CONGRESS UPDATE 6 JULY
Town Hall of Antwerp at Grote Markt
BIOTRAC s.p.r.l.
ARRIVING IN ANTWERP:
When you arrive by train and you have accommodation in hotels TOURIST, KEYSERLEI or
AGORA, then it is most convenient to take the train to ANTWERPEN-CENTRAAL. For some
trains this may imply that you have to change in ANTWERPEN-BERCHEM, but this is easy.
In contrast, if you have campus accommodation (both TPC and MHC), then it is more convenient to
leave the train in ANTWERPEN-BERCHEM and take busses 32, 21, 501, 502, or 503 under the
railway bridge (see 'Travel and Accommodation' brochure). Under the railway bridge there are two
bus stops facing each other. TAKE YOUR BUS TO THE CAMPUS AT THE STOP MARKED
AS 'PERRON 22' (not 'perron 21' for busses stopping there will bring you to Antwerpen-Centraal
in the city centre = opposite direction). Busses at Perron 22 will have the following destinations: 32
(Edegem), 21 (Wilrijk UZA), 501-503 (Aartselaar, Rumst, Boom or Niel). The bus trip from
Antwerpen-Berchem to MHC takes 10 min, to TPC a few minutes more. READ THE ITINERARY
AND LANDMARKS DESCRIBED FOR THESE BUSSES IN THE 'TRAVEL AND
ACCOMMODATION INFORMATION' brochure.
When arriving in ANTWERPEN-BERCHEM or ANTWERPEN-CENTRAAL it may be a good
idea to immediately buy a 'LIJNKAART' (8) for the public transport in Antwerpen in the sales
offices of the stations.
ARRIVING AT THE CAMPUS ACCOMMODATION:
Delegates who expect to arrive at the campus accommodation (MHC or TPC) later than 20:00 are
advised to send an email to tbackeljau@scarlet.be and/or to kurt.jordaens@ua.ac.be indicating an
estimated time of arrival. At TPC late arrivers can obtain their room keys from the houskeeper (ring
the door bell), while late arrivers at MHC can obtain their 'keys' from the WCM representative
Mr. Kristof Schils, mobile: +32476294890
In case of truly major problems on Saturday or Sunday night you can call the 'congress emergency'
Thierry Backeljau: +32 496 405034 (mobile) or +32 (0)3 2301728 (home)
Kurt Jordaens: +32 478 338821 (mobile)
Please use these numbers only when all other options are exhausted...
CONGRESS REGISTRATION:
Delegates with campus accommodation can already register on Saturday 14/7 in their respective
campus facilities (TPC or MHC) from 14:00 to 18:00.
ALL delegates can register on Sunday 15/7 in the Y + T building at the Groenenborger Campus (=
congress site) from 12:00 to 16:00, where they can also already mount their poster(s). At 16:00
campus registration will close, to re-open from 17:30 to 19:30 during the Icebreaker.
When you register, you will receive your congress badge and satchel. The satchel will contain the
abstactbook, a notebook, pen, tickets for the AMS auction, a roadmap of Antwerp and some other
information. If you subscribed for the congress dinner, you will receive an envelope with the ticket.
PLEASE WEAR YOUR CONGRESS BADGE AT ALL TIMES FOR IT IS YOUR
LEGITIMATION FOR THE CONGRESS LUNCHES. You may become pretty hungry if you fail
to show your badge! If you lost or forgot your badge, please go to the registration desk.
PROBLEMS? DO YOU NEED INFORMATION?
If you need assistance or information, go to the registration desk in the Y+T building of the
congress site or look for congress officers (green badges). They will do their very best to help you
or to provide you with the information you need. Of course, the 'congress emergency' remains
operational during the whole week and is during the week reinforced by Claudine Claes (+32 499
20 73 12) and Karin Breugelmans (+32 494 24 92 52).
INFORMATION FOR POSTERS AND ORAL PRESENTATIONS:
Posters
You can mount your posters already on Sunday 15/7 from 12:00 to 16:00 in the Y + T building of
Campus Groenenborger (congress site). All necessary material to fix your posters will be provided
and there will be someone to help you in case of need. All posters are numbered (see the alphabetic
list of posters at the end of the congress schedule). These numbers correspond to the poster panels
where you should mount your posters. Please respect this numbering system for it reflects the
symposia or thematic sessions to which your posters belong. Do not remove the number on the
poster panel since it may help people (e.g. the referees for the different awards) to track your
posters (there will be approximately 200 posters!)
Please note that the maximum poster size is STANDARD VERTICAL A0 ('portrait'), which means
a maximum height of 118 cm and a maximum width of 84 cm. Landscape posters will not fit to the
panels and may hinder the display of adjacent posters.
