Report written by Dr. Rasha El Sherif MD, PhD; Scientific Programme Director of the “DMD Education Course” INCREASING AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF DUCHENNE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY, 10th -13th of November 2024, New Giza University-Myo Care Foundation, Cairo Egypt. 

As the scientific programme director of the DMD Education Course: Increasing Awareness and Understanding of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, I am very proud of the course's success. We were joined by 225 attendees from six different Egyptian cities along with one from Iraq.

The course was hosted by the New Giza University School of Medicine in collaboration with the MYO-CARE Foundation. It was supported by a Pfizer Inc grant for Independent Education and a travel grant from the WMS, secured through the project proposals process, for doctors attending from outside Egypt.

The School of Medicine at New Giza University and Myo-Care National Foundation consider education and awareness of muscular dystrophy as a high priority among medical postgraduates and healthcare professionals.

The real highlight was the two-day condensed teaching course in the neuromuscular clinic, where 40 participants were divided into three clinics each day. The course encouraged many postgraduate students to consider specialising in neuromuscular disorders. 

Prof. Dr. Linda Lowes demonstrated the functional assessment for DMD, paving the route towards trial readiness. She also spent 12 hours assessing patients and providing physiotherapy advice. Participants also enjoyed the discussion during the myology clinics which received 20 patients each day, three clinics were led by Prof. Dr. Linda Lowes, Prof. Dr. Ichizo NISHINO and Dr. Rasha El Sherif, demonstrating to postgraduate students the art of Neuromuscular examination, clinical reasoning and the importance of pathology and genetic testing to confirm the diagnosis.

This educational programme targets healthcare professionals in the Middle East, the course was accredited by the UEMS for 14 European CME Credits and hosted national and international experts in the field of Human Genetics and Neuromuscular Sciences to provide an educational programme for neurologists, geneticists, paediatricians, physiotherapists and postgraduate students interested in neuromuscular genetics, specifically DMD, in the Middle East.

The aim was to achieve the following learning objectives:

1. Functional assessment of DMD patients, outcome measures and readiness for novel therapies.
2. Multidisciplinary care for DMD and address regional challenges.
3. Develop personalised protocols for standards of care for patients with DMD.
4. Genetic counselling.
5. Research in the field of DMD for personalised Medicine.

This aim was achieved through networking meetings, lectures, a clinical workshop, and different experiences shared between professors from different countries.

The course ran from 10th-13th November 2024.

On 10th November, attendees visited the University’s campus. The day included insightful sessions and lectures about the diagnosis and genetic counseling of DMD patients, and Advances in DMD and a panel discussion that discussed the impact of muscular dystrophy on patients and families in the Middle East.

At the end of day, international speakers and contributing faculty joined a gala dinner at the Crimson Bar and Grill restaurant in one of the most beautiful places in Cairo.

On 11th November sessions and lectures took place at the community hospital to bring more clinical insight to the lectures as they discussed a case presentation of Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome, and standards of care for DMD.

Workshops took place on 12th and 13th November, starting at 9am and continuing until 2pm with clinical hands-on training for functional assessment of DMD patients, outcome measures and readiness for novel therapies.

Cases referred to the Myo-Care Foundation-NGU community hospital Myology clinic for diagnosis and follow-up were studied. Attendees were divided between three clinics led by one expert to learn the following:

• Observe the clinical examination of cases presenting with picture of muscular dystrophy.
• Functional assessment of case presenting with picture of muscular dystrophy.
• Differential diagnosis of case presenting with picture of muscular dystrophy.

At the end of each day, a case-based discussion was done on multi-disciplinary care for DMD cases in different disease stages.

Workshop faculty members:

• Prof. Dr. Ahmed Sameh Farid:  NGU President
• Prof. Dr. Lamis Ragab: NGU Vice President
• Prof. Dr. Lamiaa Mohsen: Dean of School of Medicine, NGU
• Prof. Dr. Ahmed Ihab: Principal Investigator
• Prof. Dr. Rasha El Sherif: Scientific Program Director of the:
• Prof. Dr. Ichizo Nishino: Director of Neuromuscular Research National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Tokyo, Japan.
• Prof.Dr. Linda LP Lowes: Professor and Principal investigator in the Center for Gene Therapy, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Ohio State University, USA.

Key speakers, chairpersons, and faculty who were involved in the lectures and the panel discussion:

Throughout the course days, distinguished professors in the fields of Neuroscience and Genetics, had shared their knowledge and experience through lectures and case presentations about their work.

Five professors from Egypt and four international speakers from Iraq, Japan, Germany, and the United States of America.

1. Prof. Dr. Christian Schaaf, M.D, Ph.D., Managing Director, Institute of Human Genetics, Head of Institute AG Molecular Diagnostics, Heidelberg, Germany.
2. Prof. Dr. Ahmed Ihab, M.D, Ph.D., Professor of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Newgiza University, Egypt.
3. Dr. Mohamed Saher, M.D, Lecturer of Neurology, School of Medicine, Newgiza University, Consultant of Neurology Nasser Institute, Egypt.
4. Dr. Nada El Ekiaby, Ph.D., Lecturer of Molecular Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Newgiza University, Egypt.
5. Dr. Rasha El Sherif, M.D, Ph.D., Assistant professor & Neurology Module lead, School of Medicine, New Giza University, Chair Myo-Care Foundation, Cairo, Egypt.
6. Prof. Dr. Lamia Mohsen, MD, PhD, Dean School of Medicine, Newgiza University, Egypt.
7. Prof. Dr. Ichizo Nishino, MD, PhD, Director of Neuromuscular Research National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Tokyo, Japan.
8. Prof. Dr. Haider Al Abdy, Head of Authority and Medical Education, Iraq.
9. Prof. Dr. Linda LP Lowes, PT, Ph.D., Professor and Principal Investigator in the Center for Gene Therapy, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, The Ohio State University, USA.

The outcome of the course:

The DMD educational course 2024, had a great impact on the medical and scientific community in Egypt, with a total number of attendees 225 from different Egyptian cities and one from Iraq. The course achieved its aims through the following aspects:

1. The course highlighted the regional challenges and updates in multidisciplinary care and novel therapeutics in neuromuscular disorders.
2. It provided comprehensive hands-on clinical training on the functional assessment of DMD patients and multi-disciplinary care, personalized protocol for standards of care and outcome measures for the medical professionals who were interested and involved in the treatment of Muscle Dystrophies in Egypt and the Middle East region.
3. A case discussion was presented by Dr. Akram Ali Al-Mousawi, M.D., Consultant of Neurology at Al-Hadi Neuromuscular Center (HNMC), Karbala, Iraq.
4. It provided a rich networking experience between international and regional experts in the field of Muscle Dystrophies on key issues and challenges that led to discussing research opportunities and future regional and international clinical collaborations between experts in the field of Muscle Dystrophies from different countries with diverse backgrounds.

As a demonstration of our commitment to developing the field of neuromuscular disorders through clinical research and patient care, the WMS is seeking project proposals for funding and broader support. We want to break down the barriers to access for our community and ensure that scientists around the world can network, learn from one another, share science and publish their work. The project proposals process is available to all WMS members. For more information and to apply for funding, please visit the project proposals page of the WMS website.