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 – 09:30
Registration & Badge Collection
09:00 – 09:30
Welcome & Opening Address
09:30 – 10:10
Opening Lecture: From Bench to Bedside: Treating Genetic Disorders of Copper Metabolism
Vishal Gohil & Prachi Trivedi — Texas A&M University, USA
10:10 – 10:30
Speaker to be confirmed
10:30 – 11:00
Mapping Copper Enzyme Defects in ATP7A-Spectrum Disorders
Nina Horn — Kennedy Center, Copenhagen (ret.), Denmark
11:00 – 11:20
Coffee Break
11:20 – 12:00
The Andalusian Plan for Rare Diseases & Ontologies, Networks and Systems Biology
Javier Blasco & Juan A. García Ranea — H. Materno-Infantil Málaga / University of Málaga, Spain
12:00 – 12:30
Trace Elements and Disease: The Case of Manganese-Related Rare Disorders
Karin Tuschl — UCL, Great Ormond Street, United Kingdom (pending)
12:30 – 13:00
Neonatal Screening Without Available Biomarkers: Genomics as a Tool?
François Eyskens — MetaBern, University Hospital of Antwerp, Belgium (pending)
13:00 – 13:30
Rare Diseases in the Spanish Social Security System: Coverage, Gaps and the Road Ahead
César Hernández García — DG Social Security, Ministry of Health, Spain
13:30 – 15:00
Lunch
15:00 – 16:00
NPP-Menkes Round Table
Elena Godoy · Francesc Palau · Vishal Gohil · Denis Broun · Aurora Mateos
15:00 – 16:00
Philanthropy Round Table
Chaired by Denis Broun — Yusuf Hamied Foundation & Misericordia Foundation (pending)
18:00 – 19:00
Family Session — Every Day Counts: Families Living with Rare Copper Disorders
Chaired by Annalisa Scopinaro (UNIAMO Italy): Family testimonials (pending)
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 (pending)
10:00 – 10:30
Keynote: Imaging Copper Levels during Life in the Brain
Kay Double — University of Sydney, Australia
10:30 – 11:00
When Copper Goes Wrong: Copper and Mitochondrial Disorders
Shamima Rahman — Great Ormond Street / UCL, United Kingdom
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:00
ISCIII Initiatives in Rare Disease Research and the ERDERA Program
Eva Bermejo — Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain (pending)
12:00 – 12:30
Co-Designing the Science We Need: EATRIS, REMEDi4ALL and Patient-Led Innovation
Anton Ussi — EATRIS-EU
12:30 – 13:30
Gene Therapy for Rare Diseases: Reshaping the Therapeutic Spectrum
Giuseppe Ronzitti & Federico Mingozzi — Genethon / Nava Therapeutics, France (pending)
13:30 – 15:00
Lunch
15:00 – 15:45
Between Science and Story: Health Journalists as Allies for Rare Disease Patients
Astrid Viciano · Javier Tovar · Mapi Muñoz — German Health News / EFE / Hospital La Fe Valencia
15:45 – 16:30
Living with Loss: Families at the Heart of Rare Disease Research
Family testimonials — Angelli per la Vita & guest families (pending)
16:30 – 17:00
Pharmacological Inhibition of Copper-Exporting P1B-type ATPases
Mick Petris — University of Missouri, USA (pending)

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

Nina Horn

Kennedy Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
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

César Hernández García

Ministry of Health, Spain
Day 1
Confirmed

François Feillet

CHRU Nancy / Université de Lorraine, France
Day 2
Confirmed

Kay Double

University of Sydney, Australia
Day 2
Confirmed

Shamima Rahman

Great Ormond Street / UCL, United Kingdom
Day 2
Confirmed

Anton Ussi

EATRIS-EU
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

Pending Confirmation

Pending

Karin Tuschl

UCL – Great Ormond Street, United Kingdom
Day 1
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
Pending

Rubén Varela

Sacyl – Castilla y León, Spain
Day 1
Pending

Svetlana Lutsenko

Johns Hopkins University, USA
Day 2
Pending

Eva Bermejo

Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
Day 2
Pending

Giuseppe Ronzitti

Genethon, France
Day 2
Pending

Federico Mingozzi

Nava Therapeutics
Day 2
Pending

Mick Petris

University of Missouri, USA
Day 2

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: