Call For World Down Syndrome Day Award April 20, 2026

News

World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated annually on March 21 to promote and raise public awareness about Down syndrome, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of individuals with this condition.

To mark this special day, our Society is offering an exciting opportunity for young investigators (PhD students and postdoctoral fellows) to present their recent preclinical and clinical findings in the Down syndrome research field to our international community of researchers and families through a webinar hosted by the Education and Training Committee.

The webinar will be held on April 20 at 5:00 PM Central European Time (11:00 AM US Eastern Time).  It will consist of short talks, each lasting 10–15 minutes, followed by a brief Q&A session. The Education and Training Committee will select up to six applicants to present.

We encourage speakers to use language understandable to the general public and to highlight the most significant research advancements supporting the lives of people with Down syndrome and their families.

This year, a prize will be awarded for the best presentation, which will be selected by webinar attendees through an online voting system via the Zoom chat, based on the following criteria:

  • The presentation provides clear background information and explains the significance of the research
  • The presentation clearly describes the research strategy/design, the results obtained, and the potential impact of the findings in supporting the lives of people with Down syndrome and their families.
  • The presentation is delivered clearly, and the language is appropriate for a non-specialist

The winner will receive a certificate and a 50% discount on the registration fee for the 6th International Conference of T21RS and which will take place in Denver from June 17 to June 20, 2026.

Young investigators can nominate themselves or be nominated by their research advisor. Please submit nominations by email to education@t21rs.org and cc Fiorenza Stagni (fi orenza.stagni2@unibo.it) and Marco Emili (marco.emili2@unibo.it), including the nominee’s affiliation and a brief description (max. 250 words) of the topic that will be presented, by April 3.

You will help us create a stimulating webinar!

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS APRIL 3, 2026