MARCO II

International Conference on Menkes Disease, Copper & Human Health
17–18 September 2026 • Centre Pompidou Málaga, Spain

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Venue

Centre Pompidou Málaga
Spain

Format

Hybrid Event
Online & In-Person

Languages

English & Spanish

Speakers

25 International Researchers & Clinicians

About the Conference

MARCO II is the second international scientific meeting dedicated to Menkes disease, copper metabolism, and the broader landscape of rare copper-related disorders — bringing together leading researchers, clinicians, policy-makers, patient families, and philanthropic stakeholders.

Building on the success of the inaugural MARCO I meeting held in Málaga in September 2024, this two-day conference deepens the scientific dialogue around diagnosis, treatment, gene therapy, and the lived experience of those affected by rare copper diseases. Researchers will present the latest advances in copper homeostasis, novel therapeutic strategies, neonatal screening, and the intersection of policy and access.

Topics include diagnosis, treatment, gene therapy, neonatal screening, copper homeostasis, patient-centred research and healthcare policy.

Scientific Talks

Latest research on copper metabolism, Menkes disease, gene therapy, neonatal screening, and rare copper disorders from leading international institutions.

Round Tables

Multidisciplinary discussion sessions covering philanthropy, pharma innovation, health journalism, and patient-centred research.

Family Sessions

Dedicated space for families living with rare copper disorders to share testimonials and connect with the research community.

International Scope

Participants from across Europe, the Americas, and beyond — uniting science and human experience across borders.

Scientific Programme

Day 1 17 September 2026
08:30 – 09:00
Registration & Badge Collection
09:00 – 09:30
Welcome & Opening Address
09:30 – 10:00
Opening Lecture — From Bench to Bedside: Treating Genetic Disorders of Copper Metabolism
Vishal Gohil & Prachi Trivedi — Texas A&M University, USA
10:00 – 10:30
Rare Diseases in the Spanish Social Security System: Coverage, Gaps and the Road Ahead
César Hernández García — DG Social Security, Ministry of Health, Spain
10:30 – 11:00
Biochemical Markers in Copper Metabolism Disorders: From Neonatal Screening to Clinical Management
François Boemer — University Hospital of Liège, Belgium
11:00 – 11:20
Coffee Break
11:20 – 12:00
The Andalusian Plan for Rare Diseases and Reference Hospitals; Ontologies, Networks and Biology Systems in Rare Diseases
Javier Blasco & Juan A. García Ranea — H. Materno-Infantil Málaga / University of Málaga, Spain
12:00 – 12:30
Mapping Copper Enzyme Defects in ATP7A-Spectrum Disorders
Nina Horn — Kennedy Center, Copenhagen (ret.), Denmark
12:30 – 13:00
Neonatal Screening of Disorders Without Available Biomarkers: Genomics as a Tool?
François Eyskens — MetaBern, University Hospital of Antwerp, Belgium
13:00 – 13:30
Brain Resilience and Susceptibility in Menkes Disease
Victor Faúndez — Emory School of Medicine, USA
13:30 – 15:00
Lunch
15:00 – 16:00
NPP-Menkes Round Table
Elena Godoy · Francesc Palau · Vishal Gohil · Denis Broun · Aurora Mateos
16:00 – 17:00
Philanthropy Round Table
Chaired by Denis Broun — Yusuf Hamied (Hamied Foundation) · Salwa Maalouf (Fundación Misericordia)
17:00 – 18:00
Pharma Round Table
Engrail Therapeutics · Cyprium / Sentynl Therapeutics — chaired by Rubén Varela (Sacyl, Castilla y León)
18:00 – 19:00
Family Session — Every Day Counts: Families Living with Rare Copper Disorders
Chaired by Annalisa Scopinaro (UNIAMO Italy) — family testimonials
Day 2 18 September 2026
09:00 – 09:30
New Potential Therapies for Menkes Disease
François Feillet — CHRU Nancy / Université de Lorraine, France
09:30 – 10:00
Mammalian Copper Homeostasis in Health and Disease
Svetlana Lutsenko — Johns Hopkins University, USA
10:00 – 10:30
Two Sides of the Same Coin: What Wilson Disease Teaches Us About Menkes and Copper Homeostasis
James Hamilton — Johns Hopkins University, USA
10:30 – 11:00
When Copper Goes Wrong: An Introduction to the Spectrum of Copper and Mitochondrial Disorders
Shamima Rahman — Great Ormond Street / UCL, United Kingdom
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:00
From Patients to Partners: The Role of Family Organizations in Co-Designing Rare Disease Treatments
Annalisa Scopinaro — UNIAMO / FEDER Italy
12:00 – 12:30
Co-Designing the Science We Need: EATRIS, REMEDi4ALL and the Rare Disease Moonshot as Models for Patient-Led Innovation
Anton Ussi — EATRIS-EU
12:30 – 13:00
AAV Gene Therapy for Rare Metabolic Disorders: A Roadmap Toward Menkes Disease
Giuseppe Ronzitti — Genethon, Paris, France
13:00 – 13:30
From Variant to Patient: The Role of Genomics and Families in the Diagnostic Journey of Rare Diseases
Gabriella Repetto — Universidad del Desarrollo / Clínica Alemana, Santiago, Chile
13:30 – 15:00
Lunch
15:00 – 15:45
Between Science and Story: Health Journalists as Allies for Rare Disease Patients and Families
Astrid Viciano · Javier Tovar · Mapi Muñoz — German Health News Review / EFE / Hospital La Fe Valencia
15:45 – 16:30
Living with Loss: Families at the Heart of Rare Disease Research
Family testimonials — Angeli per la Vita, Juani Bejarano & guest families
16:30 – 17:00
Closing Lecture — Pharmacological Inhibition of Copper-Exporting P1B-type ATPases
Mick Petris — University of Missouri, USA
17:00 – 17:30
Closing Ceremony

