Schedule and Speakers

2025 Global Myositis Patient Conference

September 18–21, 2025
Sheraton Dallas Hotel
Dallas, TX

Engaging and exciting content will unfold over three-plus days while we celebrate our worldwide myositis community. Join us at MyoCon to uncover the latest scientific findings and collect tips for living well with myositis.

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Breakout Sessions

Concurrent sessions offer attendees many options to gather in smaller groups to learn about the latest science and living well with myositis. Highlights include:

• Travel Accessibility and Current US Policy Environment 
• Aging Research, Senolytic Drugs, and Relevance to IBM
• CAR-T Myositis Trials: First-Person Patient and Physician Perspectives
• Decoding Insurance Coverage and Health Plans
• Effects of Exercise on Physiological, Physical and Psychological Aspects of Health
• Extra-muscular Manifestations in Myositis and Associated Risk
• Finding Strength through Faith
• Flares, Sun Safety, and Preventive Measures
• Genetics, Autoimmune Disease, and Myositis
• Hints & Hacks: Making Your Life Work for You
• Inequities in the Rare Disease Community: Myositis Voices
• Journeys: Living with Myositis
• Latest Research and Clinical Trials in IBM
• Latest Research and Clinical Trials in Other Forms of Myositis
• Life & Legacy Planning: Communicating without Conflict
• Lifestyle Medicine and Myositis: A Whole Body Approach
• Media Pitching 101: The Who/What/Where/When/Why of Landing TV, Radio, & Print Interviews
• Myositis Medications and Management
• Pulmonary Hypertension
• Stronger with Support: The Role of Protein in Muscle Disease

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Sessions by Form of Myositis

Some sessions are organized by diagnosis and delivered to support you specifically. On the morning of Friday, September 19, attendees will gather for comprehensive overviews and clinical insights into different forms of myositis. 

• Back to Basics: Antisynthetase Syndrome
• Back to Basics: Dermatomyositis
• Back to Basics: Inclusion Body Myositis
• Back to Basics: Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myopathy (NM, NAM)
• Back to Basics: Polymyositis

Wherever you are in your myositis journey, TMA has a medical advisor who can answer your most pressing questions. On Friday afternoon, MyoCon faculty panels will feature the world’s best experts in rheumatology, neurology, pulmonology, physiatry, and related specialties.

• Ask the Experts: Antisynthetase Syndrome and/or Myositis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease
• Ask the Experts: Dermatomyositis
• Ask the Experts: Immune-Mediated Necrotizing Myopathy (NM, NAM) and Polymyositis
• Ask the Experts: Inclusion Body Myositis

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Keynote Speakers

Opening Keynote Speaker: The Power of PurposeFriday, September 19

Representative Steve Bartlett

Steve Bartlett’s prior leadership roles include serving as the Mayor of Dallas, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and the President and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable. Through this important conversation at TMA’s Global Myositis Patient Conference, the myositis community will join the nationwide commemoration of the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Representative Bartlett co-authored this transformative legislation, and as a first-term Republican from Texas, worked with Representative Steny Hoyer, a Democrat from Maryland, to helm the bipartisan effort to convince House members to vote for the ADA bill. Steve served in Congress from 1983 to 1991.

Rep. Bartlett is featured in the new documentary Change, Not Charity: The Americans With Disabilities Act, on PBS and Streaming on PBS.org. This documentary explores the story of the coalition of activists and Washington insiders who united to pass one of the most consequential civil rights bills in the nation’s history. In his keynote, “The Power of Purpose,” Steve will describe the progress made toward disability inclusion and highlight opportunities for continued advancements. Mr. Bartlett will also inspire us all by describing how he has brought discipline, purposefulness, and focus to his accessibility advocacy and his life’s work.

Closing Keynote Speaker on World Myositis DaySunday, September 21

Julius Birnbaum, MD, MHS

Dr. Birnbaum has been a practicing rheumatologist for 20 years. He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and received his medical degree from the Columbia Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Birnbaum is the only physician in this country who is triple certified in internal medicine, neurology, and rheumatology. He completed his neurology residency at Mount Sinai Hospital, internal medicine residency at Jacobi Medical Center, and a rheumatology fellowship at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His early career was spent as a faculty member in the Division of Rheumatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He has received prestigious research grants funded by the National Institute of Health. He is the author of more than 30 manuscripts and book chapters, published in renowned journals. He moved to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) in 2020 and is currently an Associate Professor in the Division of Rheumatology. He also serves as Division Chief of Rheumatology at UPMC Mercy Hospital.

