About Our Annual Event

Every Fall since 1994, the Huntington Study Group (HSG) has hosted an annual, internationally recognized forum for training and education of Huntington disease (HD) researchers, and to share new research findings and treatments to the worldwide community, plus much more!

This multi-day event includes two days of plenary sessions (Thursday and Friday) geared towards researchers, clinicians, and industry, which focus on science and research. The final day (Saturday) is set aside for our healthcare provider education program (CME4HD™) and our exciting FAMILY DAY symposium that provides the HD community with a chance to hear from HD experts and advocates. In 2019, a pre-conference training day on Wednesday was added to the in-person event exclusively for HSG clinical research Investigators and Coordinators. In 2020, the HSG annual meeting went completely virtual for the first time with a highly interactive platform due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstracts

The Huntington Study Group’s renowned annual event brings together the world’s leading Huntington disease (HD) researchers, health care providers, industry representatives, and members of the HD community. As part of our annual meeting, the Peter Como HD Research Symposium provides an opportunity for researchers to share abstracts of their efforts to help improve the lives for people affected by Huntington disease. The symposium, which began in 2007, focuses on clinical HD research by presenting valuable findings and information to event attendees through poster sessions and platform presentations. The symposium was later renamed after Dr. Como, who played a key role in the founding of both the HSG and the Symposium.

Our annual meeting hosts multiple poster viewing sessions and platform presentations throughout the event. The window to submit an abstract of the annual meeting typically opens about 5 months prior to the event, and closes no later than 2 months before the meeting. Abstracts and Platform presenters are reviewed and selected by the HSG Publications Committee. Selected authors will be expected to attend the event and are asked to stand with their poster during the viewing sessions to interact with attendees.

Due to space constraints or available scholarships at in-person annual meetings, the number of abstracts selected may be limited. Eligible abstracts may include data that have been presented previously, but should still be of public, as well as scientific, interest. Authors must disclose relationships with funding sources and manufacturers of commercial products discussed in the abstract. All accepted abstracts will be distributed at the annual meeting in a printed guidebook for attendees, and will be published in a popular medical journal.

A limited number of Platform presenters will be selected from the selected abstracts. Platform presenters selected to provide a platform presentation at in-person annual meetings will receive airfare, 2-nights hotel lodging, and complimentary registration to attend the annual meeting. At a minimum, selected abstract authors will receive 1-night hotel lodging and complimentary registration to attend the annual meeting.

CME4HD™ – Accredited Learning

Add to your knowledge with CME4HD! You have a unique opportunity to take a continuing medical education course in-person, specifically designed for you. The goal is to have many health care professionals trained so that families can more easily find care in their own communities. This course is designed to teach you how to care for and manage individuals with Huntington disease (HD) and is appropriate for all healthcare professionals, including social workers, nurses, neurologists, and others.

Attendees will gain the knowledge, tools, and resources they need to provide excellent care to families impacted by HD, and will learn from world experts in HD care. Don’t pass up this amazing opportunity to learn more about Huntington Disease! This is a FREE program, but registration is required.

HSG FAMILY DAY

Focused on families, this is a FREE, full-day event on Saturday of the annual meeting. Family Day covers HD advocacy, caregiving, and research. You’ll have an opportunity to ask leading HD experts your questions. Some highlights include: A keynote presentation by a leading voice, or key figures in the HD community, a panel of community members discussing their experience participating in HD trials.

ALL ARE WELCOME! This is a wonderful and inclusive event for individuals with HD, families and friends impacted by HD (including youth), caregivers, and healthcare providers. This event is FREE and open to the public, but registration is strongly encouraged to help provide an accurate headcount for planning.

Scholarships

The HSG has historically provided the following scholarship opportunities.

The availability and number of scholarships is subject to change. Once a scholarship below available, an application link will be provided below.

The NEW MEMBER SCHOLARSHIP AWARD is for new HSG members in the past year to attend the annual meeting. Includes two nights’ lodging, and travel funding.
The SHOULSON SCHOLAR award recognizes outstanding research investigators who are new to HD, have participated in HD research and wish to pursue a career in HD. The Shoulson Scholar fund allows these the winner(s) to attend the HSG annual meeting by providing two nights’ lodging, travel funding, and recognition at the conference.
The PETER COMO SCHOLARSHIP, named in memory of one of HSG’s founders and biggest supporters, is for a professional in the mental health field to attend the HSG annual meeting. Includes two nights’ lodging, travel funding, and recognition at the conference.
The COORDINATOR SCHOLARSHIP is for any HSG Coordinator or Acting Coordinator unable to attend the annual meeting due to lack of funding. Includes two nights’ lodging, and travel funding.
HSG CME4HD SCHOLARSHIP is for any student, fellow, clinician, or healthcare provider pursuing additional HD training and experience, to attend the in-person CME4HD training program at the annual meeting. Includes lodging for one night, and travel funding.

Meeting Sponsorship

Planning, organizing, and hosting the annual meeting is a massive effort that takes nearly a year. Work on the next year’s meeting begins upon the conclusion of the current year’s meeting. The HSG firmly believes that the best way to push HD research forward is through face-to-face collaboration among researches, scientists, industry, advocacy, and the HD community. To do this, the HSG seeks to provide the most cost effective experience for the largest possible number of attendees.

The annual meeting is an ideal venue for your organization to be featured or build positive brand recognition within the Huntington disease field. As a not-for-profit, the HSG relies primarily on the generosity of sponsorships and other support opportunities to cover the costs of making the annual meeting possible. Having your support for our annual meeting truly makes a difference in the value to the HD community and for your organization.

If your organization is interested in supporting the HSG annual meeting as:

A SPONSOR of the event; or
An EXHIBITOR at the event

Please contact HSG by email info@hsglimited.org or call 800-487-7671.

Meeting Code of Conduct

All attendees at the HSG annual meeting must adhere to the code of conduct policy. Please read the Annual Meeting Code of Conduct.

Past HSG Annual Meetings

Visit our archived pages from past annual meetings.