Advancing Neuromuscular Research and Care: Highlights from the 2025 NMD4C Annual Meeting

Last month, NMD4C hosted its 2025 Annual Meeting in Ottawa

It was a full day of collaborative sessions, strategic discussions and networking that brought together clinicians, researchers, trainees, and partners from across Canada to advance neuromuscular research and care.

Meeting highlights included:

  • A recognition ceremony celebrating Early Career awardees and NM fellowship funding recipients
  • Flash talk presentations showcasing the work of early-career researchers
  • Networking breaks to foster collaboration and community building
  • Parallel group discussions to address key priorities in neuromuscular research and care:
    • Clinical Sessions explored:
      • Implementation strategies and awareness-building for new SBMA guidelines
      • Health administrative data linkage for SBMA, OPMD, SMA, and DMD with the CNDR
      • Barriers to implementing MRI and ultrasound into clinical practice
      • Planning for gene therapy in Canada
      • Development of combination treatment guidelines for SMA
      • Establishing and integrating DM1 outcome measures with CNDR datasets
    • Cross-disciplinary and Basic Science Sessions focused on:
      • Collaborative grant design and funding pathway exploration
      • Academic retention and postdoc-to-PI transition support
      • Enhancing access to shared resources and fostering preclinical-clinical collaborations
      • Synthesizing insights to prioritize next steps for cross-disciplinary initiatives

We extend our sincere thanks to our funders — Muscular Dystrophy Canada (MDC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) — and to all members, discussion leads, and partners who contributed to the success of this event.

Together, we are strengthening Canada’s neuromuscular research and care community.

We look forward to hosting our 2026 Annual Meeting just ahead of the WCNMC 2026 in Calgary on September 25, 2026!

 

See snapshots of the annual meeting in Our Gallery

2025 NMD4C ANNUAL MEETING

Read next...

NEWS_ Nomination and Application Deadlines

2026 NMD4C Application & Nomination Deadlines

As we start the new year, three important NMD4C opportunities are approaching their deadlines. Members are invited to nominate a researcher or publication for the Annual NMD4C Awards, apply to join the Basic Science Trainee Committee (BSTC), and apply to attend the 2026 NMD4C Basic Research Summer School, taking place June 8–10 under the leadership of Dr. Mireille Khacho. Registration for the summer school is free, with travel and accommodations covered for non‑local trainees.

Website - NMD 2026 Fellows

Announcing the 2026 Neuromuscular Postdoctoral Fellowship Funding Recipients! 

Together with Muscular Dystrophy Canada (MDC), we’re excited to share that the 2026 Neuromuscular Postdoctoral Research Fellows have been awarded! This year’s competition provided salary support for two exceptional early‑career scientists to pursue postdoctoral research in Canadian laboratories dedicated to advancing neuromuscular research. Successful applicants will receive $40,000 in funding over a one-year period.

Web - NMD4C Website Updates Resource & Training Hubs

NMD4C Website Updates: Resource & Training Hubs

We’re excited to share some updates to the NMD4C website! We’ve created two hubs, the Resource Hub and the Training Hub to make it easier for all our members to find e-learning tools, and research resources!