The Third International Melorheostosis Conference

July 17—19, 2005

St. Louis, Missouri

Conference Highlights

• Eleven presentations by world renowned members of the Melorheostosis Association Scientific and Medical Advisory Panel and Guest Speakers.
• Plans among members of the Scientific and Medical Advisory Panel for both individual and collaborative research projects.
• Blood collection from patients as the initial step in the formation of a neutral repository to furnish samples for future research.  Details to follow on donating to the repository.  
• Patient Handbook:  Questions posed by patients will be answered by our Medical Panel under the direction of Panel Chair, Dr. Fred Kaplan to be published in a Melorheostosis Association Patient Handbook.
• Patient case studies.
• Many, many opportunities to talk with fellow patients and their families and with panel members   and guest speakers.

NOTE:  For scientific reports presented at the 2005 conference, please go to “Conference Papers.”

Agenda

Sunday, July 17

7:00- 9:00p        Welcome Reception, SLU Historic Cupples House

Monday, July 18

Concurrent Sessions – Watertower Inn

Scientific & Medical Presentations – Allied Health Building Auditorium

  9:20a      Mrs. Lyn Pickel, President & Dr. Fred Kaplan, M.D. Conference Moderator – “Welcome & Introductions”         

  9:30        Dr. Geert Mortier, M.D. – “The Role of LEMD3 in the Pathogenesis of Melorheostosis”

10:20      BREAK

10:30      Dr. Michael Whyte, M.D. – “Deactivating Germline Mutations in LEMD3 Cause Osteopoikilosis and Buschke-Ollendorff Syndrome, But Not Melorheostosis”

11:15        Dr. Howard Worman, M.D. –“The Identification and Characteristics of MAN1: The Protein Mutated in Melorheostosis”

12:00p      LUNCH – Multi-purpose Room, Allied Health Bldg.

  1:00        Dr. Peter Klein, Ph.D. – “MAD N’ SANE:  Regulation of BMP/Smad Signaling in Development”

  1:50        Dr. Jill Helms, Ph.D., D.D.S.  – “When Bone Formation Goes Awry: Insights from Fetal Bone Formation and Adult Bone Repair”

  2:40        BREAK

  3:00        Dr. Dror Paley, M.D. -“Limb Lengthening and Deformity Correction for Melorheostosis”

  3:50        Dr. Roger Smith, M.D. – “Melorheostosis: Patients, Mutations and Problems”

  7:00        DINNER – Allied Health Building Multi-Purpose Room

                  Keynote Speaker:  Dr. Michael Zasloff, M.D.  – “African Frogs to a Pine Forest Fungus: The Development of Drugs Doesn’t Necessarily Make Sense”

Tuesday, July 19

3^rd International Conference of the Melorheostosis Association

July 17-19, 2005                                                               Agenda                                                                   St. Louis University

  9:00a     Dr. Eileen Shore, Ph.D – “Dysregulation of the BMP Signaling Pathway in Two Rare Bone Disorders”

  9:50        Dr. Laura McCabe, Ph.D. – “Mechanisms of Suppressed Bone Formation” 

10:40      BREAK

11:00      Dr. Jeffrey King, M.D. – “A Comprehensive Analysis of the Melorheostosis Database”

12:00p LUNCH – Multi-purpose Room, Allied Health Bldg.

Concurrent Sessions

 4:15        Wrapping Up:  Dr. Fred Kaplan, M.D., Moderator – “The Path Forward”

 5:30        ‘Docktails’ along the Mississippi River

 7:30        Riverboat Cruise