Take a deep dive into metabolic diseases.
Learn from leading experts in lectures and workshop settings on how to best diagnose and manage inborn metabolic disorders.
2026 Course
2025 NAMA Foundations Faculty and Course Attendees, Lanier Islands Lodge.
When: October 3 - 9, 2026
Where: Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Chicago, Illinois
Subscribe to get notified when applications open:
Applications will open May 15, 2026
Payment deadline is July 31, 2026
About SIMD NAMA Foundations
The Society for Inherited Metabolic Disorders (SIMD) established the North American Metabolic Academy (NAMA Foundations, formerly NAMA) to provide a forum in which genetics trainees can build their knowledge base about the inborn errors of metabolism and can gain exposure to the diagnosis and management of metabolic diseases.
Course Description
The annual 6-day conference is an intense educational and social experience for attendees.
The course structure relates to various areas of biochemistry:
Day 1: Protein metabolism
Day 2: Glucose and fatty acid metabolism, Exhibitor Fair
Day 3: Mitochondrial metabolism, neurotransmitters and creatine synthesis
Day 4: Complex molecule metabolism
Day 5: Adult metabolic disease
Each day includes both didactic lectures (focusing more on the diseases and their diagnosis) and workshops for reviewing cases (focusing more on diagnosis and management) that integrate the information taught in the lectures. On Day 4, the cases are reviewed in a mock clinic setting. During the final session of Day 5, attendees are grouped to participate in a diagnostic challenge. Also, during the NAMA Debates on Day 3, faculty are paired into teams to debate the pros and cons of three controversial issues, one about newborn screening, one concerning diagnostic methods or approaches, and one about disease management.
The second goal at NAMA is about “networking” – attendees are urged to interact since, for most, those trainees attending the conference represent their future professional peer group. Also, attendees have an opportunity to meet around 15 experienced biochemical geneticists on the course faculty who come from a clinical and/or laboratory background and can serve as resources for information about metabolic disease and career development, along with representatives from companies that provide products to treat these patients during a one day Exhibitor Fair. There are numerous opportunities to meet and talk during the course: in the lecture setting (as questions), during workshops, at mealtimes, and during evening receptions.
Learning Objectives
Review the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of the range of defects that impact intermediary metabolism with a focus on protein, carbohydrate, lipid, complex molecule, and energy metabolism.
Develop a broad understanding of the diagnostic approach to the inborn errors.
Acquire an approach for managing those disorders, especially those for which effective therapy exists.
Course Outline
The Faculty
The renowned international faculty are seasoned metabolic clinicians and/or laboratorians and all are committed teachers. The faculty also includes a neurologist with expertise around metabolic conditions. All have four-year terms at NAMA. They review and update lectures, participate as lecturers, as small-group workshop leaders, as patients or attending physicians in the Clinic, and as debaters at the NAMA Debates! They welcome questions about metabolic concerns, career plans, and (maybe) where lunch is going to be served!
In addition, Genetic Metabolic Dietitians International (GMDI) sends two representatives each year who lecture, provide nutritional assistance during certain workshops, and oversee a formula “taste-testing.” Finally, a representative of the Society for the Study of Inborn Errors of Metabolism (SSIEM), SIMD’s counterpart in Europe, attends each year and participates in the workshops.
FAQs
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The Academy provides a broad overview of inborn errors of metabolism, focusing on the clinical diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. A renowned faculty guides the trainees through seminars on disease recognition and diagnosis, workshops to integrate normal metabolism and pathophysiology, and other innovative teaching forums that give additional perspectives on these diseases and the patient populations they impact. The Society for Inherited Metabolic Disorders (SIMD) oversees NAMA Foundations.
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The course is open to residents and fellows enrolled in Medical Genetics and Biochemical Genetics training programs in the US and Canada (preference given to first-year trainees). Applicants must be nominated by their program director or an SIMD member. The SIMD expects training programs to cover their expenses of their trainee applicants. However, scholarships ($500) are available for all medical applicants from accredited training programs in North America.
Course registration opens on May 15. If there remain open slots on July 15 (almost always the case):
Applications from nurse practitioners and physician associates working in the field of metabolism will be considered. The SIMD expects training programs to cover their expenses of their APP applicants.
A limited number of course slots may be open to other specialty trainees or interested academic physicians (from North America and beyond) whose professional focus includes metabolic disease.
Unfortunately, there are no scholarships available for applicants who are not trainees in North American Medical Genetics and Biochemical Genetics training programs.
Due to the large number of applications each year, individuals are permitted to attend NAMA Foundations only once.
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October 3 - 9, 2026
Eaglewood Resort & Spa, Chicago, Illinois
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Between one third and one half of the practicing geneticists in the US and Canada have attended the North American Metabolic Academy Foundations Course. NAMA is helping to train the clinicians and researchers of tomorrow!
There is a shortage of biochemical geneticists. As a result, metabolic clinics are depending on their non-physician clinical staff to play a greater role in patient care. NAMA recognizes their need to learn as an educational priority!
The Exhibitor Fair occurs on Day 2 of NAMA Foundations. It is a highly successful, interactive opportunity to inform these professionals about the metabolic disorders that are important to our corporate and advocacy foundation partners.
If you are interested in supporting NAMA and participating in the Exhibitor Fair on Day 2 of NAMA Foundations, please contact us!
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All cancellations must be submitted in writing. All cancellations must be received by July 31, 2026 to be eligible for a refund. There will be a nonrefundable processing fee of $100 for all refunds. Cancellation notices should be sent via email to:
Lisa Heath (simdnama@mediresource.com)
After the deadline, only in cases of emergency, refunds will be considered on a case-by-case basis, less the $100 processing fee.
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Meals and accommodation are included in the attendee fee for the duration of the conference. If you plan to arrive before October 3 or plan to stay later than October 9, food and accommodation is at your expense and of your own responsibility to organize. If you plan to be accompanied by additional people, please contact us by email: simdnama@mediresource.com.
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Academic MD or PhD trainees from accredited North American Clinical Genetics and Biochemical Genetics programs: $1,000 (full fee of $1,500, less a $500 SIMD scholarship; the expectation is that the training program covers the remaining balance)
• NP and PA applicants from North American Metabolism Clinics: $1,500 (no scholarships available; applications considered if open slots remain after July 15)
• Academic MD or PhD trainees from North America in specialties other than Clinical Genetics and Biochemical Genetics : $1,500 (no scholarships available; applications considered if open slots remain after July 15)
• Non-trainee academic MD or PhD applicants from North American centers : $2,500 (no scholarships available; applications considered if open slots remain after July 15)
• Academic trainee and non-trainee applicants from outside North America : $5,000 (reflects the actual cost per course participant; applications considered if open slots remain after July 15)
The registration fee covers tuition and course materials.