The 2024 AD/PD International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease and related neurological disorders will be held on March 5-9 in Lisbon, Portugal, and online. Each year, the AD/PD conference welcomes a multidisciplinary mix of delegates to showcase and discuss the latest research, clinical developments and treatments across a wide spectrum of neurodegenerative diseases.

We are delighted to announce that EPND will be featured in a special session organised by our partners at the Alzheimers's Disease Data Initiative, focused on a topic very close to our hearts: data and sample sharing. Moderated by Phyllis Ferrell of the Davos Alzheimer's Collaborative, the session features five speakers from global and European initiatives that are collecting, generating and sharing data and / or samples of key importance to the Alzheimer’s and dementias community. Our co-Lead, Phil Scordis (Head of Patient Data Analytics at UCB Pharma), will show how EPND is accelerating the discovery of diagnostics and treatment for neurodegenerative diseases by removing barriers to data and sample sharing and fostering collaboration.

Presentations will be followed by an interactive roundtable discussion, engaging panelists on their joint message of advancing research through collaboration and sharing of newly generated data and samples, as well as different types of data (proteomics, digital, lifestyle) that are more representative of a global, diverse population. Additionally, discussions will highlight why it is so important to make these valuable resources more discoverable and accessible, to propel the community to discover new insights which can put an end to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Industry Symposium 6 (Auditorium 1, Lisbon Congress Center) 7 March, 6.40pm - 8.20pm

Bridging a gap: How several key efforts are making their data and samples accessible to the broader research community

Session speakers and panelists:

• Prof. Miia Kivipelto (Karolinska Institutet) World-Wide FINGERS and other international efforts to gather new insights for modifying Alzheimer's risk
• Prof. Rhoda Au (Boston University School of Medicine) Building a “digipository” to advance inclusive aging and dementia research: Lessons from Speech Dx, Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative and Other Research Cohorts
• Prof. Sir Simon Lovestone (Janssen UK) Precision Neuroscience and the proteomics revolution – Introducing the Global Neurodegenerative Proteomics Consortium (GNPC)
• Prof. Jean Manson (University of Edinburgh) European Prevention of Alzheimer’s Dementia (EPAD): Ongoing commitment to support prevention of Alzheimer’s dementia through research on the precious collection of EPAD samples
• Dr. Phil Scordis (UCB Pharma) European Platform for Neurodegenerative Diseases: enabling new pathways for collaborative research by addressing barriers to data and sample sharing.

Interested in attending the conference and symposium? You can find out more information about the conference and register here.