Program     Registration 

Program

 

Wednesday, 9 September 2026

11:00 - 11:30
Axon 1/2
Opening
GSCN Conference 2026
11:00 - 11:10 Welcome Max Delbrück Center, Berlin
11:10 - 11:20 Welcome note from the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH)
Christopher Baum, Chair of the BIH Board of Directors
11:20 - 11:30 Opening of GSCN Conference 2026
Heiko Lickert, President GSCN
11:30 - 12:15
Axon 1/2
Keynote lecture I
K1 - Normal and leukemic stem/progenitor cell biology
Paresh Vyas, University of Oxford, UK
Chair: Claudia Waskow
12:15 - 13:00
Axon 1/2
Keynote lecture II
K2 - Molecular mechanisms involved in the embryonic development of endocrine cells
James M. Wells, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, USA 
Chair: Mina Gouti
13:00 - 14:30 Lunch break / Industry exhibition
14:30 - 16:00 Concurrent scientific working group session I
14:30 - 16:00
Axon 1
Pluripotency, differentiation & PSC-derived models I
Chairs: Micha Drukker & Ralf Jauch
14:30 - 15:00 T01 - Super-SOX-mediated generation of pluripotent stem cells with enhanced developmental potential
Hans Schöler, Max Planck Institute, Münster
15:00 - 15:15 T02 - tbd
tbd, XX
15:15 - 15:30 T03 - tbd
tbd, XX
15:30 - 15:45 T04 - tbd
tbd, XX
15:45 - 16:00 T05 - tbd
tbd, XX
14:30 - 16:00
Axon 2
Basic, translational & applied hematopoiesis
Chairs: Simon Haas & Mick Milsom 
14:30 - 15:00 T06 - Metabolic regulation of aged hematopoietic stem and multipotent progenitor cells
Nina Cabezas-Wallscheid, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
15:00 - 15:15 T07 - The development of simultaneous single-cell tRNA and mRNA profiling reveals dynamic tRNA programs in human hematopoiesis
Marius Külp, Goethe University, Frankfurt
15:15 - 15:30 T08 - Identification of a deeply dormant CD150neg hematopoietic stem cell population
Dawn Shuiping Lin, German Cancer Research Center (DLFZ), Heidelberg
15:30 - 15:45 T09 - Multiscale biological interactions define clinical trajectories in acute myeloid leukemia
Jan Barinka, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité/Max Delbrück Center, Berlin
15:45 - 16:00 T05 - Molecular characterization and functional interrogation of dormant cancer stem cells in JAK2V617F-driven myeloproliferative neoplasms
Elif Saf, German Cancer Research Center (DLFZ), Heidelberg
14:30 - 16:00
Dendrit
Computational stem cell biology & systems biology
Chairs: Ingmar Glauche & Carsten Marr 
14:30 - 15:00 T11 - Combining pooled single cell screens and deep learning to identify phenotypes driven by oncogenes
Nils Blüthgen, Humboldt University of Berlin
15:00 - 15:15 T12 - Molecular control of fate decision and state transitions decoded through sister-cell transcriptomics across biological systems and data modalities
Ida Büschel, Helmholtz Munich
15:15 - 15:30 T13 - Emergent cell-type order in epithelia: a hallmark of stem cell fate characteristics in homeostasis?
Philip Greulich, University of Southhampton, UK
15:30 - 15:45 T14 - Epigenetic fidelity of hiPSC-derived T cell progenitors: Accurate remodeling and aberrant DNA methylation imprints
Marcel Finke, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité
15:45 - 16:00 T15 - SON maintains innate immune homeostasis in HSCs via splicing and retroelement control
Mariela Cortez Lopez, Helmholtz Munich
16:00 - 16:30 Break time / Industry exhibition     
16:30 - 18:30
Haus 84
MDC.C 3rd floor
 
Poster session I - Poster number Pxxx - Pxxx
(with beverages)

