Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Santiago , Chile

I graduated as physician in Argentina, 1989, but I have started my academic career in histopathology as an undergraduate student in 1985, (which was later important to allow me becoming a muscular pathologist). I was resident in Pathology (1990-1991), became a Neuroscience PhD in 1994 at Wales University in UK, and later became a clinical neurologist in Chile (1998-2001). At this stage I focused my career in the neuromuscular field, becoming EMG and NCS specialist, to pursue a Diploma in Myology at the Institut de Myologie/UPMC Paris, France in 2006. Further I became the Head of the Neuromuscular Unit of the Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile. I currently practice as clinician, electrophysiologist and muscle pathology in the field of NMD. I have contributed with the research and education in the field since 2000, with different research lines mainly focused in LGMD and dysferlinopathies, both clinical and fundamental research, as well as contributing with the identification of diseases never describe before in Chile, bringing novel methodologies for diagnosis of NM diseases (RM), and establishing the incidence and prevalence of different forms of ailments previously not identified in the region. We contribute permanently with the education of new specialists, promoting educational activities in the field, researching and publishing new knowledge in neuromuscular disorders.

Universidad San Sebastian, Santiago , Chile

Dr. Meilyn Cruz Soca is a biologist who earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Havana, Cuba, and her Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, where she began her research on muscle fibrosis. Following her doctoral studies, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Fundación Ciencia & Vida in Santiago, Chile, studying mechanisms involved in denervation-induced fibrosis. Currently, Dr. Cruz Soca serves as a Researcher and Lecturer at Universidad San Sebastián, leading a recently awarded FONDECYT Initiation project focused on the role of integrins in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. She has authored ten peer-reviewed scientific publications, including four as the first author, and has presented her research at national and international conferences.

University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne , United Kingdom

Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto , Canada

Dr. Hernan Gonorazky is a staff neurologist at the Hospital for Sick Children since 2019. He is the neuromuscular fellowship program director of that institution. He currently is the director of the Neuromuscular program at SickKids and has dedicated much of his effort to spreading education about neuromuscular disorders.

Univ. Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte , Brazil

Juliana Gurgel Giannetti is Full Professor at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), chief of the Pediatric Neurology Service and Residence, coordinator of the Neuromuscular Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence Clinics. She is currently, the vice-president of the Brazilian Society of Pediatric Neurology. She graduated in medicine in 1992, after she completed the Pediatrics and Pediatric Neurology residences (1992-1996). From 1997 to 2001, she moved to São Paulo to specialize in Neuromuscular disorders and concluded her PhD at Universidade de São Paulo (USP). In 2005 and 2013, she did a post-doctoral fellow at Columbia University (NY), under Prof. Salvatore DiMauro and Michio Hirano supervision, respectively. Since 2002, she became a Professor at Medical School of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), where she set up the Service of Neuromuscular Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence and the Neuromuscular laboratory. She is taking care of neuromuscular patients, with a multidisciplinary team, and also involved in research in this filed. She is titular Professor at the Post graduation Program in Pediatrics and has under her supervision master and PhD students. She participated in the elaboration of the Brazilian Consensus for DMD and she is PI for Ataluren trial (PTC), DMD Registry (Sarepta), Rainbowfish trial (Roche), Devote (Biogen).

Hospital J.P. Garrahan, Buenos Aires , Argentina

Soledad Monges, works as a Staff in the Neurology division of the Pediatric Hospital JP Garrahan, Bs As, Argentina. She is the coordinator of the research, educational, and clinical pediatric neuromuscular program.