The 17th International Symposium

Molecular Basis of Pathology
and Therapy in Neurological Disorders

Warsaw, October, 15-16, 2026

Scientific Programme

DAY 1
Thursday, October 15, 2026

DAY 2
Friday, October 16, 2026

Session I

Advancing Human Neural Models: From Organoids to Physiologically Relevant Systems

Chairpersons:

Justyna Augustyniak (Department of Neurochemistry, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)

09:15
Opening Ceremony
9:30 – 10:00

Laura Batlle Morera (Tissue Engineering Unit Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain)

Advancing Human Organoid Models Toward Physiological Relevance: Challenges and Opportunities

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10:00 – 10:30

Ira Espuny-Camacho (GIGA Neuroscience, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium)

A Human Multicellular Neuroimmune Component Cortical Organoid Model to Study Alzheimer`s Disease

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10:30 – 11:00

Leonora Buzanska (Department of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)

Modeling Physioxic Niche in Brain Cortical Organoids to Study Mitochondrial-Dependent Neuroprotection in Developing Human Brain

11:00 – 11:30

Katarzyna Tokarska (The Centre for Advanced Materials and Technologies CEZAMAT, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland)

Modeling the Gut-Brain Axis Using Human Organ-on-Chip System

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11:30 – 12:00

Coffee break

12:00 – 12:20

HELPI OPTICS (company)

Michalina Wężyk

Multi-electrode Array (MEA) Profiling of Disease and Drug-Response Network Dysfunction in Human iPSC-derived Cerebral Organoid Models of Neurodegeneration

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12:20 – 12:40

Koen De Gelas

10 x GENOMICS Pleasanton, USA

Spatial Transcriptomics in Neurological Research

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12:40 - 13:10

Michal K. Stachowiak (Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA)

Measuring Functional Maturation and Network Activity in Human Neural Models Using MEA

13:10 – 14:45

Lunch and Poster session





Session II

Glial Cells in Neurodevelopmental and Neurodegenerative Diseases

Chairpersons:

Luiza Stanaszek (NeuroRepair Department, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)

Julien Puyal (Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne Switzerland)

15:00 - 15:30

Julien Puyal (Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland)

15:30 – 16:00

Anna Malik (Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland)

SorCS2 Deficiency Sensitizes Astrocytes to Amyloid-beta and Accelerates Alzheimer’s Pathology

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16:00 - 16:20

ALTIUM (company) presentation

Innovative Approaches for Studying Glial Cells in Neurodegenerative Diseases

16:20 - 16:50

Coffee break

16:50 – 17:20

Sujith Sajja (The Geneva Foundation, Bethesda, Maryland, USA)

Glial Role in Blood Brain Barrier Disruption and Pathology of Blast Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

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17:20 – 17:50

Amit Srivastava (Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA)

Coagulation Factors and Glial Activation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Pathology

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17:50 - 18:10

Young researcher presentation

18:30

Get Together Party





Session III

Novel Aspects of Calcium Signaling in the Central Nervous System

Chairpersons:

Joanna Gruszczyńska-Biegała (Molecular Biology Unit, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)

Maria Kawalec (Molecular Biology Unit, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)

09:00 - 09:30

Francesco Moccia (Department of Medicine and Health Sciences University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy)

Exploring Ca2+ Signalling in Cerebrovascular Endothelial Cells: a Novel Player at the Neurovascular Unit

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09:30 - 10:00

Urszula Wojda (Laboratory of Preclinical Testing of Higher Standard Neurobiology Center, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland)

Linking Alzheimer’s Disease microRNA Biomarkers with Calcium Dyshomeostasis

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10:00 – 10:30

Martin Heine (Institute of Developmental and Neurobiology (iDN) Functional Neurobiology; Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany)

Mobility and Turnover of Presynaptic Calcium Channels

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10:30 – 11:00

Coffee break

11:00 – 11:30

Karolina Pircs (HCEMM-SU Neurobiology and Neurodegenerative Diseases Research Group Institute of Clinical Pathophysiology Semmelweis University Budapest, Budapest, Hungary)

Direct Neural Reprogramming: a Cellular Model of Human Brain Aging and Rejuvenation

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11:30 – 12:00

Tito Calì (Department of Biomedical Sciences University of Padova, Padova, Italy)

12:00 – 12:30

Young researcher presentation

12:30 – 14:15

Lunch and Poster session





Session IV

Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases:
From Molecular Mechanisms to Pathophysiology

Chairpersons:

Dorota Golabek (Department of Experimental Pharmacology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)

Katarzyna Kaczynska (Department of Respiration Physiology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)

14:15 – 14:45

Silvia V. Conde (NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal)

Maternal Metabolic Dysfunction: Unraveling the Mechanisms Driving Offspring Neurobehavioral Alterations

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14:45 – 15:15

Pawel Grieb (Farmacology Department Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)

Streptozotocin Model of Alzheimer's Disease: Source of Artifacts or Food for Thought?

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15:15 – 15:35

Sponsor presentation

15:35 – 16:00

Coffee break

16:00 – 16:30

Magdalena Czeredys (Department of Stem Cell Bioengineering, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)

Understanding Huntington’s Disease Using iPSC-derived Models: Insights into Personalised Medicine

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16:30 – 17:00

Robert Ostrowski (Department of Neurooncology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)

Anti-glioma Agents and Hyperbaric Oxygen for Prospective Therapeutic Approaches

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17:00 - 17:30

Anna Wilkaniec (Department of Cellular Signaling, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)

The Missing Link: Parkin as a Mediator of α-Synuclein-induced Behavioral Changes

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17:45

Closing Ceremony

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2026 | The 17th International Symposium Molecular Basis of Pathology and Therapy in Neurological Disorders | PRIVACY NOTICE