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Athens International Symposium


Neural Stem Cells: Capturing Complexity and Plasticity from the Cell to the Organism

Join the ISSCR in Athens, Greece in partnership with Stem Cell Reports.


Program Description: Exciting advances have illuminated neural stem cells from development through aging, disease, and repair. Still, harnessing the potential of in vivo and in vitro models to capture neural complexity and cell plasticity remains challenging. The ISSCR, in partnership with Stem Cell Reports, invites you to Athens, Greece, in April 2025 for a unique symposium that gathers global scientists to explore topics including the intrinsic and extrinsic regulation of stem cells, epigenetics and metabolism, evolution and human-specific traits, neuron-glia interactions, and brain disease modeling. Selected authors from a special issue of Stem Cell Reports on the same topic will also present their work (see details below).

Who should attend? 

Academic and industry scientists at all career stages interested in recent advances and ongoing challenges in neural stem cells. Whether you are an established researcher or just beginning your scientific career, you will find valuable insights and opportunities to advance your research and career.  

Key Takeaways 

  • Gain insights into the latest advances in understanding the complexity and plasticity of neural stem cells  

  • Engage in discussions that bridge in vivo and in vitro perspectives, to better understand neural stem cells from the cellular level to the organism level

  • Explore evolutionary perspectives and cross- species comparisons of neural stem cells to appreciate their broader biological context  

 

This program is in partnership with:

This program is co-sponsored by:

 
 
 

Stem Cell Reports Special Issue Call for Papers

Submit your paper to the upcoming Stem Cell Reports special issue on neural stem cells. Selected contributing authors will have an opportunity to present their work at the ISSCR Athens International Symposium, 3-4 April 2025.

Submission deadline: 6 January 2025  

 
 

Program

*Session titles, topics, and additional speakers to be announced soon.


Session Topics

Brain Development and Evolution 

Welcome Remarks | Keith Alm, CEO, ISSCR
Keynote | Pierre Vanderhaeghen, MD, PhD,
VIB Center for Brain and Disease Research, Belgium
Nenad Sestan, MD, PhD
,
Yale University, USA
Margarete Diaz Cuadros, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA

Neural Stem Cells in Development  

Simona Lodato, PhD, Humanitas University, Italy 
Xiaoqun Wang, PhD,
Beijing Normal University, China
Sara Bizzotto, PhD,
Inserm, France

Intrinsic Regulation of Neural Stem Cells  

Fides Zenk, PhD, EPFL, Switzerland
Sebastian Jessberger, MD
,
University of Zurich, Switzerland
Lorenz Studer, MD
,
MSKCC & BlueRock Therapeutics, USA

Adult Neural Stem Cells and Aging  

Keynote | Anne Brunet, PhD, Stanford University, USA
Tony Wyss-Coray, PhD,
Stanford University, USA
Fiona Doetsch, PhD,
Biozentrum at the University of Basel, Switzerland

Glia in Brain Development and Disease

Florent Ginhoux, PhD, Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN), A*STAR, Singapore
Sonia Garel, PhD,
College de France/IBENS, France
Rebecca Matsas, PhD,
Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Greece 

Programming and Reprogramming the Brain 

Benedikt Berninger, PhD, King’s College London, UK
Hynek Wichterle, PhD,
Columbia University, USA
Kristin K. Baldwin, PhD
,
Columbia University, USA

Modeling Brain Development and Disease  

Valentina Fossati, PhD, New York Stem Cell Foundation, USA
Christina Kyrousi, PhD,
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
Keynote | Jürgen Knoblich, PhD,
Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austria

 

Organizers


Fiona Doetsch, PhD
Biozentrum at the University of Basel, Switzerland

Rebecca Matsas, PhD
Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Greece

Marie Engelene J. Obien, PhD
MaxWell Biosystems, Switzerland

Florentia Papastefanaki, PhD
Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Greece

Era Taoufik, PhD
Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Greece

Hynek Wichterle, PhD
Columbia University, USA

Registration


Note: There is a 24% Greek Value Added Vax (VAT) added to all registration rates.

