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 (Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)
Laura Batlle Morera (Tissue Engineering Unit Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona, Spain)
Advancing Human Organoid Models Toward Physiological Relevance: Challenges and Opportunities
(format online)Ira Espuny-Camacho (GIGA Neuroscience, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium)
Modeling Neurodegenerative Diseases Using Human Brain Organoids: The Role of Microglia and Cellular Interactions
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
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
Download abstractCoffee break
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
HELPI OPTICS (company) presentation
Koen De Gelas
10x GENOMICS Pleasanton, USA
Spatial Transcriptomics in Neurological Research
(format online) Download abstractMaurice Whelan (European Commission Joint Research Centre, JCR, Ispra, Italy)
Reproducibility, Validation, Standards and Adoption of Human Neural Models for Biomedical and Regulatory Use
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)
Julien Puyal (Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland)
Anna Malik (Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland)
SorCS2 Deficiency Sensitizes Astrocytes to Amyloid-beta and Accelerates Alzheimer’s Pathology
Download abstractALTIUM (company) presentation
Innovative Approaches for Studying Glial Cells in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Coffee break
Sujith Sajja (The Geneva Foundation, Bethesda, Maryland, USA)
Glial Role in Blood Brain Barrier Disruption and Pathology of Blast Induced Traumatic Brain Injury
Download abstractAmit Srivastava (Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA)
Coagulation Factor-Dependent Glial Dysfunction in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Download abstractYoung Scientist presentation
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)
Francesco Moccia (Department of Medicine and Health Sciences University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy)
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
Download abstract
Coffee break
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
Download abstractTito Calì (Department of Biomedical Sciences University of Padova, Padova, Italy)
Martin Heine (Institute of Developmental and Neurobiology (iDN) Functional Neurobiology; Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany)
Mobility and Turnover of Presynaptic Calcium Channels
Young Researcher Presentation
Lunch and Poster session
Session IV
Neurodegenerative and Neuromuscular Diseases:
From Molecular Mechanisms to Pathophysiology
Chairpersons:
Dorota Sulejczak (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)
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
Download abstractPawel 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?
Sponsor presentation
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
Download abstractRobert Ostrowski (Department of Neurooncology, Mossakowski Medical Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland)
Anti-glioma Agents and Hyperbaric Oxygen for Prospective Therapeutic Approaches
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
