Expanding the Development of Cell Therapy for Muscular Dystrophy: Rita Perlingeiro, PhD

WATCH TIME: 8 minutes

"So, hopefully, you’re fixing 2 things: you’re fixing what’s missing, but also fixing the homeostasis of the muscle with healthy muscle."

Beginning on March 16th, 2025, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) will host its yearly Clinical and Scientific Conference in Dallas, Texas. The annual 4-day event brings together scientific and medical professionals, patients, and advocacy groups to explore the latest advances in the field of neuromuscular disorders.¹ The conference will feature presentations on all different types of neuromuscular diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis, Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, and much more.

In this upcoming meeting, session tracks will feature topics including strategies for regenerating muscle and nerve tissue, new insights into disease mechanisms, clinical experience in gene therapy, access and reimbursement, and clinical trial readouts. At the conference held last year, 1492 in-person and 567 virtual attended from over 30 countries, which made it the biggest global gathering of the neuromuscular disease community. For this year, those who are registered with MDA have the opportunity to partake in the virtual meeting at no-cost or may register in-person at the patient/caregiver rate until allotted spots are filled.¹

Prior to the event, conference track chair Rita Perlingeiro, PhD, a professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota, sat down with NeurologyLive^® in an interview to discuss key challenges in translating cell therapies from the lab to clinical practice for patients with muscular dystrophy. In the discussion, she explored the differences between pluripotent stem cells and more differentiated cells like myoblasts, highlighting their long-term therapeutic potential. Perlingeiro also addressed the critical role the muscle environment plays in the success of cell therapies and emphasized strategies for optimizing this environment to improve treatment outcomes.

Registration for the 2025 MDA Conference is now open! The meeting is set to be held at the Hilton Anatole, Dallas, Texas, from March 16 to 19, 2025. To register and for more information, head to www.mdaconference.org

REFERENCES
1. Registration Now Open for the 2025 MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference Featuring the Latest Innovations in Neuromuscular Disease Research and Care with Global Leaders, March 16-19 in Dallas, TX. News Release. MDA. July 30, 2024. Accessed September 25, 2024. https://www.mda.org/press-releases/2024/registration-now-open-for-the-2025-mda-clinical-and-scientific-conference-featuring-the-latest-innovations-in-neuromuscular-disease-research-and-care-with-global-leaders-march-16-19-in-dallas-tx