Early Registration Rates (ends on 15 January 2025)

  • Student Members - $198.40

  • Postdoc Members - $297.60

  • Full/Affiliate Members - $595.20

  • Non-Members - $843.20

Regular Registration Rates

  • Student Members - $248

  • Postdoc Members - $372

  • Full/Affiliate Members - $744

  • Non-Members - $1,054

Countries identified by the World Bank as "low- and low-middle income countries"
receive a 50% reduction on registration rates. Eligible countries can be found
here.

Cancellation & Refund Deadline: 5 March 2025

  • To cancel your registration, a written request must be submitted to isscr@isscr.org before the deadline. Registration fees will be refunded minus a $150.00 USD cancellation fee. No refunds will be granted after 5 March 2025.

    If the 2025 Athens International Symposium transitions to a fully virtual event, in-person registration will automatically be transferred to a virtual registration and the price difference will be refunded based on the time of registration. Should a registrant choose not to attend the fully virtual event, the registrant is eligible to request a full refund of the registration by providing a written request to isscr@isscr.org by 5 March 2025. After that time, all previously stated cancellation policies will apply.

    If the event is transferred to a virtual event or cancelled in its entirety, ISSCR's responsibility is limited to only the registration fees paid. ISSCR is not responsible for other expenses incurred such as airfare and hotel accommodations.

Warning: Beware of false housing and registration sites. As a reminder, please only use the ISSCR website for trusted information regarding registration and housing. In doubt, please check with ISSCR (isscr@isscr.org).  

Abstracts


Abstract submissions close on 15 January 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EDT (USA).

Important Dates:

  • Wednesday, 15 January 2025 11:59 PM EDT (USA) | Abstract Submission Closes

  • Thursday, 30 January 2025 4:00 PM EDT (USA) | Oral and Poster Presentation notifications will be sent.

  • Wednesday, 5 February 2025 4:00 PM EDT (USA) | Abstract-selected oral and poster presenters MUST REGISTER and accept for “in-person” attendance.  If you do not register by the deadline, your abstract will be removed from the program.

  • Wednesday, 5 February 2025 4:00 PM EDT (USA)  | Any changes to the abstract's presenting author need to be submitted by this date. The new presenter must be a co-author on the submitted abstract and must be a registered attendee.

For inquiries regarding abstracts, please direct them to abstracts@isscr.org

If you have any questions pertaining to registration, send them to isscr@isscr.org

    • Brain Development and Evolution 

    • Neural Stem Cells in Development 

    • Intrinsic Regulation of Neural Stem Cells 

    • Adult Neural Stem Cells and Aging 

    • Glia in Brain Development and Disease

    • Programming and Reprogramming the Brain

    • Modeling Brain Development and Disease 

Abstract Submission Details

Oral submissions will be considered for a ten (10) minute presentation  during a session. 

  • Posters will be displayed in person in the poster area for one assigned day. 

  • Refer to these detailed Abstract Submission Instructions

  • There is a non-refundable $45.00 USD abstract submission fee for each abstract submitted.  This is NOT the meeting registration fee. All presenters must be registered for the meeting. 

  • All submitted abstracts are evaluated by the Program/Organizing Committee to ensure that they meet submission standards:

Travel & Accommodations


Venue

Titania Hotel Athens
52, Panepistimiou 10678
Athens, Greece

 

Travel

PLEASE NOTE: ISSCR has not contracted with a travel agency or service provider for this meeting. 

Sponsor & Exhibit


This ISSCR event provides a fantastic opportunity to raise your company’s visibility and develop connections with the global scientific community advancing the stem cell field! Share your products, tools, and services that can help support and accelerate their research.

Contact exhibits@isscr.org to partner with us at this event!

 

Logo Toolkit for Sponsors & Exhibitors


Sponsors and exhibitors and welcome to use the below meeting logos to promote their participation in the event. However, attendees, speakers, presenters, sponsors, exhibitors, and partners may not use or edit the corporate, main ISSCR logo in any promotions. If you would like a custom graphic, please contact ISSCR’s Marketing Team at marketing@isscr.org.

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