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March 2026 Newsletter

   

News

   

Capture the Signal: NMD4C Image Competition Now Open!

We are excited to share the launch of our Image Competition Signals That Move Us which is open for submissions until May 5th. Send in your images of neuromuscular science and let your images tell the story of how signals become strength! This competition is open to all NMD4C trainees, and the top 3 images will win $300, $200, and $100, respectively. Check out our website for more information on eligibility, submission criteria, and a link to the submission form.

Meet the Newest Faces of the BSTC!

We are so excited to introduce the new members of the NMD4C Basic Science Trainee Committee! This enthusiastic group of researchers from across the country is stepping up to contribute to some of our most important initiatives for trainees. From developing new SOPs and launching a podcast to building out our mentorship programs and social media presence, these members are dedicated to strengthening the neuromuscular research community.
Please join us in welcoming our new subcommittee team members:

We’re lucky to have their expertise and energy on board to help support the next generation of scientists!

     
   
   

CPD-Accredited DMD in the New Steroid Age: Practical Considerations

NMD4C and Muscular Dystrophy Canada are pleased to invite you to our next CPD‑accredited webinar Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in the New Steroid Age: Practical Considerations. This session is designed for clinicians, researchers, and trainees with an interest in neuromuscular diseases.

Chair: Dr. Leanne Ward

Speakers: 

  • Dr. Anne Marie Sbrocchi: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in the Evolving Steroid Era: Practical Neuromuscular and Endocrine Considerations
  • Dr. Jean Mah: Vamorolone: A novel treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)

Details: 

  • Date: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 
  • Time: 5-6 pm ET
Learning Objectives: 
  1. Review DMD pathophysiology
  2. Summarize current glucocorticoid treatment approaches in DMD
  3. Present data on vamorolone for treatment of DMD
  4. Identify key endocrine complications of long-term glucocorticoid therapy, with emphasis on adrenal suppression, osteoporosis, growth, and weight gain.

Clinical Trial Personnel Community of Practice

Harmonized Ethical Review

Date: March 24th, 2026

Time: 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT / 11:00 AM MT / 2:00 PM AT

Presenters: Megan Allore, Maternal Infant Child Youth Research Network, Vancouver (MICYRN), and Rhiannon Hicks, London Health Sciences Centre, London (LHSC)


Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry (CNDR)

Date: May 12th, 2026

Time: 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT / 11:00 AM MT / 2:00 PM AT

Presenters: Drs. Victoria Hodgkinson & Lisa Marie Langevin, University of Calgary, Calgary


These sessions are open to all personnel involved in neuromuscular clinical trial operations. To register, please get in touch with our CoP Manager, Maria Masnata.

Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy

Community of Practice

Motivating People with Neuromuscular Disease in Performing Physical Activity and Adapted Sports

Speakers: Sarah Turgeon-Desilets, PT, MSc and Dr. Isabelle Demers, PT, PhD

Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026
Time: 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM MT / 3:00 PM AT


Teens, Sex, and Physical Disability: Practical Strategies to Support Client Goals Related to Sexual Expression

Speakers: Charise MacDonald, OT and Amanda Landry, OT
Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Time: 2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM PT / 12:00 PM MT / 3:00 PM AT


To register, please contact our CoP manager Maria Masnata.

     
   

New Publications & Research

   

See a list of February 2026 publications from NMD4C members on PubMed! 

     
   

Community News 

   

WCNMC 2026: Call for Abstracts Extended

Registration is still open for the 6th Annual Western Canadian Neuromuscular Conference (WCNMC)! The deadline for oral presentation abstract submissions has been extended to April 1. The deadline for poster submissions remains September 1.

WCNMC is offering expanded opportunities for trainees, including a full day of basic science sessions running alongside clinical sessions on September 26, followed by a networking event. Clinicians, researchers, trainees, and allied health professionals are invited to submit their work. Individuals selected for oral presentations will receive conference registration reimbursement plus travel and accommodation support, while trainees presenting accepted posters will receive registration reimbursement after the conference.


Basic science trainees attending the 2026 NMD4C Annual Meeting will receive complimentary registration to the WCNMC, making this an excellent opportunity to present research and engage with the broader neuromuscular community. 

     

Register Today: Walk to Defeat Duchenne

Join the Walk to Defeat Duchenne on Sunday, May 24, 2026.


Clinics, families, and businesses are uniting from coast to coast to raise funds and awareness for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Eight teams are already registered - can your clinic rise to the challenge?


Register at walktodefeatduchenne.com, rally your team, and start fundraising. Walk, run, roll, or ride - every step fuels research, advocacy, and family support. Windmill Plastics is matching the first $5,000 raised so your donation will go twice as far!

