concurrent track: somatic stem cells

Purple outline illustration of a microscope with the letters 'SSC' below it.

Exploring somatic stem cell homeostasis, aging, regeneration, stem cell–niche interactions, and the role of stem cells in cancer across tissue types.

Organized by:

*Additional invited and abstract-selected speakers to be determined. Session descriptions and titles may change slightly.

transcriptional regulation of somatic stem cells

Yan Song, PhD, Peking University, China
Musa M. Mhlanga, PhD, Radboud Institute for Molecular Lifesciences (RiMLS), Netherlands

  • This session focuses on cell-intrinsic genome regulation in somatic stem cells, including transcriptional control, epigenetic mechanisms, and gene regulatory networks. 

aging and rejuvenation

Longhua Guo, PhD, University of Michigan, USA
Pura Muñoz-Cánoves, PhD, Altos Labs San Diego Institute of Science, USA

  • This session explores the aging process, particularly the decline in regenerative capacity of stem cells with aging and strategies to restore cellular and tissue function. 

cell fate and identity across scales

Sandra Scharaw, PhD, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Germany
Jacques Drouin, DSc, FRSC, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), Canada

  • This session highlights cutting-edge approaches for visualizing cell state, lineage, and function across molecular, cellular, and tissue scales to dissect cell fate decision and understand how cellular identity are regulated. 

organ function and cross-organ communication

Julia Cordero, PhD, University of Glasgow & the CRUK Institute, UK
Isabel Farinas, PhD, University of Valencia, Spain

  • This session explores the emerging roles of whole-body context and inter-organ communication in maintaining tissue homeostasis and organismal health.