Dear Colleagues,

In May, we had the pleasure of gathering in Edinburgh, UK, for the PNS 2025 Annual
Meeting—our largest and most successful meeting to date. A remarkable 1,486
participants from 64 countries joined us in person, with a record-breaking 620 abstracts
submitted. In alignment with our mission and strategic goals, we continue to expand our
global visibility and reach new members around the world.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Scientific Program Committee for curating an
exceptional educational experience. Special thanks to Committee Chairs Dr. Kathrin
Doppler and Dr. Vincent Timmerman, whose leadership and dedication were
instrumental in delivering an impactful program.

Our thanks also go to the PNS Junior Committee, led by Dr. Paola Alberti, for
organizing the Saturday Education Course and the popular ‘Lunch with the Experts’
roundtable sessions—key opportunities for junior investigators to engage and learn.
We are equally grateful to the Local Organizing Committee, chaired by Dr. Kathryn
Brennan, for coordinating seamless local arrangements and hosting two unforgettable
off-site receptions.

During the meeting, we proudly presented several awards. The esteemed Alan J.
Gebhart Prize for Excellence in Peripheral Nerve Research was jointly awarded to Dr.
Bart Jacobs (Erasmus MC), Dr. Giuseppe Lauria (Carlo Besta Neurological Institute),
and Dr. Richard Lewis (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center) in recognition of their enduring
contributions to our mission of improving the lives of those affected by peripheral
neuropathies. Additionally, eight named prizes were awarded to Junior Members who
presented outstanding abstracts.

A meeting of this magnitude could not happen without the generosity of our industry
partners. We deeply thank our Annual Partners—Alnylam, argenx, AstraZeneca, CSL
Behring, Sanofi, and Takeda—for their continued support. Their contributions enabled
us to offer complimentary registration to 222 Junior Member abstract presenters
and provide 67 travel grants to abstract presenters from low-income economies.

This past year has been marked by significant growth and new initiatives aligned with
our strategic priorities in organizational sustainability, research and education,
international outreach, early-career development, partnerships and advocacy.

Highlights include:

• Formation of the PNS Optimization Taskforce to enhance organizational
  efficiency
• Strengthened governance and communication across the Board, Special Interest
  Groups, and Committees
• Introduction of new funding mechanisms, starting in 2026
• Expansion of our training and travel grant programs
• Availability of open-access Annual Meeting recordings
• Future expansion of meeting locations globally, beginning in 2028
• New offerings tailored to Junior Members at the Annual Meeting, starting in 2026
• Exploration of a joint meeting with the World Muscle Society in 2029
• Enhanced collaboration with Patient Advocacy Group Partners
• Launch of the Peripheral Nerve Podcast, with an inaugural series on Leprosy
  Awareness
• Introduction of New App for CIDP Diagnosis
• Launch of New PNS Test Database of labs specializing in tests for neuropathies

I extend my sincerest thanks to the PNS Board for their vision, strategic insight, and dedication to our Society. I am particularly grateful to the special interest groups and the committees whose commitment and dedication have been instrumental to advancing our Society’s mission. A special thank you is also due to our PNS Executive Office Staff, the engine behind the scenes, who keep new and ongoing initiatives running smoothly.

We look forward to reuniting in person for the 2026 PNS Annual Meeting, taking place 13–16 June at the Maastricht Exhibition & Conference Center (MECC) in Maastricht, the Netherlands.

Sincerely,

Alessandra Bolino, PhD
President, Peripheral Nerve Society