Opening Soon: Defeat Duchenne Canada's 2026/27 Research Grant Program

Last year, Defeat Duchenne Canada invested $1.2 million into research - advancing treatments, strengthening standards of care, and improving quality of life for all affected by DMD.


Thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters, we are ready to invest again.


The 2026/27 Research Grant Program will open March 31, inviting researchers across Canada and internationally to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) for funding consideration. Submissions will close April 28, so please share this opportunity within your networks. For questions about submitting an LOI, contact our Director of Research and Education, Jennifer DiRaimo: jennifer.diraimo@defeatduchenne.ca.

     

15th International Myotonic Dystrophy Consortium Meeting (IDMC-15) – Registration is still Open!

Registration for the IDMC-15 is still open! The event will offer an incredible opportunity to learn about recent advancements, exchange ideas, and build connections among all those involved in the field of myotonic dystrophy: researchers, clinicians, patients, patients partners, patient associations, and representatives and professionals from the pharmaceutical industry. 
  • Date: May 26-30, 2026 
  • Location: Hôtel Le Montagnais, Chicoutimi, Québec

     

From Foundations to System-Level Change: RareKids-CAN’s Next Chapter

RareKids‑CAN’s revised strategic plan marks a shift from supporting individual pediatric rare disease clinical trial projects to driving broader system‑level change. The new direction focuses on strengthening how children, families, and researchers connect and share information, while advancing policy reforms that improve access to clinical trials and treatments for children with rare diseases in Canada.


Their priorities include:

  1. Strengthening Pediatric Rare Disease Clinical Trial Capacity and Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product Readiness
  2. Optimizing Participant/Site/Trial Matching
  3. Driving Regulatory Reform and System Innovation

Read the full strategic plan here.

     
   
   

ERN Euro-NMD Image Training:
2026 On-site Muscle and Nerve Imaging Training Programme

Exciting Opportunity for HPCs: Apply for the 2026 On-Site Muscle and Nerve MRI Training 
ERN EURO-NMD invites its Healthcare Providers to apply for the On-site Muscle and Nerve Imaging Training Programme, starting in May 2026. The deadline for applications is 31 March 2026 (23:59 CET). 

Stem Cell Network's Training Opportunities

Clinical Translation in Cell and Gene Therapy

A high-level introduction to how cell and gene therapies move from the lab to clinical trials. By walking through the major stages of translation, expert speakers will highlight the scientific, logistical, and regulatory hurdles that make this translational pathway uniquely complex. 

This webinar is ideal for trainees and highly qualified personnel who are interested in learning more about how cell or gene therapies are advancing toward clinical application. 

Date: March 4, 2026
Time: 1-2:30 pm ET

Careers Beyond Academia: Entrepreneurship

This series is designed for research trainees (graduates, students, post-docs, research associates, technicians, etc.) who are interested in hearing from professionals working in the life sciences industry and are planning their future career development. Emphasis will be on careers available after a graduate degree (MSc or PhD) in the life sciences, and particularly in stem cells/regenerative medicine where possible.

Date: March 18, 2026 

Time: 12-1pm ET

RNA-seq Analysis Workshop

This workshop is designed for stem cell biologists who are looking to gain an understanding of the bioinformatics concepts and processes used to acquire, analyze, and interpret bulk and single-cell RNA-seq data.

The workshop is open to graduate students, post-docs, research associates and/or technicians currently working on a research project in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine in a Canadian lab.

Application Deadline: April 21, 2026
Date: June 1-3, 2026

AI Tools and Large Language Models for Principal Investigators in Regenerative Medicine

The goal of this session is to provide PIs with information and tools tailored to AI usage, and the related decision-making, risk mitigation, and lab-governance realities faced by PIs and research leaders deploying AI.

This workshop is open to PIs (or senior lab staff) currently leading a research group in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine at a Canadian institution.

Date: March 24, 2026
Time: 1:30-3 pm

Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation  

- 2026 Pilot Grants RFA - 

The Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (MDF) is now accepting applications for its 2026 Pilot Grants RFA. This one-year award supports researchers advancing basic, translational, or clinical research in myotonic dystrophy (DM), with a focus on treatment, care, and therapeutic development.

Proposal deadline: March 20, 2026 

University of Ottawa – Employment Opportunitiy

The University of Ottawa is accepting applications for a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in neuromuscular disease and related cardiac disorders. This clinical non tenure track position includes appointments with the Department of Medicine, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, and the Brain Heart Interconnectome program. 

Application deadline: April 4, 2026
     

Applying for a Grant?  We Can Help!

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