WORLDSymposium Frequently Asked Questions

WORLDSymposium will be conducting the Annual Research Conference as a live event and will be held, in its entirety, at the Hilton Orlando, Florida.

Registration Opens: August 1, 2022.
Advance Registration Deadline: January 13, 2023.

WORLDSymposium is intended for healthcare professionals involved in the screening, diagnosis, management, and treatment of lysosomal diseases affecting both children and adults, with research and clinically relevant information geared specifically to the following professionals:

• Medical and clinical geneticists; genetic counselors; pediatricians; neurologists; psychologists; nurse practitioners; physician assistants; registered nurses; and all medical practitioners who are providing comprehensive diagnostic, management, and counseling services for patients with, or at risk for, lysosomal diseases.
• Laboratory directors and technicians involved in genetic testing.
• Researchers involved in lysosomal disorders and treatments.
• Clinical, laboratory and research trainees of genetics and all biomedical sciences with a focus on lysosomal diseases.
• Any healthcare and public health professionals who have an interest in medical and clinical genetics and genomics in the area of lysosomal diseases.
• Advocates for patients with lysosomal diseases and their families.

NOTE: Adult patients and adult family members are welcome to attend the educational sessions, however the content is intended for clinicians and researchers, and not targeted toward patients. Attendance for patients and family members is offered as an opportunity to obtain information pertinent to their personal journey and to connect with leading researchers and clinicians. Children under 18 are not allowed in any session.

Registration payments can be made by check, credit card (American Express, MasterCard, Discover, or Visa only) or wire transfer. We do not process phone or fax registrations.

You will be able to change or update your registration by entering your email and your confirmation number.

• Any time prior to January 13, 2023, any individual registered for the LIVE conference, may transfer their registration to the On Demand-only registration, and receive a full refund of the difference between the LIVE and On Demand rates. After January 13, 2023, any individual may still change their registration from LIVE to On Demand, but no refund will be applied. No exceptions.
• Anyone who is registered for On Demand only who wants to upgrade to LIVE registration may also do so any time prior to January 13, 2023 and pay the difference between the two early registration rates. After January 13, 2023, the attendee will be required to pay the difference between the late registration fee and the original amount paid.
• PLEASE NOTE: These changes can be done using the Modify Registration link. Please contact nadine@gmimeetings.com if you have any issues changing registration from LIVE to On Demand or from On Demand to LIVE registration.

CANCELLATION POLICY: Cancellation notices must be in writing and received by 4:30 PM Central Time on January 13, 2023 to be eligible for a refund. All cancellations are subject to a nonrefundable processing fee of 20% of all registration fees paid. No refunds will be made after this date. Cancellation notices should be sent to nadine@gmimeetings.com. Allow four weeks for processing.

If a registrant needs to cancel after January 13, 2023, the conference registration may be transferred to another person who is NOT already registered for the meeting. If you have any questions, please contact nadine@gmimeetings.com.

WORLDSymposium provides the following refreshments and meals, open to all registered attendees:

• Light breakfast in the foyer (Wednesday-Sunday)
• Morning and afternoon refreshment breaks in the exhibit hall (Wednesday-Saturday)
• Boxed lunch in the foyer (Wednesday-Saturday)
• Light refreshments and a cash bar in the foyer during evening networking events (Tuesday and Wednesday)
• Light refreshments and a cash bar in the exhibit hall during afternoon poster receptions (Wednesday-Saturday)
• Light refreshments in the foyer during late afternoon satellites (Thursday and Friday)

The On Demand component of WORLDSymposium has no meals included in the registration fee.

Hotel reservations for individuals who are able to attend the live conference in Orlando opened August 1, 2022. Click here for more information and to make a reservation.

A limited block of discounted rooms ($279 + 12% tax and $37 fees) at the Hilton Orlando will be available until January 13, 2023 or when the room block fills, whichever comes first.

WORLDSymposium does not provide an exhibit hall-only registration fee. In order to visit the exhibits, an attendee must purchase a full conference registration. If you are interested in a great opportunity to connect with over 3000 key members of the international lysosomal disease community, WORLDSymposium is the place!

