During the working sessions, four main topics were discussed:

 

The Russian delegation first visited the Genethon laboratory in Evry on April 9th.
The following day delegates met at the Institut de Myologie at the Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital. Three working sessions were held, completed by visits of several departments of the Institute in the early afternoon. The meeting ended with a cocktail party in the NMR laboratory facilities, followed by a guided historical tour of the Hospital site.

As a result of this Russian-European round-table, a number of decisions have been made. With regard to the implication of the Institut de Myologie, specific proposals will be implemented as soon as possible: training fellowships for Russian and Belarussian physicians and scientists, in particular in the field of “non-invasive outcome measures of skeletal muscle in clinical trials”, travel grants for participation in the Myology summer school, the organization of seminars in Russia and Belarus, an active support to fund raising initiatives in Russia, a collaboration on medical imaging with the Belarussian Academy of Science.
The longer-term goal is to establish strong links with a number of Russian, Belarussian and possibly Ukrainian teams and develop joint clinical as well as pre-clinical research protocols in the field of neuro-muscular disorders. While this will imply the deep involvement of some personnels from the Institut, efforts will be closely coordinated with TREAT-NMD and ENMC.