Williams Syndrome Annual Conference

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LIVEAPACMECNEPT

Monday, September 29, 2025, 8:00 AM - Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 6:00 PM, Study Hotel, Philadelphia, PA

The first International Conference on Research in Williams Syndrome will take place on September 29-30, 2025 at the STUDY at University City (20 S. 33rd St, Philadelphia, PA), hosted by the Armellino Center of Excellence for Williams Syndrome (ACE-WS). ACE-WS is a comprehensive program for clinical care, research, and education for individuals with Williams syndrome across the lifespan. ACE-WS is a joint program between the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Please join us to learn about the latest research in Williams syndrome (WS), a rare (1 in 7500) neurodevelopmental syndrome caused by hemizygous deletion of ~27 genes at 7q11.23. WS is characterized by developmental delay, distinctive cognitive and behavioral phenotypes, visual processing deficits, cardiovascular defects, gastrointestinal problems, and more. There will be sessions devoted to genetics, behavioral health, cognition and development, brain and behavior, cardiovascular disease, and community engagement.

The Armellino Center partners with the Williams Syndrome Association (WSA; a national non-profit organization supporting families impacted by Williams syndrome) and with the WS Clinical Consortium (consisting of the 10 WS Specialty Clinics in the US, including the clinic operated by ACE-WS), which operates the Collaborative Registry for Williams Syndrome (CReWS).

1. Recognize molecular mechanisms underlying physiological and behavior manifestations of WS
2. Generate intake questions to screen for common medical, developmental, psychological and behavioral health concerns in WS
3. Differentiate indicators of behavioral health difficulties that may respond well to interventions specific to WS versus those that do not
4. Locate resources for research specific to WS
5. Identify risk factors for poor health outcomes in people with WS
6. Determine needs and barriers affecting quality of life of individuals affected by WS and their families
7. Integrate WS patient community input into research proposals

Registration

The registration fee for the International Conference on Research in Williams Syndrome Annual Conference 2025 is $300 for non-affiliates, $50 for Penn Medicine and CHOP faculty and clinicians, $500 for industry representatives. There is no fee (though registration is required) for students, postdocs, ACE-WS affiliates, and WSA staff.

PLEASE NOTE: You must be signed into UPenn Cloud CME to register for an activity. If you do not already have a UPenn Cloud CME profile, first create one before registering for this activity. Start by clicking on the "SIGN-IN" button in the toolbar at the top left. Then click the "SIGN-IN WITH EMAIL AND PASSWORD” option, followed by clicking "CREATE NEW ACCOUNT" for your initial entry. DO NOT CREATE A NEW PROFILE IF YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE. Penn Medicine employees must sign in with the PennKey and password option.

For those applying for the Trainee Traveling Scholarship
Travel support up to $1000 (domestic) or $1500 (international) will be considered for trainees that wish to present a poster.

Applications for travel support are due June 15, 2025. Awards will be announced July 15, 2025.

CLICK HERE to submit the following information:

• Estimated costs for travel

• Number of requested nights at the hotel

• Title of poster

• Tell us why you are requesting travel support and whether you have additional funds for travel from another source. Include a description of how this support will benefit your work in Williams syndrome

  • (500 words max)

For those interested in Submitting an Abstract
Thank you for your interest in presenting your findings!

You can submit an abstract for a poster only, or you can submit your abstract to be considered for a presentation slot. If you wish to be considered for a talk, you can choose whether or not you will present a poster if not selected for a talk. Please be aware that speaking slots are limited.

If you wish to be considered for a talk, abstracts are due by August 1, 2025. Talks will be selected from abstracts by August 15, 2025.

Abstracts for poster only will be accepted on a rolling basis through September 1, 2025.

CLICK HERE to submit your abstract.

In support of improving patient care, Penn Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.  

Designation of Credit
Physicians: Penn Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 12.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Physician Assistants: AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. PAs may receive a maximum of 12.00 Category 1 credits for completing this activity.

Nurses: This program provides 12.00 NCPD Hours.

Additional Accreditation for Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists is under review.

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (12.00 hours), APA Psychology (12.00 hours), NCPD Hours (ANCC) (12.00 hours), Non-Physician Attendance / Participation (12.00 hours), Physical Therapist Contact Hours (12.00 hours)

the STUDY at University City
20 S. 33rd St.
Philadelphia, PA

A block of rooms has been reserved for International Conference on Research in Williams Syndrome attendees at The Study University City, located at 20 South 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA. The room rate is $239 per night for a king room and $279 per night for a king study room, not including taxes and fees. Click HERE to reserve your overnight room. Contact The Study directly at 1.215.387.1400 if you need additional assistance making your room reservation.

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Penn Medicine adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers or others are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (commercial interests). All relevant conflicts of interest have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.

Standard exhibit space is available during this event at $1,500 per table. Each exhibitor will receive a standard 6’ table.  A tablecloth and electricity will be provided if required. Your company will be acknowledged in the conference materials and signage and by the course director(s) at the welcome address.