programming. Suitable topics for the OS Stream might include how to validate the R environment and packages.

The audience for these four Streams may vary from those seeking immediate, practical coding solutions to those interested in broader technological trends and innovations in the field. For the latter, the TT Stream explores how emerging technologies, tools and methodologies can support clinical data science and the development of new medicines.

If you have doubts about which Stream best fits your topic, please take a look at past presentations in the PHUSE Archive.

We look forward to receiving your abstract and hope to see you at the EU Connect 2024!