Stem Cell Models in Embryology

Feb 17–20, 2026 | Asilomar Hotel and Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, CA, United States
Scientific Organizers: Jun Wu, Jianping Fu, and Miki Ebisuya

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Feb 17–20, 2026 | Asilomar Hotel and Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, CA, United States

Scientific Organizers: Jun Wu, Jianping Fu, and Miki Ebisuya

Supported by the  Directors' Fund

***Meeting program subject to change.

Available Formats:     = Livestream   = In Person     = On Demand
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Registration and Welcome Mixer
4:00–6:00 PM
 Fred Farr Forum
Dinner
6:00–7:00 PM
 Crocker Dining Room
Human and Non-Human Primate Development using Embryos
7:00–9:00 PM
 Fred Farr Forum
Sophie Petropoulos, Karolinska Institutet
Understanding Human Preimplantation Development
Margherita Y Turco, Friedrich Miescher Institute
Spatial Multiomics Map of Trophoblast Development in Early Pregnancy
Hongmei Wang, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Advancing Trophoblast Organoid Models through a Comprehensive Investigation of Placental Development across Pregnancy
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Breakfast
7:30–8:30 AM
 Crocker Dining Room
Advancing Embryo Modeling
8:30–11:30 AM
 Fred Farr Forum
Jacob H Hanna, Weizmann Institute of Science
Ex Utero Embryogenesis: from Naive Pluripotent Cells to Bona Fide Synthetic Embryo Models
Berna Sozen, Yale University
Self-Patterning of Human Stem Cells into Post-Implantation Lineages
José Silva, Guangzhou National Laboratory
Creating High-Fidelity Mouse and Human Embryo Models with Reprogrammed ESCs
Jun Wu, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Developing Increasingly Complex Human Embryo-Like Structures using Stem Cells
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Coffee Break
10:00–10:20 AM
 Fred Farr Forum
Award Recipient Acknowledgement
10:20–10:25 AM
 Fred Farr Forum
Poster Setup
11:30–1:00 PM
 Kiln
Lunch
12:00–1:00 PM
 Crocker Dining Room
Poster Viewing
1:00–9:00 PM
 Kiln
Symposia Spotlight: Late-breaking research presentations selected from abstract submissions
1:30–3:30 PM
 Fred Farr Forum
Short Talks Chosen from Abstracts
Coffee Available
3:30–4:00 PM
 Fred Farr Forum
Bioengineering Embryo Modeling
4:00–6:00 PM
 Fred Farr Forum
Jianping Fu, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Bioengineering Human Embryo and Organ Models
Samira Musah, Duke University
Uncovering Patient-Specific Disease Mysteries with Stem Cells and Organ Chips
Sharad Ramanathan, Harvard
Building Robust in vitro Systems to Study Early Human Development
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Dinner
6:00–7:00 PM
 Crocker Dining Room
Poster Session 1
7:00–9:00 PM
 Kiln
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Breakfast
7:30–8:30 AM
 Crocker Dining Room
Studying Developmental Mechanisms using Embryo Models
8:30–11:30 AM
 Fred Farr Forum
Magdalena D. Zernicka-Goetz, University of Cambridge
Deciphering Early Mammalian Development Using Stem Cell-Based Models
Yasuhiro Takashima, Kyoto University CiRA
Naive Human PSCs Model Pre- to Post-Implantation Development
Aydan Bulut-Karslioglu, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics
Adjusting the Timing of Mammalian Development
Olivier Pourquie, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Life Without HOX
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Coffee Break
9:30–9:50 AM
 Fred Farr Forum
Poster Setup
11:30–1:00 PM
 Kiln
Lunch
12:00–1:00 PM
 Crocker Dining Room
Poster Viewing
1:00–9:00 PM
 Kiln
Panel Discussions (Ethics)
2:00–3:30 PM
 Fred Farr Forum
Coffee Available
3:30–4:00 PM
 Fred Farr Forum
Synthetic Biology for Embryo Modeling
4:00–6:00 PM
 Fred Farr Forum
Miki Ebisuya, TU Dresden
Optogenetic Manipulation and Cross-Species Comparison of Stem Cell Models
Mustafa Hani Khammash, ETH Zürich
Control Theory and Optogenetic Manipulation of in vitro Models
Jared Toettcher, Princeton University
Optogenetic Manipulation and Systems Biology
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Dinner
6:00–7:00 PM
 Crocker Dining Room
Poster Session 2
7:00–9:00 PM
 Kiln
Friday, February 20, 2026
Breakfast
7:30–8:30 AM
 Crocker Dining Room
Progressive Embryo Modeling towards Organogenesis and Translation
8:30–11:30 AM
 Fred Farr Forum
James Briscoe, The Francis Crick Institute
Building a Spinal Cord: The Embryonic Development of the Vertebrate Neural Tube
Nobuhiko Hamazaki, University of Washington - Hamazaki Lab
Modeling and Uncovering the Human Post-Implantation Embryonic Development
Mingxia Gu, UCLA
Engineering Vascularized Organoids to Decode Human Organogenesis
Joshua M. Brickman, University of Copenhagen
The Primitive Endoderm Supports Lineage Plasticity to Enable Regulative Development
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Coffee Break
9:30–9:50 AM
 Fred Farr Forum
Meeting Wrap-Up: Outcomes and Future Directions (Organizers)
11:30–11:45 AM
 Fred Farr Forum
Lunch
12:00–1:00 PM
 Crocker Dining Room
Departure
1:00–11:59 PM

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