Blog Post: Getting Ready for the 2026 MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference

It’s that time of year when we come together to connect, share, learn—while accelerating progress in neuromuscular (NMD) healthcare and scientific progress.

This conference is one of the most meaningful gatherings in the (NMD) community—bringing together clinicians, researchers, industry partners, advocates and individuals living with NMD. The four-day conference promises rich content, networking, and collaboration across the entire NMD landscape. Join us March 8–11, 2026, at the Hilton Orlando in Orlando, Florida.

Here’s your insider’s guide to attending, registering, and making the most of the experience.

Who Can Attend & How to Register

2025 MDA Clinical Scientific Conference

Whether you’re a clinician, researcher, caregiver, patient, industry partner or advocate, this conference is for you. A few important registration details:

• Registration for all attendees is open.
• For patients, caregivers and MDA volunteers who are registered with MDA: you may attend in person at a discounted rate (spaces are limited), or virtually at no cost.
• To attend: if you are a patient, caregiver, or volunteer, please complete the verification form. Once your status is confirmed, you’ll receive a separate registration link. Early-bird registration deadline: December 31, 2025.

Tip: Since the hotel block is limited and will fill fast, register early and book your stay as soon as your spots are confirmed—especially if you’re coordinating travel for a group or need accessible accommodations.

Agenda Tracks

Below is a list of the major content tracks for the 2026 conference. These tracks reflect the full spectrum of research, care and advocacy—all in the voice of innovation and impact. You can also view the full agenda here.

• Allied Health
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Care Trends
• Disease Mechanism & Therapeutic Strategy
• Drug Development Considerations
• Lab To Life
• Neurology

This robust agenda reflects the full spectrum of the neuromuscular disease ecosystem—from bench to bedside, policy to practice, care to cure.

A few words from MDA’s interim Chief Research Officer, Angela Lek, PhD

How do you choose each year what specific topics are most relevant for this group of almost 2000 clinicians and researchers who attend?

2025 MDA Clinical Scientific Conference

We get inspiration from a variety of sources. First, we send out an email to all attendees to ask for session topic suggestions for the following year. We take those results and discuss them within our team and also with our RAC members who volunteer to chair sessions related to their research expertise. Our medical advisors also offer input. We try to select topics that are timely and relevant to several diseases in our portfolio (e.g. session topic on muscle regeneration and repair, repeat expansion diseases, inherited peripheral neuropathies, inflammation and immune dysregulation, non-viral delivery approaches.)

For each lab-to-life session – these usually spotlight diseases that are closely linked (e.g. limb girdles, autoimmune NMDs, mitochondrial myopathies). Each year, we spotlight a different group in these sessions. The session can be composed of speakers who are clinicians, researchers, patient advocates.

Are there different tracks or topics that are created for clinicians versus researchers? Or is all of the content structured to be relevant to both?

Yes, we create different tracks to accommodate the different stakeholders that attend our conference – clinicians, researchers, allied health professionals. There are CME accredited sessions for clinicians.

For anyone living with neuromuscular disease who may be attending the conference either in person or virtually, what topics or sessions do you think would be most beneficial for them?

All of them? It depends on what their interest is (preclinical, clinical or care), and also what specific disease they are interested in.

Which sessions are you the most excited for this year?

This is hard. I would say the clinical trial updates session on the last day. The MDA conference is often the first forum that new clinical trial results are presented for drugs in testing. The poster sessions are also exciting because many of the data presented will be unpublished.

Anything else you would like to share about this year’s agenda or speakers?

Drug development considerations is a new track composed of the following sessions:

Next Generation Registry Development, Chair – Andre Paredes, PhD

Beyond the Science: Navigating Today’s Drug Develop Climate, Chair – Paul Melmeyer

Immune Response Considerations in Gene Therapy, Chair – Sergio Villalta, PhD

These conversations are evidence that the field is rapidly moving towards clinical translation for many of the diseases we cover.

Why This Matters & How to Make the Most of It

As we consider the intersection of community voice + research + impact, here are a few thoughts and tips:

• Connect the dots: This conference isn’t just about listening to talks—it’s about making new connections. Whether you’re a volunteer, clinician, researcher or industry partner, bring your “why” and your question. Humans × ideas × energy = progress.
• Scholarships & rates: The in-person discounted rate makes attendance more accessible—especially for patients, caregivers and volunteers.
• Virtual option: If travel is challenging due to mobility, fatigue, or scheduling needs, you can join virtually. You’ll have access to the same world-class content—just from wherever you are.
• Plan for accessibility: Book your hotel early. Request your needed accessibility features. Pre-schedule days so you don’t burn out.
• Mix sessions wisely: With so many tracks, plan your day by picking one or two key sessions per time slot, and allow buffer time for networking, rest and reflection.
• Bring your story: As a volunteer/family member/community voice, come ready to engage. Your lived experience matters just as much in the room as the data.
• Follow up: After the conference, turn inspiration into action—whether it’s a new partnership, a panel you’ll host, an article you’ll write or a volunteer initiative you’ll launch.

Conclusion

2025 MDA Clinical Scientific Conference

Let’s treat March 8–11 in Orlando not just as another item on the calendar, but our moment. Our community—those of us living with neuromuscular disease, advocating for each other, researching treatments, and showing up as professionals and volunteers—has never been stronger. The pace of discovery is fast, the stakes are real, and the opportunity to move from “what if” to “what’s next” is here.

We invite you—your voice, your curiosity, your passion—to join us in Orlando. Let’s gather, let’s learn, let’s collaborate, and let’s accelerate change for the people we serve.

Breakthrough begins when we gather.