Yes. Emerging Trends: State-of-the-Art for Experts has a fee of $125 if registered on or before January 13, 2023; $175 if registered after January 13, 2023.

The Robert J. Gorlin Symposium has a registration fee of $75 if registered on or before January 13, 2023; $100 if registered after January 13, 2023.

Attendees and media registrants are required to abide by any recording, photography, or screen capture requests made by speakers at any WORLDSymposium event. Photography and recording for personal reference is allowed. However, attendees and media registrants may not share or republish any materials from WORLDSymposium events, including but not limited to slides, unpublished data, or presentation materials, without explicit written permission from the presenter and WORLDSymposium. 

Poster Photo Policy: Attendees may take photos of posters ONLY if the poster author agrees. Authors who do not want their posters to be photographed will have to indicate as such on their posters. No other photography, or audio or video recording is allowed. Attendees who photograph or record poster information for which they have not obtained permission will be asked to leave the session immediately.

This policy aims to encourage presentation of the latest findings by protecting researchers sharing unpublished information, as well as prevent disruption in the session rooms.

Attendees are also asked to be respectful of their colleagues by silencing all mobile devices before entering meeting rooms. When registering, you are required to agree that you will adhere to this policy.

Taking photos, videos or audiotapes of slides, posters and presenters or questions and answers is strictly prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained from the presenter. Copyright and intellectual property law is observed during all WORLDSymposium presentations, sessions and events.

Attendees may take photos or screen captures of posters ONLY if the poster author agrees. Authors who do not want their posters to be photographed or screen captured will have to indicate as such on their posters. No other photography, or audio or video recording is allowed. Attendees who photograph or record poster information for which they have not obtained permission will be asked to leave the session immediately.

Registration and attendance at, or participation in, WORLDSymposium Scientific Sessions and other related activities, constitutes an agreement by the registrant to permit WORLDSymposium use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant or attendee’s image or voice in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions, audiotapes of such events and activities.

Appropriate dress is business casual. Please dress appropriately whenever attending in person session or appearing on pre-recorded or live video for presentations or when in video meetings.

The Registration Desk, located in the Convention Area of the Lobby Level of the Hilton Orlando, will be open during these times:

Tuesday, February 21, 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday, February 22, 6:00 AM - 5:15 PM
Thursday, February 23, 6:00 AM - 5:15 PM
Friday, February 24, 6:00 AM - 5:15 PM
Saturday, February 25, 6:00 AM - 5:15 PM
Sunday, February 26, 7:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Children under the age of 18 are not permitted in WORLDSymposium Scientific Sessions or Exhibit Hall. Children may be registered as family members/accompanying persons of fully registered patient/family attendees, and must be accompanied by a registered parent or a guardian at all times in any common areas of the meeting.

Guests are not permitted in the Exhibit Hall or Specific Sessions, unless prior approval is requested and approved by WORLDSymposium.

Elsevier publishes the Abstracts, Keyword Index, Author Index, Introduction, and Program as individual articles, and each article is available for purchase from Elsevier. WORLDSymposium provides the abstracts to all attendees as part of their conference materials, all other individuals must purchase the articles directly from Elsevier.

Late-breaking abstract titles and full-text will be available electronically to registered participants only via the WORLDSymposium mobile app at the start of WORLDSymposium. Late-breaking abstracts are not published in Molecular Genetics and Metabolism.

Abstract submission deadline for consideration of a platform (oral) presentation and inclusion in Molecular Genetics and Metabolism, is October 1, 2022. There are no exceptions.

Late-breaking submission window is November 1 – December 1, 2022 . This year, late‐breaking abstracts will again be considered for poster presentation or platform presentation during a session titled, “Late-Breaking Science”. Late-breaking abstracts not be published in the February special “Lysosomes Issue” of Molecular Genetics and Metabolism (MGM), due to publication deadlines.

