Batten disease research conference comes to Boston for the first time

Boston will host the NCL Translational Science and Therapeutics Conference for the first time Nov. 11-13, bringing international researchers, clinicians, industry groups and advocates together to advance Batten disease research. Organizers are also seeking sponsorships from healthcare, biotech, pharma, universities and foundations to support the lysosomal research network.

Why it matters: - The conference is designed to speed research on Batten disease, a group of rare inherited neurodegenerative disorders known as neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses, or NCLs. - Research in NCLs also informs broader work in lysosomal biology, neuroscience and therapeutic development. - Bringing the meeting to Greater Boston could deepen ties among the region’s healthcare, biotechnology and academic communities.

What happened: - The NCL Translational Science and Therapeutics Conference will be held Nov. 11-13, 2026, at the Marriott Boston Quincy in Quincy, Massachusetts. - The Boston-area meeting is the ninth conference in the series and the first to be hosted in the region. - Our Promise to Nicholas Foundation is hosting the event. - The conference will gather international scientists, clinicians, industry researchers and patient advocates. - The event will focus on emerging discoveries, drug development challenges and collaboration opportunities that could move research toward clinical treatments. - The conference recognizes Dr. Jill Weimer and the Weimer Lab at Sanford Research for scientific leadership.

The details: - Supporters include BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Scenic Biotech, Azafaros, Sanford Health in South Dakota, Eastern Bank and Bedford Gastroenterology. - Additional support comes from Beyond Batten Disease Foundation, Noah’s Hope & Hope 4 Bridget Foundation and Children’s Brain Diseases Foundation. - Family foundations have also helped sustain the conference series over 16 years. - The conference series has served as a focused forum for connecting experts across institutions and countries. - The meeting location is 1000 Marriott Drive, Quincy, Massachusetts. - A Facebook page for Our Promise to Nicholas Foundation is available here.

Between the lines: - The move to Boston signals an effort to bring more visibility and institutional support to a rare disease field that depends on cross-sector collaboration. - Organizers are positioning the conference as a bridge between basic science, clinical care, drug development and patient advocacy. - The sponsorship push suggests the foundation wants to widen the circle of institutions backing lysosomal research and therapeutic innovation.

What's next: - Organizers are seeking additional sponsorships from healthcare systems, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, universities and philanthropic foundations. - Bedford Gastroenterology is encouraging more local, regional and national organizations to join the existing scientific and family foundation partners. - The conference will take place during the Nov. 11-13 window and is expected to generate new research and collaboration connections.

The bottom line: - Boston’s first hosting of the NCL conference gives Batten disease researchers a new East Coast hub for collaboration, fundraising and therapeutic development.