Plenary - Day 1

Friday, 14th August 2026

Location: W Melbourne 

Dress Code: Business Casual

Day 1 will open with Paediatric Grand Rounds, featuring live patient consults and case-based discussion to anchor the program in real-world clinical decision-making.

Sessions will then explore paediatric spine care and precision surgery, alongside the complexities of neurological tolerance and deformity management across the lifespan. A series of surgical debates will examine key questions in contemporary spine practice, challenging perspectives on technique, strategy, and outcomes.

Gala Dinner - 6:30pm to 10:00pm

Friday , 14th August 2026

Location: The Trust, Melbourne

Dress Code: Lounge suit

Join us for the DDU Gala Dinner, an evening to connect, unwind, and enjoy the social highlight of the meeting alongside colleagues from across the spine community, featuring special guest speaker Captain George Kailis.

Captain George Kailis is an experienced commercial pilot and aviation leader with more than 35 years in the industry, spanning remote, regional, domestic, and international operations. A former Training Captain and Flight Operations leader with Virgin Australia, he has extensive expertise in pilot training, simulation, and competency assessment. He is also a former Vice President of the Australian Federation of Air Pilots, reflecting his longstanding commitment to advancing professional standards and aviation education.

Presentation Overview: Drawing on decades of experience in aviation training, Captain Kailis will explore the evolution of simulation in pilot training and its role in competency development and performance assessment. Through the lens of a high-reliability industry, he will share insights into how simulation supports technical proficiency, decision-making, and continuous improvement in professional practice.

Plenary - Day 2

Saturday, 15th August 2026

Location: W Melbourne 

Dress Code: Business Casual

Day 2 will explore the intersection of clinical judgement and emerging technologies, examining how innovations such as AI, robotics, and endoscopic techniques can be integrated into contemporary spine practice.

Sessions will then focus on the realities of complex care, including complications, revision strategies, and management of high-risk patients. The program will conclude with real-world case discussion, offering practical insights into decision-making, reflective learning, and the challenges of delivering spine care in diverse settings.

Meeting Convenor 

Mr Kris Lundine | Melbourne, Australia

Mr Kris Lundine is an Orthopaedic Spinal Surgeon practicing at the Royal Children's Hospital and Epworth Private Hospital in Melbourne. His practice includes both adult and paediatric spinal pathology and his primary research interest is around complex paediatric deformity surgery. Mr Lundine has also completed an MSc in Medical Education and is currently the Education Chair for the Spine Society of Australia. 

Meeting Convenor

Mr Paul Smith | Melbourne, Australia 

Mr Paul Smith is an Australian-trained Neurosurgeon providing neurosurgical and spine surgery services across Melbourne. He is Director of Neurosurgery at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne. Mr Smith undertook advanced training in the United Kingdom at Salford Royal and Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. He holds a PhD in neurogenesis, with widely cited international publications, and is actively involved in medical education and neurosurgical registrar training.

Dr Serena Hu | San Francisco, USA

Dr. Serena Hu is Professor and Chief of Spine Surgery in Orthopaedic Surgery (and by courtesy, Neurosurgery) at Stanford University. Her clinical interest in spinal deformity surgery focuses on patient outcomes, reduction of complications, and cost-effectiveness. She earned her MD from McGill University and completed her orthopaedic surgery training at the Hospital for Special Surgery. She was president of the American Orthopaedic Association (2021) and the Scoliosis Research Society (2022).   

Dr David Farrington | Sevilla, Spain

Dr Farrington is a Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon and Director of the ‘PediSpine Program’ at IHP Orthopediatrica in Seville, Spain. His clinical practice focuses on paediatric spine and complex orthopaedic conditions. An active contributor to international education and research, he holds roles with the European Paediatric Orthopaedic Society and the Journal of Children’s Orthopaedics. He is a member of multiple leading societies, including the Scoliosis Research Society, POSNA, and other international groups advancing paediatric spine care.

Prof Martin Gehrchen | Copenhagen, Denmark

Martin Gehrchen, MD, PhD, director of the Spine Unit at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, specialising in complex spine surgery, with extensive research, numerous publications, leadership roles, and multiple international awards and recognitions. 

