Dear BMLA members, colleagues and friends,

I'm delighted to announce the 43rd Annual Conference of the British Medical Laser Association at King's House Conference Centre, Manchester, from 19 to 21 May 2027. Manchester has hosted many BMLA conferences over the years, and it's good to be going back.

My first BMLA meeting was in 2009, shortly after I started working with medical and aesthetic lasers. I arrived as a trainee scientist with a lot to learn, and I've been coming back ever since. This will be my first conference as President, following my election in Solihull in May 2026.

Looking back, the BMLA shaped my career in many ways. It gave me opportunities to learn, to take on responsibilities and to help shape how we approach medical and cosmetic lasers. Many of the people I met along the way became colleagues, mentors and friends. I hope you find the same welcome. Ask questions in the sessions, over coffee and lunch, at the evening events, or by getting in touch after the conference. Everyone here was new once, and you'll find people happy to share what they know. Whether you're just starting out, building your practice or looking for a new challenge, there's something here to help you take the next step, wherever that leads.

The BMLA is unique in how it brings together doctors, surgeons, nurses, therapists, scientists, technicians, vets, researchers and industry, and our conferences work because people are willing to share their experience, including what hasn't worked. You don't need to be an established expert to contribute. Some of the best conversations start with a simple question, and some of the best talks are someone's first.

In Solihull we honoured Mr Vasant Oswal and Mrs Nirmal Oswal for their enormous contribution to laser education and to the BMLA. Their names will stay at the heart of our conference. The Vasant Oswal Oration continues, and the Shark Tank becomes the Nirmal Oswal Research Prize.

The Shark Tank went down very well in Solihull, so please enter, if you're brave enough! Bring an idea for a new device, technique, service or product, put it in front of our panel and audience, and see what they make of it. It might be something you've worked on for years or something that occurred to you last week. You don't need all the answers, just an idea and the courage to have it challenged.

We also welcome abstracts for oral presentations. I'd especially like to hear from trainees and first-time presenters. There's no friendlier place to give your first talk.

Wednesday 19 May is courses day, starting with the Core of Knowledge. This year's specialist courses have been refreshed. Dr Samira Syed is running the vascular course, and Mr Quentin Frew and Dr Sajjad Rajpar are taking on ablative lasers and scars. Kerry Belba and Dr Samantha Hills are covering tattoo removal, Prof. Reem Hanna is leading photobiomodulation and Prof. Vishal Madan is teaching on skin of colour. In the evening there's a welcome reception, which is a good chance to meet people before the main conference begins.

On 20 and 21 May, alongside our skin and aesthetic laser sessions, we'll also have dedicated sessions for nurses, aestheticians and therapists. Following positive feedback from our last conference, we'll be integrating veterinary laser work through the whole programme. Our veterinary colleagues have given us some fresh perspectives over the last few years, and in the spirit of One Health I hope we'll see some unexpected conversations and collaborations.

Industry has always been part of the BMLA, and that matters more than ever. The way we use lasers in practice has developed through genuine cooperation between clinicians, scientists and the companies that design, make and support our equipment. That relationship works in both directions. Manufacturers and suppliers come to the BMLA to hear what we need, what works in the clinic and what doesn't, just as we come to find out what's possible and what's on the horizon. Our sponsors and exhibitors make this conference possible, so please make time to visit the exhibition and get to know them.

There will also be time to enjoy Manchester, including our conference dinner at the Manchester Museum on Thursday, which should be a night to remember.

Registration and submissions open soon, and you'll find all the details on this website.

Come to learn, but also come to ask questions, share your experience and meet people. You never know where your first BMLA conference might lead.

Kind Regards,

Dr Tom Lister

BMLA President