Bengaluru: St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences has launched South Asia’s inaugural Neuromuscular Summer School (NMSS), a seven-day international programme aimed at strengthening expertise in the diagnosis, treatment, and research of neuromuscular disorders across the region.
Inspired by Paris’s globally recognised International Summer School of Myology, the programme brought together 55 mid- and senior-career clinicians from India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, Laos, Vietnam, and Kenya. Hosted by the Departments of Neurology and Paediatrics at St. John’s Research Institute and St. John’s Medical College Hospital, participants were selected through a rigorous application and interview process.
The curriculum featured expert lectures, clinical case discussions, and 27 hands-on workshops delivered by 12 international experts and 82 national faculty members. Leading global specialists, including Prof. Andoni Urtizberea, Prof. Annemieke Aartsma-Rus, and Prof. Joanne Ng, shared the latest advances in translational genetics, paediatric neuroscience, and gene therapy.
To broaden its impact, the academy also organised six parallel public symposia, enabling the wider medical community to interact with international experts on Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, respiratory care, physical therapy, translational research, and multidisciplinary treatment approaches.
The initiative is expected to establish a sustainable regional platform for clinical collaboration, promote early diagnosis, and accelerate the integration of gene therapies, positioning India as a key hub for advanced neuromuscular care and research in South Asia.
— Melvin Mathew, State Bureau Chief
