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
Livestream
In Person
On Demand
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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
Jun Wu, PhD
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Jianping Fu, PhD
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Miki Ebisuya, PhD
TU Dresden
Available Formats:
Supported by:
Livestream
In Person
On Demand
***Meeting program subject to change.
Available Formats: = Livestream = In Person = On DemandTuesday, February 17, 2026
Fundraising
Booking Function
Merchandise Options
Registration Options
Registration
4:00–6:00 PM
Fred Farr Forum
Dinner (Included in Asilomar Room Rate)
6:00–7:00 PM
Crocker Dining Room
Welcome Remarks
7:00–7:10 PM
Fred Farr Forum
Human and Non-Human Primate Development using Embryos
7:10–9:10 PM
Fred Farr Forum
* Aydan Bulut-Karslioglu, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics
Session Chair
Session Chair
* Yasuhiro Takashima, Kyoto University CiRA
Session Chair
Session Chair
Hongmei Wang, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Remote Presentation: Advancing Trophoblast Organoid Models through a Comprehensive Investigation of Placental Development across Pregnancy
Remote Presentation: Advancing Trophoblast Organoid Models through a Comprehensive Investigation of Placental Development across Pregnancy
Matteo A. Molè, Stanford University
Modeling Human Embryo Implantation In Vitro
Modeling Human Embryo Implantation In Vitro
Margherita Y Turco, Friedrich Miescher Institute
Organoid Systems for Understanding Human Placental Development Within the Uterine Environment
Organoid Systems for Understanding Human Placental Development Within the Uterine Environment
Mijo Simunovic, Columbia University
Short Talk: Exploring the Evolutionary Divergence of Placenta Induction Across Mammals with Stem Cell Models
Short Talk: Exploring the Evolutionary Divergence of Placenta Induction Across Mammals with Stem Cell Models
Ikbal Choudhury, California Institute of Technology
Short Talk: Ex-Utero Human Embryo Implantation in a Functional Vascular Niche
Short Talk: Ex-Utero Human Embryo Implantation in a Functional Vascular Niche
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Breakfast (Included in Asilomar Room Rate)
7:30–8:30 AM
Crocker Dining Room
Advancing Embryo Modeling
8:30–11:30 AM
Fred Farr Forum
* Mijo Simunovic, Columbia University
Sesion Chair
Sesion Chair
Jacob H Hanna, Weizmann Institute of Science
Ex Utero Embryogenesis: from Naive Pluripotent Cells to Bona Fide Synthetic Embryo Models
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
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
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
Developing Increasingly Complex Human Embryo-Like Structures using Stem Cells
* Rowan M Karvas, University of Colorado Anschutz
Invasive Cytotrophoblast Development as Represented by a Human Integrated Stem-Cell-Based Embryo Model
Invasive Cytotrophoblast Development as Represented by a Human Integrated Stem-Cell-Based Embryo Model
Seiya Oura, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Short Talk: Modeling Aspects of Human Early Post-implantation Development with Stem Cells
Short Talk: Modeling Aspects of Human Early Post-implantation Development with Stem Cells
Coffee Break
10:00–10:20 AM
Kiln
Award Recipient Acknowledgement
10:20–10:25 AM
Fred Farr Forum
Poster Setup
11:30–1:00 PM
Kiln
Lunch (Included in Asilomar Room Rate)
12:00–1:00 PM
Crocker Dining Room
Poster Viewing
1:00–9:00 PM
Kiln
Symposia Spotlight
1:30–3:30 PM
Fred Farr Forum
* Rio Sugimura, HKU
Session Chair
Session Chair
Laura Amaya, Caltech
Embryonic Quality Control After Implantation with Lineage-Specific Elimination of Aneuploid Cells
Embryonic Quality Control After Implantation with Lineage-Specific Elimination of Aneuploid Cells
Amanda J Collier, University of California, Los Angeles
Pluripotent State-Specific Mechanisms Orchestrate Human Blastoid Development
Pluripotent State-Specific Mechanisms Orchestrate Human Blastoid Development
Vinay Ayyappan, University of Pennsylvania
Clonal Division of Labor in Gastruloid Self-Organization
Clonal Division of Labor in Gastruloid Self-Organization
Emily Megill, Temple University
Investigating YAP1-Dependent Vitamin A Metabolic Dysregulation During Early Cardiac Development Using Self-Organizing Human Cardiac Organoids
