Programme

See below for the provisional programme of the 32nd International Symposium on ALS/MND which will be held virtually on 7-10 December 2021.

This includes platform presentations made up of cutting-edge research talks with live Q&As at the end of each session, and discussions from our invited plenary speakers, award presentations, and live poster sessions. Please note that the programme may be subject to change.

The published abstract book will be available in mid-November 2021.

There will also be networking opportunities, industry-led sessions and the ePoster Hall (to preview over 350 posters before the live poster sessions) will be available throughout the virtual event.

DAY 1 (Tuesday 7 December)

SESSION 1: OPENING SESSION
GMTESTJSTPRESENTATIONSPEAKER
1400 - 14050900 - 09052300 - 2305Welcome to the 32nd International Symposium on ALS/MND
1405 - 1445

0905 - 09452305 - 2345The Stephen Hawking Memorial Lecture: Introduction
C01 CRISPR: The Science and Opportunity of Genome Editing
Discussion/Questions		L Hawking (UK)
J Doudna (USA)
1445 - 14550945 - 09552345 - 2355International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations
Forbes Norris and Humanitarian Awards
1455 - 15100955 - 10102355 - 0010IPG Award and winner’s research presentation

BREAK (15 MINUTES)

 

SESSION 2: CLINICAL TRIALS
GMTESTJSTPRESENTATIONSPEAKER
1525 - 15450925 - 09452325 - 2345 C02 ALS Drug Development Programs 2021: Overview of the international ALS drug development programs with the integration of Biomarkers in Early Phase development programs A Genge (Canada)
1545 - 15550945 - 09552345 - 2355C03 Long-term functional benefits and safety of a fixed-dose coformulation of sodium phenylbutyrate and taurursodiol in ALSS Paganoni (USA)
1555 - 16050955 - 10052355 - 0005C04 Long-term follow-up of masitinib study AB10015 shows prolonged survival in patients that start treatment prior to severe impairment of functionalityA Ludolph (Germany)
1605 - 16151005 - 10150005 - 0015C05 NurOwn targets multiple disease pathways in ALS Phase 3 TrialR Brown (USA)
1615 - 16401015 - 10400015 - 0040Discussion/Questions

BREAK (15 MINUTES)

 

LIVE POSTER SESSION A

GMT 16:50 - 18:20   |   EST 11:50 - 13:20   |   JST 01:50 - 03:20

 

 

DAY 2 (Wednesday 8 December)

LIVE POSTER SESSION B

GMT 12:15 - 13:45   |   EST 07:15 - 08:45   |   JST 21:15 - 22:45

 

BREAK (15 MINUTES)

 

SESSION 3: METABOLISM AND NUTRITION
GMTESTJSTPRESENTATIONSPEAKERPARALLEL SESSION
1400- 14250900- 09252300- 2325C06 Optimising nutrition for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosisC McDermott (UK)1400-1430Networking
1425- 1440
0925- 09402325- 2340C07 The combined study of gut microbiota and metabolomics of early-stage ALS patientsM Zhang (China)
1440- 14550940- 09552340- 2355C08 Elevated levels of HDL-cholesterol at diagnosis are associated with shorter survival in patients with ALSM Janse van Mantgem (Netherlands)
1455- 15100955- 10102355- 0010Discussion/Questions

BREAK (15 MINUTES)

 

SESSION 4: CELL BIOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY
GMTESTJSTPRESENTATIONSPEAKERPARALLEL SESSION
1525 - 15501025 - 10500025 - 0050C09 Dysfunction to proteostasis mechanisms in ALS/FTDJ Atkin (Australia)1525 - 1610 Industry Sponsored Session
1550 - 16051050 - 11050050 - 0105C10 Sporadic ALS disease initiation and targeted therapy: Nuclear accumulation of CHMP7 initiates nuclear pore complex injury and subsequent TDP-43 dysfunction in sporadic and C9orf72 ALSJ Rothstein (USA)
1605 - 16201105 - 11200105 - 0120C11 Perivascular fibroblasts activity precedes the onset of ALS neurodegeneration with high plasma SPP1 associated with short patient survival S Lewandowski (Sweden)
1620 - 16351120 - 11350120 - 0135Discussion/Questions

BREAK (15 MINUTES)

 

SESSION 5: AUTONOMY AND DECISION MAKING
GMTESTJSTPRESENTATIONSPEAKERPARALLEL SESSION
1650 - 17151150 - 12150150 - 0215C12 Medical assistance in dying in SwitzerlandH Gudat (Switzerland)1650 - 1720 Networking
1715 - 17301215 - 12300215 - 0230C13 Discussing personalised prognosis of survival in ALS: A qualitative study of experiences of patients, caregivers and physiciansR van Eenennaam (Netherlands)
1730 - 17451230 - 12450230 - 0245C14 IMPACT ALS Europe – a European survey of people living with ALSM Heverin (Ireland)
1745 - 18001245 - 13000245 - 0300Discussion/Questions