WORLDSymposium provides limited scholarships to Young Investigators. WORLDSymposium is unable to fund any other form of travel assistance. Please click here to view the details for the Young Investigator Award.

Late-breaking submissions are accepted from November 1 – December 1, 2022 .

Late-breaking abstracts are considered for poster presentation and may be considered for platform presentation for WORLDSymposium 2023 . The “Late-Breaking Science” Session will highlight recent advances in lysosomal disease research. Selected abstracts from the Late-Breaking submission cycle will be awarded an oral presentation time in the Late-Breaking Science Session. Due to publication deadlines, late-breaking abstracts are published in the program materials, and are not published in Molecular Genetics and Metabolism (MGM).

WORLDSymposium will consider encore abstracts at the discretion of the Program Committee.

Definition of Encore Abstracts – Prior Publication: Results or studies that have been published or that will be accepted for publication elsewhere prior to the submission deadline of October 1, 2022 must be disclosed and the author should make clear what new information will be presented at WORLDSymposium. For purposes of this policy:

• Material posted on a preprint server is NOT considered previously published.
• Abstracts that have been accepted for presentation at other conferences are considered previously published, or encore abstracts.

The Program Committee reviews all submitted abstracts submitted and determines whether an abstract will be accepted, and whether it is suitable for a platform (oral) or poster presentation. The Program Committee reserves the right to decline any submitted abstracts that lack scientific content or merit, or that merely announce the availability of a resource or service.

Please choose only one category which is the most applicable to the content being submitted. The WORLDSymposium Program Committee reserves the right to consider submitted abstracts for all categories, and assign abstracts to a platform (oral) presentation on any of the program days, based on review of the topic and content.

If the first author is employed by industry the abstract must submitted for Contemporary Forum. It will not be considered for any other category.

No, only the first author receives the notification. It is the first author’s responsibility to notify co‐authors.

Recorded presentations will be available to all WORLDSymposium participants who purchase access to the On-Demand content, which will be available after the conclusion of the meeting, through March 31, 2023.

Due to ACCME requirements, and the data protection of all presenters, all communications related to platform and/or ePoster presentations are kept strictly between the platform and/or ePoster presenter and the WORLDSymposium CME Programs team.

Any presentations submitted to WORLDSymposium for CME review are kept strictly confidential, and are not shared beyond the required CME review team. The presentations will not be available to WORLDSymposium attendees until the platform session is first presented, and then will be available “on-demand” on the virtual website until March 31, 2023, after which time the virtual platform will be shut down.

All selected posters will be available LIVE, in the Exhibit Hall, starting on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, when the Exhibit Hall opens, at 3:00 PM EST. ePosters will also available online for on-demand participants until March 31, 2023.

Submitted abstracts will be available to all registered attendees starting on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. Submitted abstracts are available to the general public when Elsevier publishes the February issue of Molecular Genetics and Metabolism (MGM). WORLDSymposium staff have no control over the publication date, however, anyone may sign up with Elsevier for publication updates.

Presentations are not available to anyone other than the WORLDSymposium development team until the time the presentation is first presented live during the conference, and then the presentations are available “on-demand” to the registered attendees until March 31, 2023.

First authors are required to acknowledge that they are authorizing WORLDSymposium to provide their ePoster and/or presentation to the WORLDSymposium audience. If they choose not to authorize WORLDSymposium to provide their presentation, their presentation will be removed from the agenda and all databases.

WORLDSymposium does not publish the full-text of the abstracts online; the full-text is available only from Elsevier for accepted abstracts submitted to WORLDSymposium prior to October 1, 2022, to be published in the February special “Lysosomes Issue” of Molecular Genetics and Metabolism (MGM). WORLDSymposium has no control over the Elsevier publication release dates. Registered attendees will receive an electronic copy of the program and full-text abstracts ​beginning on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. The program and abstracts become copyrighted and are only available to non-registrants through Elsevier.

It is the policy of WORLDSymposium to publish all abstracts with the list of authors exactly as the abstract was submitted to WORLDSymposium. The first author of the submitted abstract will be listed as the Platform Speaker (presenting author) on the Preliminary Program, Agenda, and Poster List.

