Overviewing 2026 MDA Conference Priorities and Agenda: Angela Lek, PhD

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"The agenda continues to expand its multidisciplinary lens, bringing together researchers, clinicians, and allied health professionals to collaborate across diseases and technologies. Our goal is to spotlight innovation while addressing the real-world challenges of getting therapies to patients."

Over the years, the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Clinical and Scientific conference has become a central convening point for the neuromuscular field, bringing together clinicians, researchers, industry leaders, and patient advocates around the shared goal of accelerating progress across rare and inherited muscular diseases. As therapeutic development expands across gene therapy, RNA-based approaches, and disease-modifying small molecules, the meeting increasingly reflects where both science and clinical care are headed.

The 2026 version of the meeting will take place March 8-11 at the Hilton Orlando hotel in Orlando, Florida. This year’s meeting is expected to feature numerous intriguing presentations, spanning topics like allied health, care trends, disease mechanisms, gene therapy, muscle regeneration, and more. In addition, attendees may gain insights on broader challenges facing the neuromuscular community, such as immune responses to advanced therapies, strengthening patient registries, and navigating regulatory and financial barriers.

Ahead of the release of the 2026 conference agenda, NeurologyLive® spoke with MDA chief research officer Angela Lek, PhD, to discuss emerging themes shaping the upcoming meeting. Lek, who currently serves as a program consultant for the NIH’s Somatic Cell Genome Editing program, provided insights on how the agenda continues to adapt to the evolving needs of the neuromuscular community.

For more information about registration to the 2026 MDA Conference, click here.