Living Well with Autoimmune Diseases

A Rheumatologist’s Guide to Taking Charge of Your Health

Julius Birnbaum, MD, MHS

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Our Distinguished Speakers

More than 50 speakers will enlighten and entertain TMA attendees this year, with experts and fellow myositis patients addressing the hottest topics. Presenters include:

• Helene Alexandersen, PhD, RPT, Associate Professor (Docent) of Physical Therapy, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine; TMA Medical Advisory Board member
• Meaghan Arnold, M.A. CCC-SLP, Owner and Speech Language Pathologist, Speech Swallowing & Neurological Rehabilitation
• Steve Bartlett, former U.S. Representative; former Mayor of Dallas; former President & CEO, Financial Services Roundtable
• Jamie Batiste, Founder, Designer of Adaptive Jewelry, Rejected Hearts Club
• Salman Bhai, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, UT Southwestern Medical Center; Director, Neuromuscular Center, Institute of Exercise and Environmental Medicine, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas
• Suur Biliciler, MD, Professor of Neurology and Co-Director, Neurology Residency Program, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
• Julius Birnbaum, MD, MHS, Associate Professor, Division of Rheumatology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Division Chief of Rheumatology, UPMC Mercy Hospital
• Laurie Boyer, MBA, Cofounder and Former Vice President of Team Tommy Foundation; Chair, TMA Board of Directors
• Lisa Christopher-Stine, MD, MPH, Professor of Rheumatology and Director, Johns Hopkins University Myositis Center; TMA Medical Advisory Board member
• Jocelyn Cooper, Program Manager, Rare Disease Diversity Council
• Ashley Dalby, MS, ACSM EP-C, CET, Lecturer, Department of Kinesiology, UT Tyler; Kourage Health
• Rich DeAugustinis, Senior Advisor, Frontline; Vice Chair, TMA Board of Directors
• Paula J. Eichenbrenner, MBA, CAE, Executive Director, TMA
• Floranne Ernste, MD, Associate Professor of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic; former TMA Medical Advisory Board member
• David Fiorentino, MD, PhD, Professor of Dermatology, Stanford Medicine; TMA Medical Advisory Board member
• Richard (Chip) Galloway, Jr., Staff Accountant, Cantey, Tiller, Pierce & Green, LLP; TMA Board of Directors
• Namita A. Goyal, MD, Professor of Neurology, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine; Co-director, UC Irvine-MDA ALS and Neuromuscular Center; Director, Neuromuscular Medicine Fellowship; Chair, TMA Medical Advisory Board
• Lindsay Guentzel, award-winning radio journalist & producer for CBS Radio affiliate WCCO Radio and Minnesota Public Radio; Leader, TMA Minnesota Support Group
• Mindy Henderson, Vice President, Disability Outreach & Empowerment; Editor-in Chief, MDA Quest Media; Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)
• Amy L. Jenkins, Attorney, The Law Offices of Amy L. Jenkins
• Cheilonda Johnson, MD, MHS, Assistant Professor of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania; TMA Medical Advisory Board member
• Holly Jones, TMA Board of Directors member; Co-leader, TMA Women of Color Affinity Group
• Richard Juknavorian, Director, Rist DifferenceMaker Institute, University of Massachusetts Lowell
• Janine Lamb, BSc, DPhil, Reader in Complex Human Genetics/Genomics, Programme Director for MRes in Translational Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, University of Manchester; TMA Medical Advisory Board member
• Thomas Lloyd, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine; former TMA Medical Advisory Board member
• Susan McLoughlin, Co-leader, TMA Kansas & Western Missouri Support Group
• Tom McNulty, Former White House Executive Chef for Vice Presidents Cheney, Biden, and Pence
• Scott Milligan, PhD, Managing Director, Principled Research Resources L3C
• Margherita Milone, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic; former TMA Medical Advisory Board member
• Melissa Morales, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, SUNY Binghamton
• Tahseen Mozaffar, MD, Professor of Neurology, Pathology, and Laboratory Medicine and Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Irvine; TMA Medical Advisory Board member and Liaison to TMA’s Board of Directors
• Elie Naddaf, MD, Associate Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic; TMA Medical Advisory Board member
• Julie Paik, MD, MHS, Associate Professor of Rheumatology, Johns Hopkins University; Co-director of the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center; Director of Clinical Trials, Johns Hopkins Myositis Center; Vice Chair, TMA Medical Advisory Board
• Rhonda Rogers, TMA Southern California Myositis Support Group Leader; TMA Flying Solo Affinity Group Leader; The Myositis Warrior
• Sandeep Sahay, MD, MSc, Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Program; Associate Professor, Weill Cornell Medical College; Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital
• Lesley Ann Saketkoo, MD, MPH, Director and Founder of New Orleans Scleroderma and Sarcoidosis Patient Care and Research Center; TMA Medical Advisory Board member
• Julie Sanfilippo, RDN, Diabetes Prevention Program Healthcoach, Elmhurst Memorial Healthcare
• Adam I. Schiffenbauer, MD, Deputy Director, Environmental Autoimmunity Group, Office of Clinical Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health; TMA Medical Advisory Board member and Vice Chair of the Research Grants Committee
• Randy Scott, Saxophonist and Multi-Platinum Smooth Jazz Musician with Four Billboard #1 Singles; Record Producer; Educator; Composer
• Elizabeth Sloan, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, University of Texas Southwestern
• Eleni Tiniakou, MD, Associate Professor of Rheumatology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
• Victoria Werth, MD, Professor of Dermatology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Veterans Administration Medical Center; TMA Medical Advisory Board member
• Annesha White, PharmD, MS, PhD, Senior Associate Dean for Assessment, Accreditation & Faculty Success, Associate Professor of Pharmacotherapy, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth

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