Close
1st-2nd February, UCL Institute of Child Health
Over 330 delegates attended the inaugural scientific
meeting of the first MRC funded centre for translational research in
neuromuscular disease. The meeting was jointly hosted between by the MRC
Centre and Muscular Dystrophy UK.
This new centre aims to bring together clinicians, scientists, patient
organisations and patients in order to advance UK translational research
in neuromuscular disease. This is a particularly exciting time in the
field as a range of basic science discoveries are revealing an
increasing number of therapeutic targets. The centre aims to work with
all its partners to support the development of a trials culture for
patients with neuromuscular diseases.
The MRC Centre is a joint partnership between the Institute of Neurology UCL, the Institute of Child Health, UCL and the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. There are close links to its partner NHS organisations, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust,
Over the two days a programme of international speakers delivered state-of-the art lectures in the basic science foundations of translational research and in relation to the tools required to deliver translational research. There was also an important session which explored how the MRC Centre can contribute to developing UK patient/expert clinician networks and to TREAT-NMD. It is these networks that are critical to the delivery of effective translational research and clinical trials. Over 60 high quality posters were presented.