This year the International Symposium on ALS/MND is hosted by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Muskelkranke e.V. It is 11 years since the Symposium, organised by the MND Association in collaboration with the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations, was last held in Germany. During this time there have been considerable advances in our understanding of the disease, culminating in the gene discovery breakthroughs of 2008 and 2009.
Perhaps fuelled by this exciting progress, MND investigators from around the world submitted a record number of abstracts for this year's event, topping the previous record by almost 100! The Symposium Programme Committee, chaired by Professor Pam Shaw, has shaped these into a stimulating and vibrant programme.
The meeting opens and closes with joint plenary sessions that cover the key themes of translational research and palliative care. The parallel biomedical and clinical sessions develop these themes with topics including emerging disease models, biomarkers, spiritual care and international perspectives on care management. The Programme Committee is also pleased to mark the significance of recent breakthroughs with a session dedicated to FUS mutations, whilst plenary presentations discussing exercise as a contributory factor reflect another aspect of the search for the underlying causes of the disease.
Thanks to the quality and quantity of work submitted for this year's meeting, the extensive poster session promises to encourage lively discussion, furthering the international exchange of knowledge.
Research Development Team
Motor Neurone Disease Association,
Northampton, UK