 

DAY 3 (Thursday 9 December)

SESSION 6: DISEASE MODELS
GMTESTJSTPRESENTATIONSPEAKERPARALLEL SESSION
1400 - 14250900 - 09252300 - 2325C15 iPSCs as a model for neurodegeneration disease: myths and truthsL Studer (USA)1400 - 1445Industry Sponsored Session
1425 - 14400925 - 09402325 - 2340C16 ALS drug discovery using AI platform with patient iPSC panelK Imamura (Japan)
1440 - 14550940 - 09552340 - 2355C17 Cortical hyperexcitability causes TDP-43 proteinopathyB Turner (Australia)
1455 - 15100955 - 10102355 - 0010Discussion/Questions

BREAK (15 MINUTES)

 

SESSION 7: TRANSLATING RESEARCH FROM TARGETS TO TRIALS
GMTESTJSTPRESENTATIONSPEAKER
1525 - 15451025 - 10450025 - 0045C18 AI-augmented search for disease-modifying treatments: A new era in ALS drug discoveryJ Hunter (UK)
1545 - 16051045 - 11050045 - 0105C19 How important are biomarkers in drug development?R Bowser (USA)
1605 - 16251105 - 11250105 - 0125C20 Innovative trial designs for proof of concept and beyondR Roubenoff (USA)
1625 - 16351125 - 11350125 - 0135Discussion/Questions

BREAK (15 MINUTES)

 

LIVE POSTER SESSION C

GMT 16:50 - 18:20   |   EST 11:50 - 13:20   |   JST 01:50 - 03:20

 

 

DAY 4 (Friday 10 December)

LIVE POSTER SESSION D

GMT 12:15 - 13:45   |   EST 07:15 - 08:45   |   JST 21:15 - 22:45

 

SESSION 8: COGNITIVE CHANGE
GMTESTJSTPRESENTATIONSPEAKERPARALLEL SESSION
1400 - 14250900 - 09252300 - 2325C21 Measuring cognitive change in ALS/MND S Abrahams (UK)1400 - 1445Industry Sponsored Session
1425 - 14400925 - 09402325 - 2340C22 Cognitive and neuropsychiatric endophenotypes among asymptomatic relatives from C9orf72 repeat expansion kindredsM Ryan (Ireland)
1440 - 14550940 - 09552340 - 2355C23 Non-motor impairment across the ALS-FTD spectrum: factors that influence disease severity and progressionE Devenney (Australia)
1455 - 15100955 - 10102355 - 0010Discussion/Questions

BREAK (15 MINUTES)

 

SESSION 9: CLINICAL MANAGEMENT
GMTESTJSTPRESENTATIONSPEAKERPARALLEL SESSION
1525 - 15501025 - 10500025 - 0050C24 The Diagnostic Pathway in ALS: Can we do better?O Hardiman (Ireland)1525 - 1555Networking
1550 - 16051050 - 11050050 - 0105C25 Patterns of genetic testing among patients with ALS: real-world results from the United States and EuropeK Stenson (USA)
1605 - 16201105 - 11200105 - 0120C26 Reliability and feasibility of unsupervised vital capacity testing at home in patients with MNDJ Helleman (Netherlands)
1620 - 16351120 - 11350120 - 0135Discussion/Questions

BREAK (15 MINUTES)

 

SESSION 10: CLOSING SESSION
GMTESTJSTPRESENTATIONSPEAKER
1650 - 16551150 - 11550150 - 0155Invitation to San Diego 2022
1655 - 17151155 - 12150155 - 0215C27 Gene therapy: Prospects and pitfallsL Bruijn (Switzerland)
1715 - 17351215 - 12350215 - 0235C28 Technology to empower living with ALS/MNDS Gleason (USA)
1735 - 17451235 - 12450235 - 0245Discussion/Questions
1745 - 18001245 - 13000245 - 0300Healey Center Award & The Lalji Family ALS Award
1800 - 18101300 - 13100300 - 0310Final thoughts

Symposium Programme Committee

Ammar Al-Chalabi (Chair of Programme Committee), Professor of Neurology and Complex Disease Genetics, King's College London
Nick Cole, Head of Research, Motor Neurone Disease Association
Brian Dickie, Director of Research Development, Motor Neurone Disease Association
Annemarie Hübers, Associate Physician, Geneva University Hospitals
Kathi Schweikert, Consultant Neurologist, University Hospital And Rehab, Basel
Nick Goldup, Director of Care, Motor Neurone Disease Association
Markus Weber, Professor of Neurology, University of Basel
David Taylor, Vice President, Research, ALS Canada