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Abstract

AIM

The activities carried out by the Association in the second trimester 2023 mainly focused on the organization of the 23rd National Congress, which taken place in Padua from 8 to 10 June 2023. The scientific program was very attractive and intensive, with 9 lectures, 4 workshops, 4 symposia and 1 round table with the Patients and Parents Associations. The conference, organized by a teaching staff of high scientific level and enriched by the presence of important international speakers, was a unique opportunity to present the latest innovations in the diagnosis and management of patients suffering from neuromuscular diseases. It was a great success in terms of participations, with more than 450 people (the highest ever). The Congress concluded the works with the assignment of n. 7 prizes to young researchers:

1. the “Giovanni Nigro Prize” for the best oral communication on muscular dystrophies, kindly offered by the Neapolitan Association Gaetano Torre Centre for Muscular Dystrophies, was awarded to dr. Domenico Gorgoglione (University of Padua) for the contribution “Natural history of Becker muscular dystrophy: a retrospective multicentre study”;
2. the “Parent Project Italia” prize for the best oral communication was awarded to dr. Pietro Riguzzi (University of Padua), for the contribution “Dystrophin and utrophin quantitation by targeted mass spectrometryin Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy”;
3. the “AIM” prize for the best oral communication was awarded to dr. Jacopo Morroni (University of Rome, Gemelli Hospital) for the contribution “In vitro effects of Rituximab on peripheral B cell subsets of patients with Myasthenia Gravis”;
4. the “AIM” prize for the best poster was awarded to Dr. Serafina Pacilio (University of Bologna) for the contribution “In vitro electrostimulation assay for functional evaluation of engenieered skeletal muscle tissue”;
5. the “AltroDomani” prize for the best poster was awarded to dr. Stefano Cotti Piccinelli (University of Brescia) for the contribution: “LAMOTRIGINE as an anti-myotonic agent in Myotonic Dystrophy typ 1: an open-label single center pilot study”;
6. the “GFB” prize for the best poster on Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophies was awarded to dr. Alberto Benetollo (Universiity of Padua) for the contribution “A potential treatment for sarcoglycanopathy: pharmacological profile of C17 CFTR corrector and its efficacy with a new regimen of administration”;
7. the AIM special Price “Nereo Bresolin” was awarded to dr. Giulia Tammam (University of Pavia) for the contribution “Why am I cramping? Think beyond obvious”.

The next Congress of the Italian Association of Myology will take place in Rome, from 5 to 8 June 2024.
In the third trimester, the Association supported and endorsed many other events, such as the Pisa Neurological days hosting the Symposium of the Italian clinical group of FSHD, the Genomit Initiative and the Pisa Muscle Award will take place in the second part of the year (November 16-18, 2023). The Association also contributed to the development and organization of the 4th eNMD Congress, which will be held in Munich from 2-4 November (see pp. 97-104). In this event, many AIM members will have the opportunity to present poster and oral presentations. The proceedings of the Congress will be available online in Acta Myologica.

MSM

Due to pandemics, the 14th Meeting of the Mediterranean Society of Myology (MSM) is moved to the 2025. Proposals to organize and host the event are welcome.

NIL

The Italian Laminopathies Network Association (ILNA) was established as a legal entity in Bologna on July 14, 2023, with the aim to promote biomedical and clinical research on Laminopathies. The Association is open to all those who want to share its perspectives, statute and regulations. The first ordinary assembly of the Association will be held on October 13th in Bologna, during the the XXVII Meeting of the Italian Laminopathies Network. On this occasion the election of the Board of Directors will take place.

WMS

The 28th International Annual Congress of the World Muscle Society will take place on 3rd-7th October 2023, in Charleston, South Carolina. United States. The congress venue is the Charleston Convention Center at 5001 Coliseum Drive, it is part of the Coliseum, Performing Arts Center, and Convention Center campus.

Both oral presentations and e-posters will be available via the platform and app for delegates who wish to participate virtually. Following the longstanding tradition of the WMS, the meeting will be preceded by a teaching course, on 2-3 October 2023. Contributions about new advances across the neuromuscular field will be very welcome. The main thematic topics of this congress focused on translational medicine are:
• Topic 1: Understanding phenotypic and genetic diversity in neuromuscular disorders
• Topic 2: Pathobiology of neuromuscular expansion disorders
• Topic 3: The effect of lifestyle, exercise and nutrition on neuromuscular pathology and outcomes.

Further information is available at the Congress website https://www.wms2023.com