The 9th International RASopathies Symposium.
Castel P., Schoyer L., Stronach B., Bogdanova R., Bennett AM., Blakeley J., Bornhorst M., Bowers T., Brachmann SM., Burkitt-Wright E., Chatfield K., De Luca A., El-Chammas K., Elkadri A., Fortunato JE., Gelb BD., Goriely A., Gripp K., Grover K., Homan L., Kern KA., Kiuru M., Lawson CC., Lee Y-S., McCormick F., Ney G., Nuevo-Tapioles C., Pardej S., Pierpont EI., Plank J., Ratner N., Rauen KA., Robinson JE., Rogers L., Sheppard SE., Shiels K., Stevenson D., Tiemens D., Traylor M., Weaver KN., Yohe M., Green T.
The RASopathies are a group of congenital disorders with overlapping clinical manifestations that are caused by pathogenic germline or early somatic variants that result in the hyperactivation of the RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Given the heterogeneous clinical presentations of these disorders that involve abnormalities across multiple organ systems, multidisciplinary clinical management and progress in scientific research are essential for optimal patient diagnosis and care. The 9th International RASopathies Symposium, a biennial meeting, was organized by the patient advocacy group RASopathies Network and showcased recent discoveries, case studies, and advances in preclinical research. Participants, who included scientists, clinicians, industry representatives, patients, and family advocates, explored knowledge gaps, innovative clinical approaches, and lived experiences of individuals with a RASopathy. Sessions centered around organ systems were introduced with a patient perspective to highlight the burden of disease, continued with presentations from established and early-career investigators. Overall, the RASopathies Symposia serve as a catalyst for sustained community collaboration focused on enhancing patient health and accelerating the translation of discoveries into effective treatments.