The 4^th edition of the ���� Special Meeting on Sphingolipid Biology: Architects of the Cellular Landscape will provide a focused international forum for presenting and discussing the latest developments in the field. The meeting will bring together researchers working across structural biophysics, membrane biology, lipid metabolism, systems biology, and pathophysiology, fostering dialogue between disciplines that have traditionally approached sphingolipid biology from different perspectives.

The scientific programme will explore the molecular and analytical tools transforming sphingolipid research, the role of sphingolipids in membrane asymmetry and trafficking, their contribution to organelle communication and cellular architecture, and their function as metabolic circuits controlling cellular decisions. It will address how disruption of these processes contributes to human diseases while highlighting emerging opportunities for therapeutic intervention. A forward-looking final session will create space to discuss unexpected findings, unresolved questions, methodological limitations, and new directions for the field.

Extended discussion periods, poster sessions, flash presentations, and interactive panels will promote active participation across career stages, giving early-career researchers opportunities to engage with established investigators and contribute to the scientific dialogue. By combining broad scientific coverage with an inclusive and highly interactive format, the meeting aims to support the next generation of Sphingolipid researchers and help shape future directions in the field.

The meeting will take place from 6–11 June 2027 at the MH Atlântico Congress Centre in Peniche, Portugal. Its integrated conference and accommodation setting will provide an ideal environment for scientific exchange and informal interaction throughout the week.

We look forward to welcoming you to Peniche for an inspiring week of science!

The website for this course is under construction. Read this  for more information from the co-organizers.

Download the meeting programme for full details on the scientific themes, invited speakers, and event information, and to submit your abstract.

• Abstract submission deadline: 1 August 2026
• Abstract selection announced: 15 August 2026

Connect with leading scientists, clinicians and biotech innovators to explore the latest frontiers in RNA biology and therapeutic innovation.

For nearly two decades, the ÖGMBT Annual Meeting has reflected the breadth and connectivity of the Austrian life science landscape, bringing together scientists and professionals from academia, industry, applied research, and every career stage. Its particular strength has always been interdisciplinarity: the capacity to enable dialogue across molecular, cellular, organismal, technological, and translational domains. This diversity is not a limitation. It is a prerequisite for innovation. This year, we build on that foundation more deliberately than ever.

AN EXPANDED INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION: For the first time, the Vienna meeting opens with structured international collaboration. A FEMS Regional COLLAB Satellite Meeting, organised jointly with the Croatian and Slovenian partner societies, will launch the event with an interactive format designed for direct exchange rather than formal presentations, spanning Biotechnology, Eco Innovations, Health Horizons, and Engagement & Growth. Alongside this, the ��ñ����3+ framework brings active participation from the Czech and Slovenian ��ñ���� societies and enriches the meeting with dedicated international sessions, a diverse community of participants from across Europe, and additional travel grants for young scientists — together creating meaningful opportunities for cross-border exchange that go well beyond financial support.

A SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME THAT REFLECTS THE FIELD TODAY: The main programme spans the full breadth of contemporary life science research. Dedicated sessions address the growing role of artificial intelligence in experimental design, data interpretation, and translational implementation — with space for both its promise and its current limitations. Renowned speakers will highlight advances in aging and senescence research, an area of rapidly increasing global relevance.

Across the programme, you will find sessions on enabling technologies for advanced cell culture applications; computational biology and protein design; metabolism and mitochondrial biology; molecular nutrition; oncology and precision medicine; regenerative medicine; and bioengineering. Whether your work sits at the bench, the bedside, or the interface of both, there is a conversation here for you.

Marioni is a leading computational biologist known for pioneering statistical and computational methods for genomics, single-cell biology and transcriptomics. He previously held senior roles at the European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Sanger Institute, and the University of Cambridge, and continues to co-chair the Human Cell Atlas Analysis Working Group.

The talk will explore how Genentech is using large-scale AI models, integrated biological and clinical data, and “lab-in-a-loop” experimentation to accelerate drug discovery. Examples will include variant interpretation, target discovery, small-molecule and antibody design, imaging analysis, and clinical trial improvement.

Registration via Eventbrite: https://shorturl.at/N3Qro

Causal inference and causal representation learning are emerging fields in AI and biomedical data science, enabling a shift from associational to cause-and-effect reasoning. These approaches have significant applications in biomedicine, such as evaluating treatment effectiveness, understanding causal mechanisms, identifying genetic risk factors, and uncovering causal relationships in complex molecular datasets. For instance, they can help answer questions like how effective a treatment is in preventing disease, whether its effects are direct or mediated by intermediate variables, and which genetic variants causally increase disease risk and can be targeted by drugs.

The CCE Summer School offers in-depth training for early-career scientists and clinicians, providing cross-disciplinary insight across the entire cancer research continuum, with a particular focus on personalized cancer medicine. The program includes lectures and interactive workshops by leading experts, as well as opportunities for participants to present their research. A key aim of the Summer School is to foster exchange and networking between participants from preclinical and clinical backgrounds across international institutions.

To apply, please submit your application via the website, including a scientific abstract: www.cancercoreeurope.eu/summerschool

Application deadline: April 26, 2026

Many International speakers invited or selected from the submitted abstracts will present their works.

Scientists from across and outside Europe will share their expertise on the biochemistry, molecular biology and physiology of lipids as signaling molecules, as well as their involvement in inflammation, resolution of inflammation and their specific roles in several disease conditions. This includes lipid mediators derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 metabolites (SPM) as well as sphingolipids, ceramide, sterols, lyso-phospholipids, and other bioactive lipids.