T21RS Meeting June 2026 Denver, CO - PROJECT SUMMARY Down syndrome (DS) is caused by a complete or partial trisomy of chromosome 21 (Trisomy 21, T21). DS is characterized by widespread abnormalities in numerous tissue systems, leading to heart defects, vision problems, hearing loss, variable degrees of intellectual disability, and sleep apnea. In addition, those with DS are highly predisposed to hypothyroidism, blood disorders, and autoimmune conditions, and are known to undergo accelerated aging processes, leading to Alzheimer's disease (AD). The rapid pace of progress in DS research over the last decade highlights the critical need for effective communication between scientists, clinicians, families and self-advocates, to take basic research discoveries from the laboratory to clinical trials that benefit people with DS. Furthermore, continued advances in DS research are dependent upon the nurturing of the next generation of junior scientists. In this grant proposal we therefore request funding to cover travel expenses of junior investigators, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students, to attend the 6th International Conference of the Trisomy 21 Research Society (T21RS), which will take place in Denver, Colorado, June 17-20, 2026. Attendees at this meeting will include established DS and non-DS investigators whose research directly or indirectly informs critical aspects of DS co-occurring conditions, including those mentioned above across the lifespan of individuals with DS. A new component the 2026 conference will be a workshop specifically for trainees during the first day, focused on novel technological advances in the field. The workshop will be open for all graduate and post-graduate students and will be include a mentor/mentee pairing session, allowing bridges to be built between different research groups, both within the USA and around the world. The mentees will self-select a junior or senior mentor from another research group and a panel discussion will be held including both mentors and mentees to discuss best mentor practices. Based on our previous successes, we anticipate that this conference will lead to fruitful discussions and novel collaborations that are essential for the future of DS research. The theme of our meeting will be: T21: Insights from Across the Lifespan.
