The Second BHD Symposium was co-sponsored by the Office of Rare Disease Research at NIH and the Myrovlytis Trust, and was held on 22^nd April 2010, at the Washington Marriott at Metro Center Hotel, Washington DC, USA.

Video Highlights:

Dr Laura Schmidt: Introduction to the Second BHD Symposium 2010

Dr Laura Schmidt is a staff scientist at the National Cancer Institute-Frederick, NIH, USA. Dr Schmidt’s research focuses on identifiying new genes involved in familial renal cancer. Dr Schmidt was part of the team that cloned the VHL tumor suppressor gene, and that identified mutations in folliculin, the gene mutated in BHD syndrome.

Dr Berton Zbar: A personal view of renal cancer genetics: history and lessons

This year’s invited guest speaker was Dr. Berton Zbar, who has over 20 years experience in the field of renal cancer genetics.

Before his retirement, Dr Zbar was chief of the Laboratory of Immunobiology at the Center for Cancer Research, NCI-Frederick, USA, where he and his colleagues  studied families affected with the BHD Syndrome as well as von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome, hereditary papillary renal carcinoma (HPRC), and Hereditary Leiomyoma and Renal Cell Carcinoma (HLRCC).

Dr Frank McCormack: LAM and BHD, similarities and differences

Dr McCormack is an expert in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM), a progressive lung disease that affects women almost exclusively and is characterised by the development of pulmonary cysts.

Joyce Graff: Living with Rare Cancer – a family’s perspective

Joyce Graff is the Executive Director of the VHL Alliance and shared her vast experience with VHL  disease (both as a patient advocate and founder of the VHL Alliance) with the BHD community.

The Scientific Committe for the Symposium:

• Dr Laura Schmidt;

• Professor Eamonn Maher;

• Dr Maurice van Steensel and;

• Dr Arnim Pause.