WORLDSymposium does not publish the full-text of the abstracts online; the full-text is available only from Elsevier for accepted abstracts submitted to WORLDSymposium prior to October 1, 2022, to be published in the February special “Lysosomes Issue” of Molecular Genetics and Metabolism (MGM). WORLDSymposium has no control over the Elsevier publication release dates. Registered attendees will receive an electronic copy of the program and full-text abstracts ​beginning on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. The program and abstracts become copyrighted and are only available to non-registrants through Elsevier.

It is the policy of WORLDSymposium to publish all abstracts with the list of authors exactly as the abstract was submitted to WORLDSymposium. The first author of the submitted abstract will be listed as the Platform Speaker (presenting author) on the Preliminary Program, Agenda, and Poster List.

Speaker presentation files (PPT) are not posted before, during or after the conference. Media or any others may contact the speaker directly to request a copy of a specific presentation file after WORLDSymposium .

As stated in the abstract submission guidelines, all communications regarding platform and poster selection for WORLDSymposium will only be directed to the first author of the abstract.

ACCME guidelines require us to communicate directly with the first author for all decisions related to the agenda and platform speaker selection. We are unable to communicate any decisions regarding platform speaker selection or verification with anyone other than the first author. WORLDSymposium communications to the first author will clearly state “Only the first author of the abstract will receive this notification.” The first author may then share the notification as they deem appropriate.

All presentation slides for WORLDSymposium must be submitted for review before the deadline of Monday, January 23, 2023 or sooner. Once presentations slides are approved by the WORLDSymposium Planning Team, notice of approval will be sent to presenting author. No changes to slides will be allowed once presentation slides have been approved and a recording is scheduled.

We are unable to approve CME/CE credit for any presentations which are not reviewed and approved prior to the scientific meeting. Any presenters who are unable to submit their presentations prior to the scientific meeting will be disqualified, and an alternate abstract presentation will be selected. Presentations from WORLDSymposium are not published in any format. There are ~90 presentations to review for ACCME compliance, which is why the slides are required in advance of the program. The review is a time-consuming process that needs to be well-documented in order to meet ACCME requirements.

Please be aware as you prepare the slides and recording that no corporate names, logos or brand names may be utilized anywhere in the slide content or format. The number of slides will be limited to 12-15 slides. WORLDSymposium requires PowerPoint slides be sized to the 16:9 aspect ratio. Click here to download more information about the 16:9 aspect ratio and how to format your PowerPoint file correctly. We hope this information is useful for you as you plan your presentation.

We are aware that outside agencies have contacted some WORLDSymposium platform presenters to request copies of their presentations.

Please be aware that WORLDSymposium has NOT provided your email or contact information, and any contact from these agencies is UNAUTHORIZED. We understand some of these agents are using publicly posted contact information to reach out to platform speakers.

Do not provide your presentation to anyone other than the WORLDSymposium program team as required for the CME reviews. WORLDSymposium embargo policies are very clear. Any representative of the media who requests an advance copy of any WORLDSymposium presentation is in violation of the embargo policies, and press credentials for that agency will be revoked.

If you are contacted by anyone outside of WORLDSymposium to request a copy of your presentation prior to the conference, please do not respond to them, and notify Amber Brown at amber@gmimeetings.com immediately.

No, please do not include a disclosure slide this year. A disclosure for the presenting author will be shown on the big presentation screen as the speaker is walking up to the podium. The disclosure will be taken from the abstract submission system, from when you submitted your abstract. All disclosures have been approved by the accreditation provider.

Platform speakers have the option of presenting a poster to allow the audience the opportunity to ask more in-depth questions about their platform presentation. You or one of your co-authors must present the poster at your assigned poster session. You will be assigned to a poster presentation session. A poster kiosk will not automatically be reserved for you. You must notify amber@gmimeetings.com if you wish to have a poster space reserved for your platform poster. All requests for poster space for platform speakers must be submitted NO LATER THAN . All poster board assignments will be finalized at that time.

All poster presenters are required to submit an electronic version of their poster to be available to attendees throughout WORLDSymposium . Details on ePoster submission will be sent to all first authors approximately one month prior to the start of WORLDSymposium .

All requests for poster space for platform speakers must be submitted NO LATER THAN December 20, 2022. All poster board assignments will be finalized at that time. All posters must be submitted electronically for presentation by February 13, 2023. Information about the ePoster submission process will be provided in December.

All platform presenters and poster presenters must be able to present LIVE (in-person).

Your request needs to be reviewed by the planning committee. Please submit your request to Amber the contact form.

Platform speakers are responsible for all of their own expenses, including registration. Register by January 13, 2023 to take advantage of early registration discounts.

All presentation slides for WORLDSymposium must be submitted for review before the deadline of Monday, January 23, 2023 or sooner. Once presentations slides are approved by the WORLDSymposium Planning Team, notice of approval will be sent to presenting author. No changes to slides will be allowed once presentation slides have been approved.

NO corporate logos, names, or branding of any kind are allowed in any presentation. If your presentation template includes your company’s name or logo, any trademarked drug names or logos, or any branding specific to your corporation (i.e. colors or any identifying images) you must use a different presentation template.

Please submit your request to Amber via the contact form.

Yes. Your meeting registration confirmation will include a link to generate a customized letter of invitation, which can be used when applying for a visa.

Due to ACCME requirements, and the data protection of all presenters, all communications related to platform and/or ePoster presentations are kept strictly between the platform and/or ePoster presenter and the WORLDSymposium CME Programs team.

Any presentations submitted to WORLDSymposium for CME review are kept strictly confidential, and are not shared beyond the required CME review team. The presentations will not be available to WORLDSymposium attendees until the platform session is first presented, and then will be available “on-demand” on the virtual website until March 31, 2023, after which time the virtual platform will be shut down.

All submitted ePosters will be available starting on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, when the ePosters open, currently scheduled for 3:00 PM PST. ePosters will also available on the virtual platform until March 31, 2023.

Submitted abstracts will be available to all registered attendees starting on Tuesday, February 22, 2023. Submitted abstracts are available to the general public when Elsevier publishes the February issue of Molecular Genetics and Metabolism (MGM). WORLDSymposium staff have no control over the publication date, however, anyone may sign up with Elsevier for publication updates.

Presentations are not available to anyone other than the WORLDSymposium development team until the time the presentation is first presented live during the conference, and then the presentations are available “on-demand” to the registered attendees until March 31, 2023.

First authors are required to acknowledge that they are authorizing WORLDSymposium to provide their ePoster and/or presentation to the WORLDSymposium audience. If they choose not to authorize WORLDSymposium to provide their presentation, their presentation will be removed from the agenda and all databases.

WORLDSymposium does not publish the full-text of the abstracts online; the full-text is available only from Elsevier for accepted abstracts submitted to WORLDSymposium prior to October 1, 2022, to be published in the February special “Lysosomes Issue” of Molecular Genetics and Metabolism (MGM). WORLDSymposium has no control over the Elsevier publication release dates. Registered attendees will receive an electronic copy of the program and full-text abstracts ​beginning on Tuesday, February 21, 2023. The program and abstracts become copyrighted and are only available to non-registrants through Elsevier.

It is the policy of WORLDSymposium to publish all abstracts with the list of authors exactly as the abstract was submitted to WORLDSymposium. The first author of the submitted abstract will be listed as the Platform Speaker (presenting author) on the Preliminary Program, Agenda, and Poster List.

Platform speakers are responsible for all of their own expenses, including registration. Register by January 13, 2023 to take advantage of early registration discounts.

Please submit your request to Amber via the contact form.

Yes. Your meeting registration confirmation will include a link to generate a customized letter of invitation, which can be used when applying for a visa.

Due to ACCME requirements, and the data protection of all presenters, all communications related to platform and/or ePoster presentations are kept strictly between the platform and/or ePoster presenter and the WORLDSymposium CME Programs team.

