Supporting the Mission of the Society for Muscle Biology
World-class researchers shouldn't be slowed down by logistics. Discover how the Society for Muscle Biology used Fourwaves to automate complex administration, giving busy faculty the freedom to focus on science instead of spreadsheets.
Busy researchers and professors
International Community
Scientific Research Society
The challenge: the busy researcher’s dilemma
The 2025 Frontiers in Myogenesis meeting was led by Dr. Fabrisia Ambrosio (Harvard University), Dr. Colin Crist (McGill University), and Dr. Yu Xin (Will) Wang (Sanford Burnham Prebys), who are all active leaders in fields ranging from regenerative rehabilitation to muscle stem cell fate.
For researchers of this caliber, the administrative burden of managing a symposium can create significant stress as they balance their lab leadership with complex logistical demands. Fourwaves was designed to alleviate this exact pressure, providing a seamless system that handles the heavy lifting of event management so that busy academics can remain focused on their scientific mission.
These organizers are not professional event planners. They are high-level researchers leading labs, mentoring students, and pushing the boundaries of muscle biology. The sudden responsibility of managing nearly 90 abstract submissions and 100+ registrations with online payments can lead to significant administrative stress.
The "pain point" is clear: every hour spent troubleshooting a registration payment or formatting a PDF schedule is an hour taken away from the lab and the science.
The solution: technology that stays in the background
Colin Crist, a repeat user of Fourwaves, chose the platform specifically to alleviate this burden.
For the Society for Muscle Biology, the goal was to have a central system that handled the "heavy lifting" of payment collection and abstract management so the committee could focus on the scientific program.
By using Fourwaves, the organizers were able to manage a complex 5-day event at the Sunriver Resort without the software becoming a source of frustration. The platform provided a structured workflow for researchers to submit their work and for the organizers to review it efficiently.
The impact: satisfied society members
The success of the meeting was measured by the lack of logistical "noise." When the technology works well, the participants can focus entirely on the research themes, such as muscle development, genetics, and therapeutic interventions.
Colin captured this sentiment perfectly:
You want the conference management platform to be in the background and not creating any trouble. I was personally very grateful that Fourwaves allowed that.
Associate Professor, McGill University and Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research
Attendees pointed out that the way organizers had managed the conference was very, very well done. That’s the impact of Fourwaves: satisfied participants and society members.
Priceless efficiency for lab leaders
For an organizer juggling research and administration, the true value of a platform is the time it gives back. Despite the economic challenges currently facing academic fundraising, the efficiency gained was undeniable.
As Colin noted:
From my perspective as the person who is actually running the platform, I feel like it is priceless.
Associate Professor, McGill University and Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research
Future-proofing the society
The Society for Muscle Biology benefits from a community-led model where organizers change periodically. Because Fourwaves allows for event cloning, the work done by Drs. Crist, Ambrosio, and Wang is now a digital asset.
The 2026 organizers of the Society for Muscle Biology meeting in Victoria, BC can clone this event, preserving the website structure and registration forms, significantly reducing the setup stress for the next group of busy researchers.
About the Society for Muscle Biology
The Society for Muscle Biology is a global community of scientists dedicated to advancing knowledge in muscle development, genetics, and repair. By bridging the gap between molecular research and therapeutic interventions, the society addresses critical areas like muscle stem cell biology and regenerative medicine.
Their work is driven by a rotating committee of active researchers who facilitate international collaboration and high-impact knowledge sharing. You can learn more about their mission and upcoming initiatives at musclebiology.org.