The ULF’s Annual Scientific Symposium is a gathering of the leukodystrophy community’s most prominent researchers and clinicians from around the world. The Symposium welcomes speakers to share their research, encourages partnerships and collaborations, and educates the larger academic, science, and medical community on the results of their efforts. Each year ULF hosts a full-day session that is planned by ULF’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board. Research and medical professionals, pharma/biotech representatives, advocacy leaders, as well as student scientists/clinicians are welcome to attend.
In addition to the Scientific Symposium, this year’s conference highlights include:
Dr. Paul A Watkins Excellence in Research Poster Presentations Award, which nurtures future leaders in science and medicine to ensure advancement in research. Future leaders will receive awards and participate in a lightning round to discuss their projects. Abstracts are welcome from academic institutions and non-academic organizations. Please see the Call for Abstracts timeline. Submissions are due no later than April 9, 2025.
The Family Conference is where ULF will host affected families from around the world who are dealing with leukodystrophies. This will include education sessions related to leukodystrophy science and general education sessions on topics that provide important knowledge for families and caregivers. Dr. Geneviève Bernard of McGill University, and Chair of ULF’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Board, will provide a layperson’s summary of the Scientific Symposium sessions. This is to ensure that families are updated on advances in the field. Attendees include affected individuals, parents, caregivers, siblings, and extended family members who are part of the support network. The research, medical community and industry partners are also encouraged to attend.
During the Family Conference, ULF will also host our annual Patient Advocacy Group Mini-Symposiums which will be incorporated throughout the two-day Family Conference. This will enable leukodystrophy-specific advocacy groups to benefit from ULF’s research community and industry partnerships to add value to the sessions focusing on their type-specific leukodystrophy.
ULF MEDICAL AND SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
Vice Chair Keith Van Haren, MD Stanford University Medical
Director
Caroline Bergner, MD
University Hospital Leipzig
Director
Enrico Bertini, MD
Bambino Gesu’ Children’s Research Hospital
Director
Joshua Bonkowsky, MD, PhD
Primary Children’s Hospital
Director
Andrea DeBarber, PhD
Oregon Health and Science University
Director Marc Engelen, MD, PhD Amsterdam UMC
Director
Stephan Kemp, PhD
Amsterdam UMC
Director
Troy Lund, MSMS, FAAP, MD, PhD
University of Minnesota
Director
Gustavo H. B. Maegawa, MD, PhD, FACMG
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Director
Patricia L Musolino MD, PhD
Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School
Director
Christina Nemeth Mertz, PhD
Kennedy Krieger Institute
Director
Davide Tonduti, MD, PhD V. Buzzi
Children’s Hospital
Director
Adeline Vanderver, MD
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Director
Nicole I. Wolf, MD, PhD
Amsterdam UMC
Scientific Symposium Hotel Information
Eaglewood resort and spa
1401 Nordic Road, Itasca, Illinois 60143
Conveniently located to O’Hare International Airport.
Sponsorship Opportunities
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact
Diane Fennimore, Executive Director at [email protected]
2025 Sponsors