Oral presentiations
You can also preview your presentation on Sunday 15/7 in room T 103 at Campus Groenenborger
(congress site). During the week you can previewyour presentations in room U 026. In either case
there will be someone to assist you. We strongly encourage people to make use of the preview room
to prevent surprises such as symbols that disappear or change! Presentations can be uploaded during
the coffee/tea breaks or during lunch time. There will be someone at the computer to help you.
However, to avoid hectic situations we encourage people to hand in their presentation on a CD-rom
or memo stick at the registration desk. The CD-rom or memo stick should be marked with your
name, time of your presentation and the lecture hall where you will give your presentation (e.g.
"Kurt Jordaens 10:20 T129"). We will make sure that your presentation will be ready. Please, do
not wait until the last five minutes before the session to start uploading your presentation, we have a
very tight schedule.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP IS A PC-WINDOWS FACILITY
(NOT MAC). HENCE AL PRESENTATIONS SHOULD COMPLY WITH THIS OPERATING
SYSTEM.
Those who have special needs for their presentation should contact Kurt Jordaens at
kurt.jordaens@ua.ac.be to arrange the necessary equipment or to look for alternatives. Links to
movies or sounds from files should be made as 'c:\WCM\movie\filename', where 'filename' is the
actual name of the movie or sound file. Do not forget to bring the movie and/or sound files as well!
INTERNET FACILITIES
At the congress site there will be 40 PCs available with free internet access during the whole
week. These PCs are located on the second floor of the S Building. No password or log-in
required.
Delegates at the MHC facility may apply for free internet access in their rooms. In order to do
so, please send an email to Thierry Backeljau (tbackeljau@scarlet.be) and/or Kurt Jordaens
(kurt.jordaens@ua.ac.be) with your name and the MAC-address of your laptop. With this
information the ICT department of the university will then open a specific internet connection in
your room. You can retrieve the MAC-Address of your laptop as fllows:
Windows XP and Windows 2000:
Start - Run
type "cmd"
press ok
In the Command Prompt window, type "ipconfig /all"
press enter
You will then get a list of information, the MAC-address is given after the physical address, e.g.
OO-OC-F1-81-CF-BB
Windows 98:
Start - Run
type "command.com"
In the Command Prompt window, type "winipcfg"
press enter
In the window that appears you have to select your network card, the MAC-address will appear as
the 'Adapter Address', e.g. OO-OC-F1-81-CF-BB
Linux:
Open a Terminal Windows (shell) and type the command "ifconfig -a". The MAC-address can be
found under "HWaddr", e.g. OO-OC-F1-81-CF-BB
MacOS X:
In the Apple-menu, choose "system preferences" and select the network panel. Select the preferred
Ethernet connection and choose "TCP/IP". The MAC address is given under the "Ethernet
Address", e.g. OO-OC-F1-81-CF-BB
MacOS with open transport (version 8.6-9.x):
Open the TCP/IP control panel (connection via Ehternet)
Select "info" in the control panel. The MAC address is given as the hardware address, e.g. OO-OC-
F1-81-CF-BB
MacOS with MacTCP (< version 8.6):
Open the MasTCP control panel. Option-click on the icon "ethernet". The number that appears
under the icon, is the MAC address.
A limited number of internet connections is available at TPC, but details will be provided
upon arrival at the site.
Wireless internet access is available in the hotels against payment: Agora & Tourist a rato of
4/h, Keyserlei a rato of 7.5/h
ICEBREAKER AND EATING IN TOWN
See the 'Travel and Accommodation Information' brochure for the location of the Icebreaker
reception. In order to join the Icebreaker when you arrive at the entrance of the Zoo, you will
have to show the Zoo officials the Icebreaker voucher accompanying this congress update. So
please do not forget to print it out and to bring it with you when you come to the Icebreaker.
Of course there will be congress officers posted as well for in case problems would arise.
Although there will be a variety of tasters served during the Icebreaker, these may not suffice as
evening meal. Yet, in there are plenty of restaurants of all sorts in the neighbourhood of the
Icebreaker site (Mexican, Irish, Argentinian, Thai, Chinese, Indonesian, Italian, South-African,
Turkish, Lebanese, Greek; a healthy Asiatic one is "Wagamama" in the UGC movie complex,
etc....). Moreover, from the Icebreaker site it takes about 25 min walking (or 5 min with the pre-
metro from station "Diamant" to station "Groenplaats") to reach the old city centre where there are
many excellent restaurants and pubs in a cosy atmosphere (go to e.g. Suikerrui, Oude
Koornmarkt, Pelgrimstraat, Handschoenmarkt, Hendrik Conscienceplein,...).