Dr Burt Yaszay | Seattle, USA

Burt Yaszay, MD is the Chief of the Division of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine at Seattle Children's Hospital. He is a Professor and Vice Chair in the Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is board certified in Orthopaedic Surgery and a fellow of the American Orthopaedic Association.

Dr Andrew Sama | New York, USA

Dr. Andrew Sama is a board‑certified orthopaedic spine surgeon and Co‑Chief of Spine at Hospital for Special Surgery. He specialises in the surgical management of complex spinal conditions affecting the cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral spine, with expertise in minimally invasive techniques, motion‑preservation technologies, and complex reconstructive spine surgery. Dr. Sama is an Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and is actively involved in education, research, and innovation in spine biomechanics and fusion technologies.

Prof René Castelein | Utrecht, Netherlands

Professor René Castelein is Professor-Emeritus of Orthopaedic Surgery at Utrecht University Medical Center, Netherlands. Internationally recognised for his work in spinal deformity, his research has focused on the etiology and pathomechanism of idiopathic scoliosis, with particular interest in the biomechanical and genetic factors influencing spinal development and deformity progression. A three-time Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) Laureate Award recipient (2006, 2017, and 2021), Professor Castelein’s work has significantly advanced understanding of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and adult spine deformity.

Dr Dennis Hey | Singapore

Dr. Dennis Hey is a Senior Consultant (Spine Surgery) at the National University Spine Institute, also practicing at National University Hospital and Alexandra Hospital. Having trained across 30 top spine centers worldwide, he specialises in adult deformity, yet at the same time, motion-preserving and minimally invasive spine surgery. Founder of the Motion-preserving and Minimally-invasive Spine Unit, he has published over 150 scientific articles and lectures globally. He actively contributes to international spine societies, advancing surgical techniques and education.   

Dr Ou Yang Youheng | Singapore

Dr. Ou Yang Youheng is an Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Singapore General Hospital. He specialises in spine surgery, with clinical interests in the management of degenerative spinal conditions, spinal disorders, and complex musculoskeletal pathologies. He’s actively engaged in professional education and academic exchange, Dr. Ou Yang participates in regional and international spine meetings, contributing to the advancement of spine surgery through clinical practice, research, and collaboration with the global spine community. 

Prof Reuben Soh | Singapore

Dr. Reuben Soh is an orthopaedic spine surgeon in Singapore, serving as an Associate Professor and director of the Spine Service at Singapore General Hospital. His expertise includes adult and pediatric spinal deformities, complex reconstructions and he is an advocate for minimally invasive spine surgery. Actively involved in education, he is a key faculty member for the AO spine, the eccElearning Spine Surgery Education Programme and the JBJS spine surgery diploma. 

Dr Schalk Burger | South Africa

Dr Burger is a neurosurgeon with extensive experience in spinal surgery and complex neurosurgical care, both locally and internationally. His clinical interests include degenerative spinal conditions, neuro-oncology, and peripheral nerve surgery. He obtained his MBChB from the University of Pretoria in 1997 and later completed his FC Neurosurg (SA), MMed in Neurosurgery, and a Master of Laws in Medical Law and Ethics from the University of Edinburgh.

Dr Burger is actively involved in advancing spine and neurosurgical care in South Africa, having served as President of the South African Spine Society and in leadership roles with AO Spine South Africa. Outside of medicine, he is an FGHASA-accredited nature guide with a passion for ornithology.

Dr Neil Duggal | Ontario, Canada

Neil Duggal MD, MSc. FRCS(C) is a Professor and Chair of Division of Neurological Surgery at Western University in Canada. With over 100 publications, his translational research is focused on novel imaging paradigms. He performed the first artificial cervical disc replacement in North America and is recognised internationally for his contributions. He has also founded medical device companies and currently serves as CMO for Synergy Spine Solutions.

Prof Min-Seok Kang | Seoul, Korea 

Dr Kang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Konkuk University Medical Center, Korea. He has extensive experience in spine surgery across several leading Seoul institutions, including Bumin Hospital, Seoul Chuk Hospital, and Seoul Red Cross Hospital. His training includes residency and fellowship appointments at Konkuk University Medical Center. Dr Kang is actively involved in international spine education and research through memberships with organisations including the Korean Society of Spine Surgery, EUROSPINE, and the North American Spine Society.