J.J. Van Loghem Previously to this symposium, five others have taken place in Groningen. The first one in 1976. This yearly scientific happening has continued. It has greatly stimulated the in­ terest in blood transfusion and all allied disciplines in our country. It is clear that these meetings are organized not only by a good scientist, but at the same time by a gifted or­ ganizer who, as director of the Red Cross Blood Bank Gro­ ningen-Drenthe, has shown that the heavy load of daily routine work can very well be combined with a large amount of experimental and clinical research in blood component therapy, coagulation disorders, blood group genetics and serology, the latter in cooperation with the Blood Group laboratory of the University Hospital Groningen under the directorship of Dr. Van Dijk. All these activities show how much a well-organized blood bank can contribute to a national blood transfusion orga­ nization.