JPND SYMPOSIUM 2024

The 2024 JPND /JPco-fuND 2 Final Symposium gathered more than 100 participants of JPND-supported research projects on neurodegenerative diseases for knowledge exchange and the sharing of best practices and new ideas in Brussels.

More than 100 participants of JPND-supported research projects on neurodegenerative diseases gathered at the Royal Museums of the Fine Arts of Belgium in Brussels on the 27th and 28th November 2024, to attend the much anticipated JPND /JPco-fuND 2 Final Symposium.

The two-day symposium brought together leading researchers from 34 JPND-supported projects of JPND’s annual calls of 2019 to 2021, providing them with a platform for knowledge exchange and the sharing of best research practices. Project topics presented ranged from Alzheimer’s to Parkinson’s diseases to rarer maladies such as Huntington’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Spinocerebellar Ataxia and Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD).

Professor Amouyel kickstarted the event with a brief introduction of JPND and a welcome address to the 107 participants. This was followed by the first plenary session of the day on JPND’s Global impact. The session was presented by JPND MB member Mr Peter Volasko, who shared the about the impact JPND has made in Europe and the world.

Participants proceeded to attend different scientific sessions of the 2019 to 2021 JPND calls. A total of 34 projects were represented by their project coordinators and consortia partners in parallel scientific sessions throughout the day. The six scientific sessions were grouped into different call topics, ranging from Personalised Medicine to Novel Imaging and Brain Stimulation Methods, to Linking Pre-Diagnosis Disturbances of Physiological Systems. These scientific sessions were complemented by panel discussions after the presentations. Each panel discussion was conducted by a Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) member of the JPND PPI Advisory Board, the project coordinator pitching the project and a member of the JPND Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).

The afternoon began with a plenary session titled “Translations of results and collaborations with public and private partners”. The session was chaired by Colja Laane, chair of the Dementia Research Programme and moderated by Prof Amouyel. Right after, JPND’s PPI advisory board members, Irene Hartigan, Carmel Geoghegan, Helen Rochford-Brennan, Silke Lipinski and Alexandra Rodrigues engaged audience in a lively panel discussion that emphasised the pertinence of involving patients and public in research work for neurodegenerative disease.

An audience survey session took place after the two plenary sessions of the afternoon. Participants had the chance to give their feedback on how JPcofuND2 has impacted their research projects in recent years. Participants also had various opportunities to network, discover one another’s work and research progress over coffee breaks and lunch time. Young researchers from each consortium received a chance to present their latest research findings during the Young Scientist Poster Exhibition held in the networking areas. A total of 26 posters were presented. A Young Scientist Poster Award Presentation was chaired by both Professor Amouyel and Professor Etienne Hirsch who gave out three prizes to the poster prize winning researchers.

Professor Amouyel officially closed the symposium with concluding remarks and a short presentation on the future of Brain Health. The JPND/JPcofuND 2 final symposium ended on a high note. As a platform connecting leading researchers, research consortium, stakeholders, ND patients and carers, the symposium is proof of the invaluable support JPND has offered and continues to offer to its stakeholders since its foundation in 2011.