The International Course on Extracorporeal Technologies (InterCEPT) has been established in Milan in the year 2003, and takes place on a yearly basis. Extracorporeal technologies are presently employed in many different clinical environments: cardiac surgery, intensive care, renal support, end-stage cardiac failure and many others. As a consequence, they are addressed in many different international congresses and symposia. However, at an European level, no specific scientific meeting was directly addressing the whole scenario of extracorporeal technologies, which involves the direct knowledge of many side scientific topics: contact phase reaction, immunity, inflammation, coagulation, biocompatibility, technical aspects, clinical monitoring of organ function. The aim of the Intercept is to provide, on an annual basis, an update information about all the aspects involved in the use of extracorporeal technologies. Of course, the main clinical environment remains cardiac surgery and related topics, but since the beginning many other aspects entered the scientific program of the Intercept. Not by chance, our faculty currently includes experts in cardiac surgery, cardiac anesthesia and intensive care; hematologists, immunologists, nephrologists. A specific respect has been dedicated to the practical users of cardiopulmonary bypass and ventricular assist devices: the perfusionists. Year by year, the professional profile of the perfusionist gained more and more clinical room, and nowadays the perfusionist is more than a technician: his role is entering the domain of blood processing and coagulation monitoring as the team work inside the operating room and intensive care is more and more requested to fullfil different clinical requests. The framework of the Intercept is basically intended as a theoretical and practical course, with interactive participation of the audience. Breakfast sessions and Workstations are provided to structure the learning process as a small-group, face-to-face experience between teachers and audience. The learning process continues through our website, where a selection of the lectures is available. The Intercept is endorsed by various National and International Scientific Societies. It is accredited by International CME providers as the European Board for Accreditation in Cardiology and the European Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion.