REMINDER: Submit Disclosures Early. See Disclosure requirements.

Call for Abstracts: WORLDSymposium™ Abstract Now Closed

Individuals were encouraged to submit research on disease mechanisms, pathology and biomarkers, RNA therapies, gene editing, gene therapies, newborn screening, clinical trial information and results, and any other research applicable to lysosomal disorders.

See Embargo Policy

Abstract Submission Deadline: October 1, 2024 – 17:00 CDT

Abstract submissions for WORLDSymposium 2025 opened August 1, 2024. All abstracts that were submitted on or before the October 1, 2024 deadline have been reviewed by the WORLDSymposium Program Committee for platform or poster presentation. The first author of the submitted abstract will be notified of acceptance for platform or poster presentation by November 4, 2024.

Late-Breaking Abstract Submission Site opened November 1, and closed December 2, 2024. 

The deadline for submitting an abstract to WORLDSymposium was October 1, 2024, 17:00 CDT. Any time before the deadline you may return to the submission website to make changes to your abstract, or delete the abstract if you no longer want it considered for presentation. AFTER October 1, 2024, ALL ABSTRACTS ARE CONSIDERED FINAL AND NO CHANGES MAY BE MADE AND ABSTRACTS MAY NOT BE WITHDRAWN.

WORLDSymposium 2025 will again present a “Late-Breaking Science” session at the 2025 meeting. The WORLDSymposium late-breaking abstract submission site will be open from November 1 – December 2, 2024.

Up to 8 abstracts may be selected for platform presentation, based on the quality and content of the submitted abstracts. Authors who submitted abstracts prior to the October 1, 2024 deadline, are welcome to resubmit for this category if a) they were not selected for a platform presentation for their abstract, and b) they have updated information which impacts the quality of the science in the submitted abstract.

WORLDSymposium 2025 Abstract Submission

Individuals are encouraged to submit research on disease mechanisms, pathology and biomarkers, RNA therapies, somatic cell genome editing, gene editing, gene therapies, newborn screening, clinical trial information and results, and any other research applicable to lysosomal disorders.

The three (3) categories for 2025 abstract submissions are as follows:
1. Basic Science

  • Disease Mechanisms, Pathology and Biomarkers
  • Genome Editing and GeneTherapy Development in the Laboratory

2. Translational Research

  • Developing Therapeutic Approaches in Translation from Laboratory to the Clinic
  • Implementation and Impact of Newborn Screening
  • Clinical Trial Readiness: Preclinical Trial Methods and Studies
  • Genome Editing and Gene Therapy Approaches in Translation from Laboratory to the Clinic
  • Implementation and Impact of Newborn Screening

3. Clinical Applications

  • Clinical Trials for Registration,  (which must have an FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) application (Phase I-III clinical trial), an EMA Investigational Medicinal Product Dossier (IMPD), or equivalent)
  • Clinical Outcomes including licensed therapies (Phase IV) and non-interventional studies.

Plan Ahead

Disclosure Requirements

  • ALL individuals listed as an author or co-author will be required to submit THEIR OWN disclosure prior to the submission of the scientific abstract.
  • Each listed author must complete THEIR OWN DISCLOSURE; NO ONE ELSE may submit the disclosure on behalf of another individual.
  • Abstracts cannot be submitted until all disclosures for all authors are finalized.
  • Once an author finalizes their own disclosure, the same disclosure will be applied to ALL abstracts on which the individual is a listed author.
  • More details are available on the Disclosure Submissions page.

NEW in 2025

Rapid Fire Session

Have a big idea, a controversial topic, or a provocative case?

  • Get expert feedback from an international audience while competing for prizes and recognition.
  • Submit Abstracts for the fast-paced and energetic Rapid-Fire Abstract Session!
  • 12 abstracts will be selected from both early and late-breaking submissions.
  • Final deadline to submit an abstract: December 2, 2024.

