13^th World Congress on Itch (WCI) Heidelberg, October 12-14^th 2025

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

we are very pleased to announce the 13^th World Congress on Itch (WCI). After a superb and very successful meeting in Miami, USA in November 2023 we warmly invite you to our next meeting in Heidelberg in 2025.

The WCI is a biennial meeting of the International Forum of the Study of Itch (IFSI). IFSI is a lively multidisciplinary international society of clinicians and researchers dedicated to advancing itch research, from basic science to new drug development. As of thus, it is the only society focussed on itch with a global representation of research and clinical experts The mission of IFSI is accordingly to present an exciting and inspiring program with excellent networking opportunities. IFSI was founded in 2005, so we can together celebrate in 2025 the society’s 20th birthday.

We are witnessing exciting developments in the field that include breathtaking therapeutic advances for our patients and breakthrough developments in basic research on molecular and cellular level. The scientific program of the 13^th World Congress on Itch (WCI) will focus on these exciting aspects of itch, chronic pruritus and prurigo, including genetics, molecular mechanisms, pathophysiology, clinics, diagnostics and therapy. The Young Investigator Council (YIC) and the Special Interest Groups (SIGs) of IFSI will contribute to the program with foccussed session. Again, we will have the honorary Bernhard and Kuraishi lectures and are excited to announce already that we will have excellent expert presenting these.

We are looking forward to an excellent meeting with scientists and clinicians from different continents and countries around the world and sharing new and exciting results from the itch research. Heidelberg University was founded in 1386 and is the oldest university in today’s Germany. It is one of Europe’s most research-intensive institutions. This spirit and the wonderful city of Heidelberg will add to the pleasure of the meeting and will provide unforgettable memories beyond the science. We will make sure to keep up the optimism and atmosphere of collaboration the characterized our last meeting 2023 in Miami and – as some of you may remember – Heidelberg was the venue of the 3rd IFSI meeting in September 2005: so we will also connect to the early adventurous spirit  of this meeting 20 years later.    

See you in Heidelberg soon!

Elke Weisshaar, Martin Schmelz, Sonja Ständer, Thomas Mettang