New York, July 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) today announced that registration is now open for the 2027 MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference, taking place March 21–24, 2027, at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida. Recognized as the leading international meeting dedicated to neuromuscular diseases, the conference convenes renowned researchers, clinicians, affiliated health care providers, academicians, advocates, industry innovators, and advocacy leaders at a moment when scientific discovery is accelerating across the field. The program will feature plenary sessions, thematic sessions, industry sponsored forums and hundreds of peer-reviewed abstracts highlighting advances in next-generation clinical trial design, biomarker development, therapeutic delivery systems, gene and RNA-targeted therapies, and AI-enabled drug discovery that are reshaping how neuromuscular diseases are understood, treated, and managed, underscoring a central reality driving the field forward: time is muscle. Early bird registration is available through December 31, 2026.
“Neuromuscular research is entering a period of unprecedented acceleration,” said Sharon Hesterlee, PhD, President and CEO of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. “We are seeing breakthroughs move from discovery to clinical application faster than ever before, driven by advances in genetics, data science, and emerging technologies. The MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference is where that momentum converges, bringing the global community together to transform promising discoveries into the next generation of treatments, care, and scientific understanding.”
Scientific & Clinical Program
The program will include five tracks and 80 sessions highlighting advances across rare and ultra-rare neuromuscular diseases, including muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD), myasthenia gravis (MG), myotonic dystrophy (DM), spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), among many others.
“The greatest advances in neuromuscular disease happen when science, care, and advocacy move in alignment,” said Angela Lek, PhD, Chief Research Officer, Muscular Dystrophy Association. “This conference brings those domains together at a critical moment for the field, where advances in AI, precision medicine, and collaborative research are helping to accelerate discovery and bring meaningful therapies to people living with progressive disease faster than ever before.”
Through more than 130 active research grants, MDA supports an international network of investigators advancing discoveries that accelerate the development of treatments for neuromuscular diseases. This ecosystem is tightly integrated with the MDA Care Center Network, where many Care Center Directors and affiliated healthcare providers convene at the conference and serve as leading sites for neuromuscular clinical trials. Together, this unified infrastructure connects global research with expert clinical care, accelerating the development of new therapies, and helping ensure that scientific advances move more efficiently from laboratory discovery to patient treatment.
“The future of neuromuscular medicine depends on how effectively we translate scientific discovery into real-world therapies,” said Barry Byrne, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Advisor and Board Member at the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and Associate Chair of Pediatrics and Director of the Powell Gene Therapy Center at the University of Florida. “The MDA Clinical and Scientific Conference is the best opportunity to link early discoveries with new opportunities for clinical care. Clinicians, researchers, and industry partners directly interact and help to advance the science and shorten the path from bench to bedside. Every year, we see ideas presented at conference evolve into the next generation of treatments.”
Watch Dr. Byrne’s video here.
Abstract Submission
The abstract submission portal is now open here. Researchers are invited to submit work in basic, translational, clinical, and implementation science. Accepted abstracts will be presented in poster sessions, with select submissions chosen for oral presentations.
- Final Abstract Submission Deadline: December 14,2026
- Late-breaking abstract portal opens: January 18, 2027
- Final abstract notifications distributed: January 25, 2027
- Late-breaking abstract portal closes: February 18, 2027
- Embargo lift: March 21, 2027, at 6pm ET
Public Policy & Advocacy
“The NeuroMuscular Advocacy Collaborative (NMAC) convening at the MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference brings together patient advocacy organizations across the neuromuscular community to align on shared priorities and strengthen collective impact,” said Paul Melmeyer, MPP, Executive Vice President, Public Policy & Advocacy, Muscular Dystrophy Association. “That collaboration ensures that as science advances, it translates more quickly into access to treatments, stronger caregiver support, and policies that enable independence, inclusion, and full participation in society.”
Neuromuscular advocacy organizations are invited to participate in the Patient Advocacy Pavilion and dedicated NMAC convenings focused on advancing shared priorities in research, clinical trial readiness, access to care, and public policy.
Patient and Community Participation
While designed primarily for researchers, clinicians, healthcare professionals, and industry leaders, the conference reflects MDA’s commitment to ensuring people living with neuromuscular diseases remain central to scientific progress. People and families registered with MDA are invited to participate virtually at no cost or attend in person at a reduced registration rate, providing opportunities to engage with emerging science, hearing directly from experts, and connect with the broader neuromuscular community. Community members may apply here. Once verified by MDA, applicants will receive a separate email containing a registration link for the conference.
Join the Conversation
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Media contact: press@mdausa.org
About the MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference
MDA is the convener of the largest global gathering of the neuromuscular disease community. The four-day international event will bring together renowned researchers, clinicians, affiliated health care providers, academicians, advocates, and industry leaders to explore the latest advances in the field of neuromuscular disease. Last year’s MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference included over 2,400 attendees (2,034 in-person; 440 virtual) from over 40 countries with 7 specialized tracks, 32 sessions, 195 speakers, 50 exhibitors, 20 industry forums, over 500 posters, 63 oral poster presentations, and 27 patient advocacy organizations exhibiting (with 31 organizations participating in the NMAC meeting). This conference serves as a vital platform for knowledge-sharing and collaboration.
About Muscular Dystrophy Association
Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has been at the center of progress for people living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and over 300 other neuromuscular conditions for over 75 years. We unite researchers, clinicians, advocates, and families to speed the pace of discovery, improve access to expert care, and ensure inclusion in every aspect of life. Our mission is simple: give the people we serve the tools and opportunities to live longer, more independent lives. To learn more visit mda.org. Follow MDA on social media on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Attachments
- 2027 MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference – Registration Now Open
- 2027 MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference
Mary Fiance, National Vice President, Strategic Communications Muscular Dystrophy Association press@mdausa.org
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