The 2008 WMSG Workshop was held at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, September 23^rd to 26^th, on the theme of Pathogenesis and Mechanisms of White Matter Injury.  Read on for a summary of the event.

The Workshop opened up on the evening of September 23^rd, with a reception held at Collegium Maius, one of the oldest colleges in Central Europe, before which conference attendees were taken on a tour of the university museum, to see a vast collection of historical and scientific artifacts.

Day one was an overview of white matter injury from a biologist's point of view. Invited speakers (Drs. Peter Stys, Mark van Buchem, Douglas H. Smith and Jeroen Geurts) presented various aspects of the mechanisms of injury, both focal and diffuse, covering a range of topics from microbiology to radiological manifestations. This was followed by the first proffered oral session, during which results were presented from MRI investigations into various forms of white matter injury, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and traumatic brain injury.  The afternoon was capped off by the poster session which gave workshop attendees the chance to discuss their work and mingle with colleagues.

On the second day of the workshop, invited sessions revolved around the theme of MR imaging.  The invited lecturers (by Drs. Bruce Pike, Derek Jones, Alex MacKay, and Sheng-Kwei "Victor" Song reviewed the various quantitative MRI techniques that are under active development and in use in research, with a particular focus on specificity to myelin pathology.  Proffered sessions followed on the same theme, with speakers reporting on their work in advancing the interpretation and feasibility of measurements from DTI, MTI, and relaxation.

On the the third and final day of the workshop, the invited session was held on the topic of regeneration and intervention in white matter injury.  Emerging techniques anc concepts in genetics, therapy, and cellular imaging were presented by the speakers (Drs. Daniel Pelletier, Dominik Meier, Alexander Velumian, Eric Rouiller, Paula Foster, and Dan Turnbull), all with an eye on improving treatment of injury and degenerative disease.  Presentations in the proffered session explored how various animal models can serve to validate potential MRI techniques, with results from studies in neuronal development, injury, and mutant animals.

The three-day event was capped off very nicely with a closing reception held at a local Corsican restaurant, complete with live jazz.

In closing, many congratulations goes out to the workshop organizers, and thanks to all the participants.  The quantity and quality of material presented led to many fruitful discussions, both during and after workshop hours.