WHAT:

Some of the world’s leading experts in the treatment of Fabry disease will be in Birmingham this weekend to discuss the latest advances for the treatment of Fabry disease, a genetic life-threatening disorder. Fabry disease is rare and predominately affects males. It is estimated that 1 in 40,000 men has Fabry disease, whereas the prevalence in the general population is about 1 in 117,000 people.

WHEN:

Saturday, Feb. 28 from 8 a.m. to 5 pm.

WHO:

UAB, in conjunction with Genzyme Corp., and speakers from France, Germany and other major medical centers.

BACKGROUND:

UAB, as one of the nation’s leaders in research and treatment of kidney disease, has a special interest in Fabry disease, according to Dr. David Warnock, director of the UAB division of nephrology. “We have found a high degree of interest in this meeting among the specialist physicians around the nation who are involved in the management of kidney disease,” Warnock said.

Warnock, president-elect of the National Kidney Foundation, heads UAB’s Nephrology Research and Training Center. He will speak at the meeting’s scientific/general session held from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Other speakers will be Dr. Robert Desnick, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York City; Dr. Jean-Pierre Grunfeld, Hopital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris; Dr. Roland Schafer, University of Munster, Germany; and Dr. Mark Goldberg of Genzyme.

Workshops and breakout sessions will be held 1-4:30 p.m. and concluding remarks will be from 4:30-5 p.m.