AFCS launches inaugural congress

The Asian Federation of Cytology Societies held its inaugural congress in Hong Kong on May 8-10, according to the federation and the International Academy of Cytology. The meeting took place at the Postgraduate Education Centre at Prince of Wales Hospital and was co-organized with the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, the International Academy of Pathology’s Hong Kong Division and the Hong Kong Society of Cytology. AFCS describes itself as a new regional body created to link national cytology societies across Asia. The federation’s official history says the first congress followed its public launch in Florence, Italy, in May 2025. ### How new is AFCS, and who set it up? AFCS says the idea for the federation was conceived by Dr. Syed Z. Ali in 2023 after visits across Asia and discussions with colleagues. The group’s history page says Ali formally presented the proposal to Dr. Robert Y. Osamura of Japan and Dr. Gary Tse of Hong Kong, who supported creating a nonprofit organization to represent national cytology societies in Asian countries. (afcscytology.org) In January 2024, the organizers decided to name the consortium the Asian Federation of Cytology Societies, according to the same account. By June 2024, AFCS says Ali, Osamura and Tse had established the first executive council with 10 members from different Asian countries, and the council chose Osamura as inaugural president and Tse as secretary general, with the secretariat based in Hong Kong. (afcscytology.org) ### How broad is the federation’s membership? Between June and December 2024, AFCS says its leadership invited national cytology organizations from 20 Asian countries to join as companion societies. On the federation’s home page, Osamura says “twenty National Societies from all over Asia” were prepared to take part in the launch and begin collaboration in clinical practice and research. (afcscytology.org) The AFCS website presents the organization as a platform for “mutual collaborations in Clinical Cytology among Asian countries and beyond.” Osamura’s message says the federation plans to rotate its annual scientific congress among different host countries and societies. ### What happened at the Hong Kong congress itself? The AFCS congress page says the Hong Kong meeting ran from Friday, May 8, through Sunday, May 10, at Prince of Wales Hospital. (afcscytology.org) The posted program lists sessions including a thyroid symposium, country and society showcases, and talks on pancreatic, salivary gland, lung and digital cytology. Named speakers on the published program included Syed Z. (afcscytology.org) Ali, Kenichi Kakudo, Chan Kwon Jung, Yosep Chong, Sangeeta Mantoo, Mihir Gudi, Alicia Ming Xi Chia and Jonathan Jia Hao Chng. The program also listed a European Federation of Cytology Societies session chaired by Danijela Vrdoljak-Mozetić, reflecting links between the new Asian federation and established international cytology groups. (afcscytology.org) ### Where does the International Academy of Cytology fit in? The International Academy of Cytology listed the AFCS Congress 2026 on its events calendar and marked it as a past event. AFCS’s history page says Ali announced the official launch of the federation in May 2025 at the International Congress of Cytology in Florence while he was incoming president of the IAC. (afcscytology.org) The AFCS congress site also listed the International Academy of Pathology Hong Kong Division as a co-organizer, while the IAC separately scheduled a companion meeting during the Hong Kong dates. Those listings show the new federation building around existing cytology and pathology networks rather than operating as a standalone local meeting. ### What comes next after Hong Kong? (cytology-iac.org) AFCS says its second congress will be held in Sendai, Japan, in June 2027. The federation’s history page lists the Hong Kong meeting as the first congress and names Sendai as the next stop in the annual rotation. The Hong Kong congress registration page also shows the event was structured as a three-day annual meeting with paid registration tiers for pathologists, trainees, cytotechnologists and students, suggesting AFCS intends a recurring conference format. (afcscytology.org) The same page listed an optional congress dinner on May 9, 2026, as part of the inaugural gathering. (afcscytology.org 1) (afcscytology.org 2)