Leysstraat and Meir as seen from Keyserlei; once on the Meir you will see the 'Boerentoren', which
is a perfect landmark near the Groenplaats.
Walking from the Icebreaker site (or Antwerpen-Centraal) to the old city centre is simple, just
follow the sequence: KEYSERLEI LEYSSTRAAT MEIR SCHOENMARKT or
EIERMARKT (both are OK) GROENPLAATS CATHEDRAL. From the Groenplaats and the
Cathedral there are many possible options and in 5-10 min from there you can reach the river
Scheldt (where there are also many pubs and restaurants).
WHEN YOU COME TO THE ICEBREAKER IT MAY BE A GOOD IDEA TO BUY A
'LIJNKAART' FOR THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THE SALES OFFICE OF ANTWERPEN-
CENTRAAL
EATING AND DRINKING AROUND THE CAMPUS ACCOMMODATION
Both the MHC and TPC facilities are located in residential areas and are quite isolated. There are
only few restaurants and pubs in their surroundings, particularly for TPC. Therefore we provide a
list of eating places and pubs that are within walking distance from both facilities (see red dots on
map 3 of the 'Travel and accommodation information' brochure; note that map 3 does not show all
restarants and pubs; hence if we refer to map 2 or map 3 then these are the maps in the 'Travel and
accommodation information' brochure). Places marked with (*¨) are restaurant ONLY. All other
places are restaurant and pub (i.e. drinking without eating is OK). It is not excluded that some of
these restaurants are closed during the congress week (summer holidays):
Chasse Royale, Elisabethlaan 117, Berchem (at corner with Prins Leopoldlaan)
Convenient pub + restaurant with terrace; forgotten to include this one in map 3, yet it is very close
to MHC, just at the other side of the cemetary); open every day until approx. 02:00.
Royal Lounge, Koninklijke Laan 2, Berchem (at corner with Grote Steenweg)
Pub + restaurant of quite good quality with small terrace; just outside the frame of map 3; open
every day, except Sunday. Their caipirinha is quite good!
Het Pandje (*), Troyentenhoflaan 53, Berchem (at corner with Strijdhoflaan)
Classy modern restaurant with terrace; exquisite cuisine and nice ambience but quite expensive;
closed on Saturday afternoon, Sunday and Monday;
De Nachtegaal, Middelheimlaan 71, Antwerpen (at corner with Beukenlaan)
Pub + restaurant with large garden in park; this is the pub marked as 'Pub with garden' on map 2;
open every day. This is the most convenient restaurant for TPC, at 5-10 min walking distance.
Dikke Mee, Gerard Le Grellelaan 1-3, Antwerpen (at 'corner' with Beukenlaan)
Pub + restaurant wih nice garden in park; this is the place indicated in the upper left corner on map
3; open every day. Also quite convenient for TPC, takes about 10-15 min walking (simply follow
Beukenlaan straight ahead).
Melkerij Nachtegalenpark, Floraliënlaan 115, Antwerpen
Nice pub + restaurant with terrace in park; very relaxed and familial; kitchen op open every day
until 22:00 (depending on the weather)
The place is not shown on map 3 but it is located in the Nachtegalenpark - Vogelenzang near the
'dead end' of Floraliënlaan, left of the 'thick yellow' Lode Craybeckxtunnel on map 3; Very easy to
reach from MHC (5-10 min walking); follow the signs to 'Floraliënlaan 115' and subsequently
'Melkerij' or simply follow the road straight ahead (= Floraliënlaan).
The place is also very convenient for TPC delegates: simply follow Beukenlaan beyond the pub 'de
Nachtegaal' till you reach the main park entrance at your right hand (on the other side of the street is
the main entrance of park 'Den Brandt'). Enter the park and follow the road straigth ahead (follow
the signs 'Melkerij'). After a few 100m you will see the place between the trees on your left.
Danieli il Divino, Beukenlaan 12, Antwepen (adjacent to Park 'Den Brandt)
Italian restaurant with nice garden; good kitchen but quite expensive.
Ikebana (*), Grote Steenweg 333, Berchem (tram stop 'Jan Moorkensstraat' not far from Super GB)
Good Japanese-Asiatic restaurant; closed on Wednesday;
Quattro Mori (*), Grote Steenweg 373 (in front of Quick and Super GB; close to
Troyentenhoflaan)
Italian restaurant and pizzeria, open every day, except Thursday, until 22:00 23:00
Peking (*), Grote Steenweg 400 (in front of Jozef Wautersstraat)
Chinese-Asiatic restaurant
Aspendos, Strijdhoflaan 108, Berchem (near corner with Ruytenburgstraat)
Very good 'pita shoarma - kebab' bar, with small terrace; inside not very cosy, but their pitas,
shoarmas, gyros, kebabs, etc. are excellent and not too expensive! Open every day until very late at
night; also take away dishes;
Frituur Pulhof, at corner of Troyentenhoflaan and Strijdhoflaan, Berchem
Typical Belgian 'frituur' with small terrace; serves only 'French fries' either to eat at the spot or as
take away; excellent to increase your cholesterol, but tasty!!! Open every day from 17:00 till 23:00.