Even numbers: 16:30 - 17:30
Odd numbers: 17:30 - 18:30
18:30 -19:15
Axon 1
Keynote lecture III (on ELSA topics)
K3 - Efficient base editing and development in human embryos without chromosomal alterations
Stepan Jerabek, Columbia University, New York, USA
Chair: Tobias Cantz 
19:15 - 21:00
 tba
GSCN Get-together for all participants
Dinner buffet
  Top

 

Thursday, 10 September 2026

 
09:00 - 10:30 Concurrent scientific working group session II
09:00 - 10:30
Axon 1
Stem cells in regenerative therapies
Chairs: Ulrich Martin & Wolfgang Wagner
09:00 - 09:30 T16 - Bioprocess development for the clinical translation of hPSC progenies
Robert Zweigerdt, Hannover Medical School (MHH)
09:30 - 09:45 T17 - Decoding neurovascular dysfunction in ADHD: Patient-specific iPSC-derived blood-brain barrier (BBB) models uncover hidden metabolic drivers beyond PARK2 genetics
Antje Appelt-Menzel, University Hospital Würzburg
09:45 - 10:00 T18 - “Heps in a Bag”, an engineered hepatic patch against acute liver failure
Fabian Bachinger, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité
10:00 - 10:15 T19 - Off-the-shelf immune-shielded iPSC-derived CAR γδ T cells as novel cell therapy to treat hepatocellular carcinoma
Stephanie Sontag, Evotec
10:15 - 10:30 T20 - Engineering basal cells to modulate epithelial-macrophage interactions in COPD
Lili Rusznyak, Helmholtz Munich
09:00 - 10:30
Axon 2
Stem cells in aging & disease
Chairs: Michael Rieger & Andreas Trumpp
 
09:00 - 09:30 T21 - Intrinsic stem cell aging and niche regulation of stem cell function
Hartmut Geiger, University Ulm
09:30 - 09:45 T22 - A human brain organoid model of ageing identifies chromatin-mediated control of transposable elements during neural ageing
Elisa Gabassi, University of Innsbruck, Austria
09:45 - 10:00 T23 - Extreme heterogeneity in hematologic aging is predominantly driven by stochastic variation, not by environmental nor genetic variation
Yiwen Zhang, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg
10:00 - 10:15 T24 - Ontogenetically distinct bone marrow macrophages regulate HSC integrity and megakaryocyte-biased expansion
Nina Henning, Leibniz Institute on Aging (FLI), Jena
10:15 - 10:30 T25 - Clonal trajectories of adult B-ALL in medullary sites and brain infiltration at single-cell resolution
Hui Ming Tew, University Hospital Frankfurt
09:00 - 10:30
Dendrit
Stem cells in disease modeling & drug development I
Chairs: Oliver Brüstle & Bert Klebl
09:00 - 09:30 T26 - tbd
tbd, XXX
09:30 - 09:45 T27 - tbd
tbd, XX
09:45 - 10:00 T28 - tbd
tbd, XX
10:00 - 10:15 T29 - tbd
tbd, XX
10:15 - 10:30 T30 - tbd
tbd, XX
09:00 - 10:30
Dendrit 3
ELSA symposium
Panel: Stepan Jerabek, Moderation: Tobias Cantz
10:30 - 11:30 Break time / Industry exhibition    
10:45 - 11:30
Axon 2
General Member Meeting
Executive Board & Managing Director
Heiko Lickert, Claudia Waskow, Sina Bartfeld, Michael Cross, Andreas Trumpp, Daniel Besser
11:30 - 13:00 Industry session: "Technologies from GSCN industry partners"
11:30 - 13:00
Axon 1
Main Supporter
Chairs: Michael Cross
11:35 - 12:05 C01 -
tba, Stem Cell Technologies
12:05 - 12:25 C02 - Enabling the future of cell therapy: From discovery to the clinic
Beau le Roy​, Acro Biosystems
12:25 -12:45 C03 - 
tba, PeptiGrowth
11:30 - 13:00
Axon 2
Supporter II
Chairs: Mareike Albert
11:35 - 11:50 C04 - Closing the analytical gap in cell therapy manufacturing: Automated at-line flow cytometry for QC from research to GMP release
Félix A. Montero-Julian, Biomerieux, Accellix
11:50 - 12:05 C05 - Integrating patient data and hiPSC microglia to model Alzheimer’s disease for drug discovery
Bastian Zimmer, Evotec SE
12:05 - 12:20 C06 - 3D bioreactor stem cell culture: Consistent from R&D to commercial manufacturing
Philipp Nold, Eppendorf
12:20 - 12:35 C07 - 
tba, Miltenyi
12:35 - 12:55 C08 -
tba, Sartorius
11:30 - 13:00
Dendrit
Supporter III
Chairs: Laura Steenpaß
11:35 - 11:50 C09 - Watching stem cells live: Continuous live-cell imaging in iPSC and organoid research
Ceren Güneş, Countstar
11:50 - 12:05 C10 - Interrogating inflammatory signaling in human iPSC-derived pancreatic ductal organoids with
a fully defined animal component-free matrix
Joel Cresser-Brown, bio-techne
12:05 - 12:20 C11 - 
tba, Molecular Devices
12:20 - 12:35 C12 - Building more relevant and reliable human iPSC-derived neuronal models with the new neurobasal PhysioPlus medium
David Kunniger, Thermo Fisher
12:35 - 12:55 C13 -
tba, Corning
13:00 - 14:30 Lunch break / Industry exhibition    
14:30 - 16:45
Axon 1/2
Presidential Symposium
Chair: Sina Bartfeld & Heiko Lickert
14:30 - 15:15 Presidential Invite
PS1 - Gene regulation in early embryonic development
Janet Rossant, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada 
15:15 - 15:45 GSCN 2026 Young Investigator Award
PS2 - 
tba
15:45 - 16:15 GSCN 2026 Hilde Mangold Award
PS3 - 
tba
16:15 - 16:45 GSCN Publication of the Year 2025 - 2026 Award
PS4 - 
tba
16:45 - 17:15 Break time / Industry exhibition                                       
16:45 - 18:45
HH84
MDC.C 3 floor
Poster session II - Poster number Pxxx - Pxxx  
(with beverages)


Even numbers: 16:45 - 17:45
Odd number: 17:45  - 18:45
20:00 - 01:00 GSCN networking event for all participants (with bus transfer)
                                                                 

The entrance fee is collected onsite
Event location: 
 Café am Neuen See, Berlin

Friday, 11 September 2026

09:00 - 10:30 Concurrent scientific working group session III
09:00 - 10:30
Axon 1
Stem cells in disease modeling & drug development II
Chairs: tbd & Harald Stachelscheid
09:00 - 09:15 T31 - tba
tbd, XXX
09:15 - 09:30 T32 - tbd
tbd, XX
09:30 - 09:45 T33 - tbd
tbd, XX
09:45 - 10:00 T34 - tbd
tbd, XX
10:00 - 10:15 T35 - tbd
tbd, XX
10:00 - 10:15 T36 - tbd
tbd, XX
09:00 - 10:30
Axon 2
Tissue-derived stem cells & organoids
Chair: Claudia Waskow  & Robert Zweigerdt
 
09:00 - 09:30 T37 - Cardiac development and remodeling
Thomas Braun, Max Planck Institute Bad Nauheim
09:30 - 09:45 T38 - Characterization of naïve human neuroepithelial stem progenitor cells with unlimited self-renewal and broad neurogenic potential
Angeliki Spathopoulou, Leopold Franzens University Innsbruck, Austria
09:45 - 10:00 T39 - Lymphatic vasculature reprograms liver epithelium in assembloids and patients
Milad Rezvani, Charité University Medicine Berlin
10:00 - 10:15 T40 - Liver regeneration is programmed in the epigenetic landscape of cholangiocytes during foetal development
Irene Talon, Max Planck Institute for Moelcular Genetics, Berlin
10:15 - 10:30 T41 - Liver regeneration during chronic liver disease: SOX4 and KLF6 play a role in liver cell plasticity
Marta Cagna, Berlin Institute of Health at Chaité
09:00 - 10:30
Dendrit
Pluripotency, differentiation & PSC-derived models II
Chairs: Sebastian Diecke & Stefan Liebau
09:00 - 09:15 T42 - tbd
tbd, XXX
09:00 - 09:15 T43 - tba
tbd, XXX
09:15 - 09:30 T44 - tbd
tbd, XX
09:30 - 09:45 T45 - tbd
tbd, XX
09:45 - 10:00 T46 - tbd
tbd, XX
10:00 - 10:15 T47 - tbd
tbd, XX
10:30 - 11:00 Break time / Industry exhibition
11:00 - 12:30 Concurrent strategic working group session
11:00 - 12:30
Axon 1
Clinical trials & regulatory affairs  
Chairs: Andreas Kurtz & Torsten Tonn
11:00 - 12:30
Axon 2
Career development
Chairs:  Pascal Röderer & Insa Schröder
11:00 - 12:30
Dendrit
Technologies in stem cell research
Chairs: Sebastian Knöbel & Ole Pleß
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch break time / Industry exhibition           
14:00 - 14:45
Axon 1/2
Keynote lecture IV
K4 - Designing complex miniature organs in a dish from pluripotent stem cells
Takanori Takebe, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, USA 
Chair: Aydan Bulut-Karslıoğlu
14:45 - 15:35
Axon 1/2
Keynote lecture V
K5 - Human intestinal organoids (HIOs) to study human intestine development, differentiation and disease
Jason Spence, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
Chair: Sina Bartfeld

15:35 - 15:50
Axon 1/2

Award ceremony
Daniel Besser
Poster awards                              
Travel awards
15:50 - 16:00
Axon 1/2
Closing remarks by the GSCN president
Heiko Lickert 
  End of GSCN Conference 2026
  Top
Keynote Speakers 2026


Stepan Jerabek  (New York, USA)


Janet Rossant  (Toronto, Canada)


Jason Spence  (Ann Arbor, USA)


Takanori Takebe  (Cincinnati, USA & Tokyo, Japan)


Paresh Vyas  (Oxford, UK)


James M. Wells  (Cincinnati, USA)

Speakers & Session Chairs

Sina Bartfeld (Berlin)
Daniel Besser (Berlin)
Thomas Braun (Bad Nauheim)
Oliver Brüstle (Bonn)
Nina Cabezas Wallscheid (Freiburg)
Germán Camargo-Ortega (Basel)
Tobias Cantz (Hannover)
Michael Cross (Leipzig)
Sebastian Diecke (Berlin)
Micha Drukker (Leiden, NL)
Marieke Essers (Heidelberg)
Hartmut Geiger (Ulm)
Ingmar Glauche (Dresden)
Mina Gouti (Berlin)
Anne Grapin-Botton (Dresden)
Simon Haas (Berlin)
Ira Herrmann (Bonn)
Zoltán Ivics (Langen)
Ralf Jauch (Hongkong) supported by Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology (CTSCB), Hong Kong
Bert Klebl (Dortmund)
Hannes Klump (Essen)
Andreas Kurtz (Berlin)
Karl-Ludwig Laugwitz (Munich)
Heiko Lickert (Munich)
Carsten Marr (Munich)
Ulrich Martin (Hannover)
Ana Martin-Villalba (Heidelberg)
Elvira Mass (Bonn)
Mick Milsom (Heidelberg)
Michael Rieger (Frankfurt a.M.)
Hans Schöler (Münster)
Insa Schröder (Darmstadt)
Thomas Schwarz-Romond (Munich)
Harald Stachelscheid (Berlin)
Laura Steenpaß (Braunschweig)
Torsten Tonn (Dresden)
Anja Trillhaase (Hamburg)
Wolfgang Wagner (Aachen)
Claudia Waskow (Jena)
Robert Zweigerdt (Hannover)

email contact
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Gold Supporters

Stem Cell Technologies

Silver Supporters

AcroBiosystem
Pepti/ActiveBio

Bronze Supporters

Biomerieux
Bio-Techne
Corning
Countstar
Eppendorf
evotec
Miltenyi
Molecular Devices
Sartorius
Thermo Scientific

Academic Supporters

TU Berlin
BIH
MDC
GCT Network