Keynote Lectures 2027
GANS Lecture
Prof. Keiichi Sato
President,Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium
Topic: Shark in the Pacific Ocean
Professor Keiichi Sato, President of the world-renowned Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, will be our distinguished speaker for this year's GANS lecture at Okinawa. As a leading authority in marine biology, Professor Sato will share his extensive expertise and captivating insights on the lives, behaviors, and ecological roles of sharks in the Pacific Ocean. He will guides us through this fascinating exploration of these magnificent apex predators.
Ryukyu Lecture
Prof. Hiroo Takehara
Past president of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Surgeons (JSPS)
Topic: The Journey That Led to LPEC: Serendipity, Keen Observation, and Innovation
The upcoming Ryukyu Lecture features Prof. Hiroo Takehara, a distinguished pediatric surgeon and past president of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Surgeons (JSPS). In his presentation, "The Journey That Led to LPEC: Serendipity, Keen Observation, and Innovation," Prof. Takehara will share his firsthand experience inventing and refining Laparoscopic Percutaneous Extraperitoneal Closure (LPEC) for hernia repair. As the pioneering force behind this minimally invasive technique, he will provide unique insights into the initial clinical challenges he faced, his surgical breakthroughs, and the journey of establishing LPEC as a widespread standard of care worldwide.
JPS Lecture
Anthony David Sandler, MD
Senior vice president and surgeon-in-chief of the Joseph E. Robert, Jr., Center for Surgical Care
Anthony D. Sandler, M.D., is senior vice president and surgeon-in-chief of the Joseph E. Robert, Jr., Center for Surgical Care and also the director of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Hospital. He is the Diane and Norman Bernstein professor in Pediatric Surgery and also a principal investigator in the Immunology Initiative of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation.
Dr. Sandler is internationally known for his work on childhood solid tumors and operative repair of certain congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal tract.