Harald Klüter1, Birgit Gathof2, Peter Schlenke3. 1. DGTI President; Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Immunology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. 2. Congress President DGTI 2017; Institute of Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany. 3. Editor-in-Chief; Department for Blood Group Serology and Transfusion Medicine, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria.