2013 NMO Roundtable Conference

ABOUT NMO ROUNDTABLE CONFERENCE

The Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation’s (GJCF) sixth annual Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) Roundtable Conference was held November 4-5, 2013, at The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, CA.

The goals NMO Roundtable Conference were to:

• Learn about recent scientific and/or clinical advances in NMO research.
• Reconvene the “”best of the best”” in neurodegenerative disease research for the purpose of continued information sharing and facilitating further strategic partnering for NMO research.
• Align pharmaceutical, clinical and scientific strategies toward potential NMO drug discovery, and/or drug repurposing and/or clinical trials.

Based on the proven success as reported in prior conference evaluation results, as well as numerous requests from past attendees requesting time to present data, the foundation expanded the amount and scope of scientific and clinical presentations. Select NMO scientists and clinicians were allotted presentation time and/or included in panel discussions.

Targeting therapeutic and pharmaceutical strategies for clinical aspects of NMO, 39 presenters (a record number) were allowed 10 minutes each at the podium. The strategy delivered the maximum amount of critical information during the two-day period regarding scientific and clinical advancement for NMO.

Select GJCF-funded PIs as well as other international scientists and clinicians presented their scientific findings and clinical progress to attendees with the intent of addressing the current and future status of scientific research, best clinical practices and pharmaceutical pathways. These presentations and panel discussions enhanced international collaboration to help advance the scientific and clinical knowledge of and work toward treatment and a potential cure for NMO.

In all, the conference welcomed a record number of attendees from 17 countries from around the world. Over 100 scientists, researchers, clinicians and pharmaceutical leaders joined GJCF at the Hilton LAX hotel in Los Angeles, CA, to participate.

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