Charity Gala — 18 September 2026

Restaurante Trocadero · Casa de Botes

DINNER & PARTY
From 20:00 h
125€
Includes:
  • Host: Domi del Postigo
  • Menu by chef Marcos Bellora with wine pairing
  • Art auction & quiz
PARTY ONLY
From 23:00 h
30€
Includes:
  • 1 soft drink & aperitif
  • La Chica con Alma & DJ Fon

Ticket purchase: ES40 2100 0928 1302 0006 3432

Confirmation: vicentemateos1@hotmail.com · 651 652 699

Proof of payment and name of guests must be sent upon purchase

Venue: Centre Pompidou Málaga

The second MARCO conference returns to Málaga, hosted at the Centre Pompidou — one of the most distinctive cultural spaces in southern Spain, located in the heart of the city's revitalised waterfront. The venue provides world-class facilities for both scientific sessions and open dialogue, set in a city that has established itself as a hub for biomedical research and rare disease initiatives.

Speakers

Confirmed Speakers

Confirmed

Vishal Gohil

Texas A&M University, USA
Day 1
Confirmed

Prachi Trivedi

Texas A&M University, USA
Day 1
Confirmed

César Hernández García

Ministry of Health, Spain
Day 1
Confirmed

François Boemer

University Hospital of Liège, Belgium
Day 1
Confirmed

Javier Blasco

Hospital Materno-Infantil de Málaga, Spain
Day 1
Confirmed

Juan A. García Ranea

University of Málaga, Spain
Day 1
Confirmed

Nina Horn

Kennedy Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Day 1
Confirmed

Victor Faúndez

Emory School of Medicine, USA
Day 1
Confirmed

Rubén Varela

Sacyl, Castilla y León, Spain
Day 1
Confirmed

François Feillet

CHRU Nancy / Université de Lorraine, France
Day 2
Confirmed

Svetlana Lutsenko

Johns Hopkins University, USA
Day 2
Confirmed

James Hamilton

Johns Hopkins University, USA
Day 2
Confirmed

Shamima Rahman

Great Ormond Street / UCL, United Kingdom
Day 2
Confirmed

Annalisa Scopinaro

UNIAMO / FEDER Italy
Day 2
Confirmed

Anton Ussi

EATRIS-EU
Day 2
Confirmed

Giuseppe Ronzitti

Genethon, Paris, France
Day 2
Confirmed

Gabriella Repetto

Universidad del Desarrollo / Clínica Alemana, Chile
Day 2
Confirmed

Astrid Viciano

German Health News Review / TU Dortmund
Day 2
Confirmed

Javier Tovar

EFE News Agency, Spain
Day 2
Confirmed

Mapi Muñoz

Hospital La Fe, Valencia, Spain
Day 2
Confirmed

Mick Petris

University of Missouri, USA
Day 2

Pending Confirmation

Pending

François Eyskens

University Hospital of Antwerp, Belgium
Day 1
Pending

Denis Broun

Philanthropy Round Table
Day 1
Pending

Salwa Maalouf

Fundación Misericordia
Day 1

Registration

Registration for MARCO II will open shortly. We welcome researchers, clinicians, patient families, patient organisations, health journalists, and all those with an interest in rare copper diseases.

Contact: