Stein Aerts
KU Leuven
Belgium
Overview
This conference will take place at EMBL Heidelberg, with the option to attend virtually.
Registration is not yet open for this event. If you are interested in receiving more information please register your interest.
Conference overview
The brain’s remarkable cellular diversity—encompassing hundreds of distinct neuronal and glial cell types—emerges from a single genome through sophisticated regulatory mechanisms. This EMBO Workshop brings together leaders in genomics, neuroscience, and epigenetics to advance our understanding of how the (epi)genome achieves this diversity, shaping brain function and behavior.
Recent technological breakthroughs in single-cell, spatial, and 3D genomics and epigenomics are revealing unprecedented insights into the molecular logic behind neural diversity as well as neuronal connectivity and function. But there is much we do not understand, especially when trying to link these molecular and cellular processes to higher brain functions such as memory and behavior, or to disrupted brain states in aging and disease. Progress in these directions will require studies in human cells with traditional and emerging model organisms, all of which will be featured in this workshop.
Key questions at the cutting edge of the field will be explored, such as: How does three-dimensional chromatin architecture orchestrate cell-type-specific gene expression? What (epi)genomic processes govern the establishment and maintenance of neuronal identity and connectivity? How do activity-dependent changes in transcription and chromatin contribute to synaptic plasticity and memory? How might the dysregulation of these processes underlie neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders?
By bridging genomics, neuroscience, and epigenetics, this conference aims to stimulate new ideas on how the (epi)genome orchestrates brain function and to solidify the growing scientific community that sees the intersection of these three disciplines as fundamental to our understanding of the brain.
Session topics
- Epigenetic basis of Neural diversity
- Chromatin and Neurodevelopment
- Gene regulation in stress and memory
- (Epi)genomics of brain plasticity and behavior
- Ageing and neurological disorders
- Single-cell, spatial, and 3D genomics in the brain
Speakers
Mareike Albert
TU Dresden
Germany
Andrea Brand
Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge
UK
Anne Brunet
Stanford University
USA
Daniele Canzio
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco
USA
Gonçalo Castelo-Branco
Karolinska Institute
Sweden
Zoe Donaldson
University of Colorado Boulder
USA
Joseph Ecker
Salk Institute
USA
Maria Cristina Gambetta
University of Lausanne
Switzerland
Oliver Hobert
Columbia University
USA
Tae-Kyung Kim
Pohang University of Science and Technology
South Korea
Erica Korb
University of Pennsylvania
USA
Jelena Radulovic
Aarhus University
Denmark
Filippo M. Rijli
Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research
Switzerland
Anne Schäfer
Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing
Germany
Yang Shi
University of Oxford
UK
Tomohisa Toda
FAU Erlangen & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin
Germany
Scientific organisers
Mathieu Boulard
EMBL Rome
Italy
Roberto Bonasio
University of Pennsylvania
USA
Kyung Min Noh
Aarhus University
Denmark
Anne Schäfer
Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing
Germany
Preliminary programme
Are you on social media? Post using #EMBOBrainEpi and don’t forget to tag @EMBLEvents.
- Please note that the programme is subject to change. Some speakers may need to join virtually to give their talk
- For registered participants, recorded talks will be accessible on demand for 4 weeks after the end of the event, unless indicated otherwise
Day 1: Tuesday, 21 April 2026
| Time (Europe / Berlin) | Session |
|---|---|
| 13:00 – 14:30 | Registration |
| 14:30 – 14:45 | Opening remarks |
| 15:00 – 17:45 | Session 1: Epigenetic basis of Neural diversity Chair: first name last name – insitute, country |
| 15:00 – 15:25 | Invited talk #1 Joe Ecker: Single cell 3D multi-omics in the brain |
| 15:25 – 15:40 | Selected short talk #1 |
| 15:40 – 16:05 | Invited talk #2 Daniele Canzio: Role of cell surface diversity in neural circuit assembly |
| 16:05 – 16:20 | Selected short talk #2 |
| 16:20 – 16:50 | Coffee Break and Meet the Speakers of the session |
| 16:50 – 17:15 | Invited talk #3 Anne Schaefer: The Operational Principles of Neuron-Microglia Circuits |
| 17:15 – 17:30 | Selected short talk #3 |
| 17:30 – 17:45 | Selected short talk #4 |
| 17:45 – 18:45 | Networking Poster sneak peek |
| 18:45 – 20:15 | Dinner in Canteen |
| 20:15 – 21:45 | Networking After dinner drinks |
Day 2: Wednesday, 22 April 2026
| Time (Europe / Berlin) | Session |
|---|---|
| 09:00 – 11:45 | Session 2: Chromatin and Neurodevelopment Chair: first name last name – insitute, country |
| 09:00 – 09:25 | Invited talk #4 Andrea Brand: Epigenetic Mechanisms Governing Neural Stem Cell Reactivation and Diff erentiation |
| 09:25 – 09:40 | Selected short talk #5 |
| 09:40 – 09:55 | Selected short talk #6 |
| 09:55 – 10:25 | Coffee Break and Meet the Speakers of the session |
| 10:25 – 10:50 | Invited talk #5 Filippo M.Rijli: Epigenetic regulation of neurodevelopment |
| 10:50 – 11:05 | Selected short talk #7 |
| 11:05 – 11:30 | Invited talk #6 Oliver Hobert: Transcription factors in neurodevelopment |
| 11:30 – 11:45 | Selected short talk #8 |
| 11:45 – 13:15 | Vegetarian Lunch and Meet the Editors |
| 13:15 – 16:05 | Session 3: Gene regulation in stress and memory Chair: first name last name – insitute, country |
| 13:15 – 13:40 | Invited talk #7 Tae-Kyung Kim: Enhancer RNAs in brain function |
| 13:40 – 13:55 | Selected short talk #9 |
| 13:55 – 14:10 | Selected short talk #10 |
| 14:10 – 14:40 | Coffee Break and Meet the Speakers of the session |
| 14:40 – 15:05 | Invited talk #8 Jelena Radulovic: Maintenance of Memory Representations Through Neuron-Specific Immune Pathways |
| 15:05 – 15:20 | Selected short talk #11 |
| 15:20 – 15:35 | Selected short talk #12 |
| 15:35 – 16:05 | Flash talk session 1 |
| 16:05 – 17:35 | Poster Session 1 (odd number) |
| 17:35 | Free evening |
Day 3: Thursday, 23 April 2026
| Time (Europe / Berlin) | Session |
|---|---|
| 09:00-11:50 | Session 4: (Epi)genomics of brain plasticity and behavior Chair: first name last name – insitute, country |
| 09:00 – 09:25 | Invited talk #9 Oliver Hobert: Transcription factors in neurodevelopment |
| 09:25 – 09:40 | Selected short talk #13 |
| 09:40 – 09:55 | Selected short talk #14 |
| 09:55 – 10:25 | Coffee Break and Meet the Speakers of the session |
| 10:25 – 10:50 | Invited talk #10 Zoe Donaldson: Neurobiological and genetic mechanisms of social bonding |
| 10:50 – 11:05 | Selected short talk #15 |
| 11:05 – 11:30 | Invited talk #11 Mareike Albert : Evolutionary expansion of the neocortex |
| 11:30 – 11:45 | Selected short talk #16 |
| 11:45 – 13:15 | Lunch |
| 13:15 – 16:00 | Session 5: Ageing and neurological disorders Chair: first name last name – insitute, country |
| 13:15 – 13:40 | Invited talk #12 Yang Shi: Chromatin and RNA modifi cations in brain disease |
| 13:40 – 13:55 | Selected short talk #17 |
| 13:55 – 14:10 | Selected short talk #18 |
| 14:10 – 14:40 | Coffee Break and Meet the Speakers of the session |
| 14:40 – 15:05 | Invited talk #13 Tomohisa Toda: Ageing consequence on maintenance of neural identity |
| 15:05 – 15:20 | Selected short talk #19 |
| 15:20 – 15:45 | Invited talk #14 Anne Brunet: Epigenomics of brain ageing |
| 15:45 – 16:00 | Selected short talk #20 |
| 16:00 – 16:30 | Flash Talks 2 |
| 16:30 – 18:00 | Poster Session 2 (even numbers) |
| 18:00 – 19:30 | Dinner |
| 19:30 – 23:00 | Conference party |
Day 4: Friday, 24 April 2026
| Time (Europe / Berlin) | Session |
|---|---|
| 09:00 – 12:00 | Session 6: Single-cell, spatial, and 3D genomics in the brain Chair: first name last name – insitute, country |
| 09:00 – 09:25 | Invited talk #15 Maria Cristina Gambetta: Long-range gene regulation in neurons |
| 09:25 – 09:40 | Selected short talk #21 |
| 09:40 – 10:05 | Invited talk #16 Stein Aerts: Single-Cell Epigenomics and Gene Regulatory Networks in Brain Aging and Disease |
| 10:05 – 10:35 | Coffee Break and Meet the speakers |
| 10:35 – 10:50 | Selected short talk #22 |
| 10:50 – 11:05 | Selected short talk #23 |
| 11:05 – 11:20 | Selected short talk #24 |
| 11:20 – 11:45 | Invited talk #17 Gonçalo Castelo-Branco: Single-Cell and Spatial Epigenomics of Oligodendrocyte Lineage Cells in Multiple Sclerosis |
| 11:45 – 12:00 | Closing Remarks and Poster Prize Announcements |
| 12:00 | Packed lunch and departure |
Sponsors
Sponsorship opportunities
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Date: 21 - 24 Apr 2026
Location: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual
Venue: EMBL Advanced Training Centre
Deadline(s):
Registration (On-site): 10 Mar 2026
Registration (Virtual): 14 Apr 2026
Organisers:
-
Roberto Bonasio
University of Pennsylvania, USA -
Mathieu Boulard
EMBL Rome, Italy -
Kyung-Min Noh
Aarhus University, Denmark -
Anne Schäfer
Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Germany
Contact: Adéla Graf