Any presentations submitted to WORLDSymposium for CME review are kept strictly confidential, and are not shared beyond the required CME review team. The presentations will not be available to WORLDSymposium attendees until the platform session is first presented, and then will be available “on-demand” on the virtual website until March 31, 2023, after which time the virtual platform will be shut down.

All submitted ePosters will be available starting on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, when the ePosters open, currently scheduled for 3:00 PM PST. ePosters will also available on the virtual platform until March 31, 2023.

Submitted abstracts will be available to all registered attendees starting on Tuesday, February 22, 2023. Submitted abstracts are available to the general public when Elsevier publishes the February issue of Molecular Genetics and Metabolism (MGM). WORLDSymposium staff have no control over the publication date, however, anyone may sign up with Elsevier for publication updates.

Presentations are not available to anyone other than the WORLDSymposium development team until the time the presentation is first presented live during the conference, and then the presentations are available “on-demand” to the registered attendees until March 31, 2023.

First authors are required to acknowledge that they are authorizing WORLDSymposium to provide their ePoster and/or presentation to the WORLDSymposium audience. If they choose not to authorize WORLDSymposium to provide their presentation, their presentation will be removed from the agenda and all databases.

Yes. All poster presenters are required to submit an electronic version of their poster to be available to attendees throughout WORLDSymposium 2023. The poster can only be a PDF file. This is specified in the instructions for submitting an abstract to WORLDSymposium.

All poster first authors will receive an email with instructions on how to submit an ePoster in December, 2022. The deadline for submission of the PDF ePoster file is February 13, 2023. Poster presenters are only allowed to submit one ePoster PDF file for each poster they are presenting.

All registered attendees will have access to the ePosters beginning at 3:00 PM EST on Wednesday, February 22, 2023. The ePosters will be displayed on electronic kiosks in the Exhibit Hall, during Exhibit hours at WORLDSymposium 2023 and will remain available throughout WORLDSymposium and on demand until March 31, 2023.

Yes. It is strongly encouraged to put a QR code on ePosters, if at all possible.

Poster Sessions will be in the Exhibit Hall in the Orlando Ballroom:

• Basic Science Abstracts will be presented on Wednesday, February 22 from 3:00-5:00 PM EST
• Translational Research Abstracts will be presented on Thursday, February 23 from 3:00-5:00 PM EST
• Clinical Trials Abstracts will be presented on Friday, February 24 from 3:00-5:00 PM EST
• Contemporary Forum Abstracts will be presented on Saturday, February 25 from 3:00-5:00 PM EST

WORLDSymposium does not sell, rent, or otherwise distribute our registration lists. All registered attendees will have the opportunity to download the WORLDSymposium mobile app prior to the scientific meeting. The mobile app allows registered attendees to connect with all other registered attendees. The mobile app will be available in late January 2023.

Login and submit a Sponsorship or Exhibitor Application at: https://sponsor.worldsymposia.org

Cancellation requests must be directed to WORLDSymposium by sending an email to the Exhibits & Logistics Manager, Gudrun Echterhoff at gudrun@worldsymposia.org. The request must be in writing on Company letterhead, and must be signed by the same person who signed the Sponsorship or Exhibitor Application. If cancellation is made on or before November 15, 2022, the fees will be refunded less a 20% administrative fee. No refunds whatsoever will be made on cancellations after November 15, 2022.

It is mutually agreed that in the event WORLDSymposium is cancelled in whole or in part, or the scheduled opening is cancelled or delayed, due to causes that are beyond the reasonable control of WORLDSymposium, such as disasters, strikes, earthquakes, flood, civil disturbances, acts of God, acts of terrorism, health warning, advisory or directive, epidemic, pandemic, governmental regulations or any other circumstance beyond the control of WORLDSymposium that make it impossible or impractical to open or continue the event, then and thereupon the contract between Company and WORLDSymposium will automatically be terminated and Company hereby waives any and all claims against WORLDSymposium for damages, reimbursement, refunds or compensation.