From April 21 to 24, the XXVI Congress of the Latin American Association for the Study of the Liver is held online. An event that brings together experts in liver diseases from around the world. Dr. Carmen Espinós presented the algorithm that is applied in her laboratory for the genetic study of patients with Wilson's disease. In the same session, Dr. Javier Brahm participated showing how to approach the diagnosis of patients with hyperferritinemia, and Dr. Aurélia Poujois, an expert neurologist in the diagnosis and treatment of Wilson's disease. A very interesting session moderated by Dr. Marina Berenguer and Dr. Aldo Torre.
The Alliance of Translational Research on Rare Diseases of the Valencian Community (AITER) celebrates this year the international day of rare diseases with a virtual event organized by INCLIVA with the participation of patients and researchers. Candela Machuca will give a talk on the use of a human cell model (CPC; Cerebellar Purkinje Cell) generated for the study of the pathophysiology and search for therapies of a rare disease, PLAN (PLA2G6-associated neurodegeneration), the second most frequent form of NBIA (Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation).
The Alliance for Translational Research on Rare Diseases of the Valencian Community (AITER) has celebrated this year the world day of rare diseases in Castelló with the participation of patients and researchers. Ana Sánchez-Monteagudo gave a talk about the clinical and molecular characterization of Wilson's disease and related liver diseases.
The CIPF has organized the 5th conference of female researchers on rare diseases (February 21, 2020), promoted by Carmen Espinós. We have learned about genetics and genomics of rare diseases (Berta Fusté, Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, Barcelona); pathomechanism of Rett syndrome using a knock-out mouse (Carmen Agustín, Universitat de València); pediatric diseases of the respiratory system such as cystic fibrosis (Silvia Castillo, Hospital Clínic Universitari de València); clinical trial for spinal muscular atrophy (Inmaculada Pitarch, Hospital U. i P. La Fe, València); and multidisciplinary clinical teams for the care of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Eva Fages, C. H. de Cartagena). Moreover, our chairwomen were Teresa Ferreros and Cuca Paulo of the patient associations of X fragile chromosome and STOP-FMF (Familial Mediterranean Fever). Finally, we also had the kind collaboration of Fide Mirón, vice-president of FEDER (Spanish Federation of Rare Diseases) to close the meeting. Thanks to all of them for their selfless help!!!
The team led by Dr. Espinós has presented several communications at the annual conference of the Spanish Society of Neurology, held in Seville (19.23, November). One of them focused on the gene panel for diagnosis of ataxias and spastic paraplegia funded by crowdfunding at the Indacea platform. This genetic tool has allowed the diagnosis of 8 out of 36 patients studied. This research has been also funded by the Foundation Per Amor a l'Art (FPAA) and the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII - PI18-00147).
