15th International Workshop on Fragile X and Early-Onset Cognitive Disorders
(MR Workshop)
Berlin, September 4 - 7, 2011

Dear Colleagues,

Continuing a long, successful tradition, the
15th International Workshop on Fragile X and Other Early-Onset Cognitive Disorders
will be held in Berlin, Germany between Sunday afternoon, September 4th, and Wednesday afternoon, September 7th, 2011 at the "Harnack-House", the historic conference centre of the Max Planck Society and its predecessor, the Kaiser Wilhelm Society.

Venue

The Harnack-House in Dahlem has its own restaurant, a nice garden with three tennis courts, a lecture hall for up to 210 participants as well as a ballroom which can be used for the exhibition of posters. In the Harnack-House and its vicinity, there is good and affordable accommodation, and the closest underground stop (U3, Thielplatz) is only 100 m away. From there it is only 30 minutes to the city center.

Address: Harnack-House Ihnestraße 16 14195 Berlin 030 84133800 U-Bahn: Thielplatz Google Places

Scope of the Workshop

Previous workshops have centered around Fra(X) syndrome and other forms of X-linked intellectual disability (ID). From the forthcoming workshop, we expect exciting new insights into the pathogenesis of Fra(X) syndrome as well as results of ongoing therapeutic trials. There will be a keynote lecture by Ben Oostra (Erasmus University, Rotterdam) on Fra(X), and other prominent players in this field including Steve Warren (Emory University, Atlanta) and Jean-Louis Mandel (IGBMC, Strasbourg) have also announced their active participation. However, in view of the growing attention for other forms of ID, we think that it is time to broaden the scope of the workshop by explicitly including autosomal dominant and recessive ID, as well as several other interesting topics.

This requires active intervention, which is at variance with the successful principle to let the interests and contributions of the attendants shape the programme of the workshops. On the other hand, we felt that given the rapid developments in this field, some re-definition of the scope of this workshop might be necessary. After having consulted several "regulars" of these meetings, we have come up with the following tentative catalogue of interesting topics. This list is not meant to be exhaustive, and it remains to be seen how many of these topics will be popular enough to justify a separate session. Still, it may be of some use as a steering instrument and a guideline for those who never attended these workshops before:

• Everything you always wanted to know about Fra(X)
• Novel causes of X-linked intellectual disability (XLID)
• Autosomal dominant and recessive forms of ID
• ID syndromes: clinical, neurological and neuro-anatomical findings
• Functional studies, animal models, emerging pathways
• Population-specific and epidemiological aspects
• Diagnosis, carrier detection and therapy
• Molecular links between cognitive and behavioral disorders
• Genetic determinants of intelligence

We guess that there will be no need for a separate session on next generation sequencing (NGS) because this is now an established methodology which will be referred to repeatedly throughout the workshop. Instead, we would propose a discussion about the future of ID research and health care, maybe preceded by a few quick introductory statements to get the discussion going (volunteers are welcome); topics could include NGS and related aspects, standardization, data storage and protection, consequences for health care etc., but also "raising public awareness" and even "(global) coordination of ID research".

Scientific Program

Organizational and Administrative Issues

To maintain the character of the meeting as a platform for informal exchange between young and established researchers, we intend to avoid parallel sessions and will restrict its size to 150 participants, with 200 participants as the absolute maximum.

Abstract Information and Submission

Questions about abstract submissions should be e-mailed to: info@mrworkshop-berlin.de

Participants may not present more than one abstract as oral communication. The presenting author's name should be the first name to appear in the author listing. There is no limit to the number of times an individual may appear as co-author on abstracts.

To facilitate abstract evaluation, you will be asked to select one topic that is most appropriate for your abstract from a list. Please check the appropriate box indicating whether you wish for your abstract to be considered for a platform or poster.

Abstracts should not exceed 3,500 characters. NOTE: Authors who submit abstracts are NOT automatically registered for the meeting. In order to participate in the meeting, authors must register.

Abstract Confirmation

After you submit your abstract, you will receive a confirmation of receipt.

Abstract Revision

Any changes to an abstract can be made until the submission deadline (June 10, 2011). Please remember your login details for revisions.

Abstract Evaluation, Selection of Orals

Orals will be selected by the Scientific Program Committee. Notice of abstract acceptance (via login) will be available before the end of June. We expect that the final program listing all sessions and speakers will be available via our Workshop Website early in July.

Abstract Availability

All abstracts selected for oral and poster presentations will be distributed by e-mail to all registered participants in the course of August 2011

Scientific Committee

Hans van Bokhoven, Laurence Colleaux, Jamel Chelly, Hilde Van Esch, Gene Fisch, Jozef Gecz, Vera Kalscheuer, Jean-Louis Mandel, Jacques Michaud, Hossein Najmabadi, Ben Oostra, Martine Raynaud, André Reis, Lucy Raymond, Hans-Hilger Ropers, Stephanie Sherman, Steve Warren, Thomas Wienker

Registration

To register (preferably before July 1st, 2011) please fill in the following form and return it by fax or Email to Gabriele Eder, fax number +49(0)30-8413 1383, info@mrworkshop-berlin.de:

• registration.pdf

At the same time, please transfer the registration fee (€ 385 for regular participants, € 350 for PhD students) to:

Registration will be confirmed by email upon receipt of the payment.

Accomodation

Single and double occupancy rooms have been reserved in the Harnack-House (main building and guesthouse) and the Seminaris Hotel of the Free University at 12 min walking distance. Please use the reservation forms provided by the Harnack-House and the Seminaris Hotel (pdf).

Additionally only double occupancy rooms are available in the guesthouse of the Max Planck Institute. Contact eder@molgen.mpg.de for further information.

Contact

For other questions, please contact:

Gabriele Eder

Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics
Department Human Molecular Genetics
Ihnestr. 73, D-14195 Berlin, Germany
phone: +49(0)30-8413 1241, fax: +49(0)30-8413 1383
info@mrworkshop-berlin.de

We look forward to being your host in September.

Best wishes,

Vera Kalscheuer and H. Hilger Ropers

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