About this NEW session:

  • Rapid-Fire Competition will be Friday, February 7, 2025 from 12:30-14:40.
  • To be considered for the new Rapid-Fire session, the first author must “opt-in” when submitting the abstract for either the October 1 or the December 2, 2024 deadline.
  • Please select “Yes” to this question at the time of abstract submission: In addition to being considered for a Platform or Poster Presentation, would you like your abstract to be considered for the New Rapid Fire Abstract Competition, which will be Friday, February 7, 2025, from 12:30-14:40 PST?
  • Format will be a 5-minute, 5-slide presentation, followed by 5 minutes of live audience Q&A.
  • If there are no audience questions, the session moderators will move to the next speaker.
  • Speakers will compete for prizes, and the audience will vote for their favorites. Possible categories may include: Most Informative, Best Presentation, Best Argument, Most Unique, etc.
  • More information and final categories coming soon.

Contemporary Forum

Non-CE platform sessions

  • All authors will be asked to verify whether the first author is employed by industry (a commercial interest organization, such as a device or pharmaceutical company).  An “Industry” organization does not include an academic, government, or non-profit organization.
  • Abstracts for CME and Non-CME should be submitted for one of the 3 primary categories above (Basic, Translational, or Clinical), and will be reviewed for consideration for platform or poster presentation. All abstracts will be considered for publication.
  • Once selected for platform presentation, abstracts submitted by first authors who are employed by industry will be moved to the Contemporary Forum Session.
  • Due to the shorter schedule this year, a limited number of Contemporary Forum abstracts will be selected for platform presentation.
  • This is a Non-CE platform session created specifically for first authors employed by industry. Contemporary Forum presentations will be held to the same ACCME Standards as all other presentations.

Abstract Requirements

Abstract Length

Abstracts are required to be no more than 300 words in length and may not contain images or figures.

Number of Authors

Abstract submissions may include no more than 25 authors. NO exceptions.

Disclosure Requirements

Prior to the submission of the scientific abstract, ALL individuals listed as an author or co-author will be required to have submitted THEIR OWN disclosure.

All author and co-author contact information and disclosure information must be completed at the time of abstract submission. An abstract is only considered complete when a green checkbox appears, stating that the abstract submission is complete. At that time, abstract submitters can request a confirmation email to be sent to all authors.

First Authors

The first author will be designated to present the work for all submitted abstracts. Please ensure that the first author (first person listed by the submitter) is the person who will be presenting the abstract at the conference. Once submitted, abstracts may be edited or deleted until the deadline of October 1, 2024, at 17:00 CDT; after the deadline, all submissions are considered final and may not be edited or withdrawn.

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 presenting author on the Preliminary Program, Agenda, and/or Poster List. First authors cannot be changed once the listings are published or posted.

Abstract Selection

Abstracts will be selected based on scientific merit, originality and relevancy to lysosomal diseases. Selection occurs through an independent peer review process. Final placement in an oral platform or poster session is subject to the Scientific Committee’s discretion.

Abstract Assignments

All abstracts submitted prior to the October 1, 2024, deadline will be reviewed by the WORLDSymposium Program Committee for platform or poster presentations. The first author of the submitted abstract will be notified of acceptance for platform or poster presentation by November 4, 2024. Information will also be posted here on the website as soon as it is available.

Thank you to the 2025 Program and Planning Committee for their expertise, hard work, and dedication.

Meeting Registration

Note: Authors who submit abstracts are not automatically registered for the meeting. In order to participate in the meeting and make their presentations, authors must register for the meeting and also cover the costs of hotel and travel (if travel costs are applicable).

Abstracts must be submitted with the intention that they will be presented if selected.

Technical Support

For technical support with the abstract submission system, please contact OASIS: 217-398-1792 (Monday through Friday 09:00 – 15:00 Central Time). For questions regarding deadlines, topics, or other non-technical questions, please contact Amber Brown at amber@worldsymposia.org

Abstract submitters may log back in and edit or withdraw the abstract submission anytime prior to October 1, 2024, at 17:00 CDT.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will abstracts for WORLDSymposium 2025 be published or be made available to the public?

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, 2024, to be published in the February 2025 “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 Monday, February 3, 2025. 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.

More questions?

Read more Frequently Asked Questions here.