Recap: NL-NMD Research Symposium 2026
This year, the fourth edition of the Research Symposium was held on Monday the 30th of March, after being postponed due to heavy snowfall in January. Researchers from the Netherlands Neuromuscular Center (NL-NMD; Spierziekten Centrum Nederland) came to the Amsterdam UMC from several Dutch UMCs to present and discuss their research. This year we had more than 90 attendees, a record high from last years!
The symposium featured 4 invited speakers who presented their work on a wide range of topics, including Engineered muscle tissues, long-COVID, Mitochondrial myopathies and how Duchenne affects the brain. An interesting keynote was given by Dr. Michael van Es on the challenges that arise in connecting patients to treatment after a clinical trial has been completed. These talks provided more insight into the research being performed at the Dutch UMCs, and opened up room for interesting scientific discussions.
Young researchers were also invited to show their work in short 4-minute flash presentations. In total, 19 flash presentations were given by from young researchers from the Amsterdam, Leiden, Maastricht and Radboud UMCs. Topics discussed in these flash presentations were very broad, covering topics such as DMD, Nemaline Myopathy, Myositis and medical imaging, and ranging from fundamental research to research in the clinic.
The day was concluded with a networking session while enjoying fresh pizza and (homemade) drinks. We would like to thank all contributors, especially all presenters; Coen Ottenheijm and Josine de Winter, organizing the Research Symposium; the SCN Neuromuscular Symposium Committee, and our supportive team.
NL-NMD Thesis pre-clinical thesis award 2026
The thesis awards are an initiative of the NL-NMD and its young talent program MYOS, designed to encourage and recognize emerging talent in the neuromuscular field in the Netherlands. Each year, prizes (including €500) are awarded for the best pre-clinical and clinical theses in neuromuscular disorders. This year, we received three pre-clinical thesis submissions, all of exceptional quality. Based on a weighted scoring system, the jury unanimously selected one outstanding winner.
Best pre-clinical thesis: Najoua El Boujnouni
Najoua delivered her thesis defense titled “Optimization and Personalization of Antisense Therapy for Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1” on 08-12-2025. Her research focused on advancing patient-directed antisense therapies for myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), with particular attention to disease heterogeneity and improving oligonucleotide delivery. Through her work, she provided important insights into how therapies can be tailored to individual patients, contributing significantly to the development of safer and more effective treatments. This driven and forward-thinking scientist is a highly deserving winner!