De Ketel, Strijdhoflaan 116, Berchem (on corner at little square where Strijdhoflaan and
Lysenstraat meet)
'Brasserie' with small terrace; simple meals; open every day from 11:00 until very late
Pulhof, Grote Steenweg 395-399, Berchem (at corner with Troyentenhoflaan)
'Brasserie' with small terrace; simple meals; closed on Monday.
De Regent, at the corner of Grote Steenweg and Lysenstraat
'Brasserie' with small terrace.
Quick, Grote Steenweg, Berchem (adjacent to Super GB supermarket)
Fast food hamburger restaurant with terrace.
'MELKERIJ' in Nachtegalenpark
Pure Pubs (or pubs with snacks):
MHC sports hall just in front of the MHC facility
De Buis, at corner of Marie-Joselaan and Hugo Verrieststraat
Den Brosser, at corner of Troyentenhoflaan and Lodewijk De Koninckstraat
PARKINGS
Both the MHC and TPC facilities have their own car parkings that you can use freely. Moreover,
there is plenty of parking space near both facilities. There is also plenty of parking space near the
congress site (see plan in the 'Travel and Accommodation information' brochure.
In the hotel and Icebreaker area, there are several guarded, indoor or underground parkings
(payable): Parking Q at Astridplein 27 (that is the closest), Parking Roosevelt at Rooseveltplaats,
Parking De Keyser in Van Ertbornstraat (cf. Hotel Keyserlei), Parking Diamant in Appelmansstraat,
and Parking Nova in Van Schoonhovenstraat.
Parking Roosevelt Parking Diamant Parking De Keyser
CONGRESS TRANSPORT
For the delegates with hotel accommodation (Tourist Hotel, Hotel Agora and Hotel Keyserlei) there
will be congress shuttle busses. They will depart from the bus stop in QUELLINSTRAAT. Their
departure time (somewhere between 8:15 and 8:30) is not yet fixed, but will be sent around later
and will be anounced at the Icebreaker. PLEASE WEAR YOUR BADGE WHEN TAKING THE
CONGRESS BUSS
WEDNESDAY ACTIVITIES
Contrary to what has been written in earlier circulars, delegates joining one of the four day trips
WILL RECEIVE A FREE LUNCH PACKAGE. Unfortunately, delegates joining the BOUILLON
trip will probably leave before breakfast is served (surely in MHC). We are currently arranging
things to accommodate this point. We keep you informed on this issue. Bouillon trippers with
accommodation in the hotels TOURIST, AGORA and KEYSERLEI will be picked up by the
excursion busses at Rooseveltplaats. For other delegates the normal congress bus service will depart
from Quellinstraat.
SMOKING
Please note that all campus facilities, including MHC and TPC are non-smoking areas. Smoking is
neither allowed in pubs and restaurants, except if there is a 'smoking room'.
A TASTER OF ANTWERP....
Cathedral and Groenplaats at dusk Guild houses at Grote Markt
The Vlaaikensgang Maritime museum in Castle 'Het Steen' (first
built around 1200)
Skyline by night with Cathedral and Boerentoren Museum 'Vleeshuis' (1500)
(history, music, art)
Museum 'Mayer Van Den Bergh' (16th century) with Flemish Primitives and other fine arts...
such as the famous painting 'Dulle Griet' (Mad Meg) of Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1562)
Museum 'Rockoxhuis' (17th century)
Museum 'Plantijn Moretus' old printing house (16th century): currently there is a very interesting
exhibition about illustrations of animals in old books
Bourla theatre Carolus Boromeus church
(paintings by Rubens)
Royal Museum of fine arts (Rubens...) Fashion Museum
Modern architecture: the new 'Palace of Justice'
Antwerp is a major harbour as well
Although considered not very attractive, the area around ANTWERPEN-BERCHEM railway
station offers a very interesting neighbourhood with 'Art Nouveau' houses (Cogels Osylei and
adjacent streets; the photographs here below give only a very 'soft' impression... the most exuberant
and special examples are not shown). From this area it is 5-10 min walking to the Dageraadplaats
where there are several good pubs and restaurants.
Art Nouveau in Cogels Osylei area:
BUT THERE IS MUCH MORE TO SEE AND TO DO IN
ANTWERP....
FOR YOU TO DISCOVER IT!!!
WE HOPE YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR STAY