Investigating YAP1-Dependent Vitamin A Metabolic Dysregulation During Early Cardiac Development Using Self-Organizing Human Cardiac Organoids
Hao Wu, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Transient YAP Hyperactivation Enables The Generation of Assembled Human and Chimeric Blastoids
Transient YAP Hyperactivation Enables The Generation of Assembled Human and Chimeric Blastoids
Siddharth S. Dey, University of California, Santa Barbara
Long-term Germline Culture Identifies Factors Responsible for the Genome-wide Erasure of DNA Methylation in Human Primordial Germ Cells
Long-term Germline Culture Identifies Factors Responsible for the Genome-wide Erasure of DNA Methylation in Human Primordial Germ Cells
Zukai Liu, University of Washington
Dual-Patterned Pluripotent Stem Cells Self-organize into a Human Embryo Model with Extended Anterior-Posterior Patterning
Dual-Patterned Pluripotent Stem Cells Self-organize into a Human Embryo Model with Extended Anterior-Posterior Patterning
Wenqi Hu, California Institute of Technology
Quantitative Benchmarking of Stem Cell-Derived Embryo Models Reveals Trophectoderm Arrest and Lineage Asynchrony
Quantitative Benchmarking of Stem Cell-Derived Embryo Models Reveals Trophectoderm Arrest and Lineage Asynchrony
Coffee Available
3:30–4:00 PM
Kiln
Bioengineering Embryo Modeling
4:00–6:00 PM
Fred Farr Forum
* Michelle Chan, Princeton University
Session Chair
Session Chair
* Harry McNamara, Yale University
Session Chair
Session Chair
Jianping Fu, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Bioengineering Human Embryo and Organ Models
Bioengineering Human Embryo and Organ Models
Samira Musah, Duke University
Uncovering Patient-Specific Disease Mysteries with Stem Cells and Organ Chips
Uncovering Patient-Specific Disease Mysteries with Stem Cells and Organ Chips
Sharad Ramanathan, Harvard
Building Robust in vitro Systems to Study Early Human Development
Building Robust in vitro Systems to Study Early Human Development
Idse Heemskerk, University of Michigan
Short Talk: Decoding Combinatorial Cell Signaling in a Stem Cell Model for Human Gastrulation
Short Talk: Decoding Combinatorial Cell Signaling in a Stem Cell Model for Human Gastrulation
Nicole Horsley, Stanford University
Short Talk: Building the Missing Niche: How the Endometrium Influences Human Embryo Organization In Vitro
Short Talk: Building the Missing Niche: How the Endometrium Influences Human Embryo Organization In Vitro
Dinner (Included in Asilomar Room Rate)
6:00–7:00 PM
Crocker Dining Room
Poster Session 1
7:00–9:00 PM
Kiln
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Breakfast (Included in Asilomar Room Rate)
7:30–8:30 AM
Crocker Dining Room
Studying Developmental Mechanisms using Embryo Models
8:30–11:30 AM
Fred Farr Forum
* Margherita Y Turco, Friedrich Miescher Institute
Session Chair
Session Chair
Magdalena D. Zernicka-Goetz, California Institute of Technology
Deciphering Early Mammalian Development Using Stem Cell-Based Models
Deciphering Early Mammalian Development Using Stem Cell-Based Models
Yasuhiro Takashima, Kyoto University CiRA
Naive Human PSCs Model Pre- to Post-Implantation Development
Naive Human PSCs Model Pre- to Post-Implantation Development
Aydan Bulut-Karslioglu, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics
Adjusting the Timing of Mammalian Development
Adjusting the Timing of Mammalian Development
Olivier Pourquie, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Life Without HOX
Life Without HOX
Liangwen Zhong, Yale School of Medicine
Short Talk: Mammalian Specific Histone Variant H2A.J Regulates Trophoblast Ribosome Biogenesis in Early Human Development
Short Talk: Mammalian Specific Histone Variant H2A.J Regulates Trophoblast Ribosome Biogenesis in Early Human Development
Shreyasi Mukherjee, Massachusetts General Hospital
Short Talk: Chromatin Remodeling By Polycomb Repressive Complexes Regulates The Spatiotemporal Emergence Of Mammalian Body Plan In Mouse Gastruloids
Short Talk: Chromatin Remodeling By Polycomb Repressive Complexes Regulates The Spatiotemporal Emergence Of Mammalian Body Plan In Mouse Gastruloids
Coffee Break
9:30–9:50 AM
Kiln
Poster Setup
11:30–1:00 PM
Kiln
Lunch (Included in Asilomar Room Rate)
12:00–1:00 PM
Crocker Dining Room
Career Roundtable
1:00–2:00 PM
Kiln
Margherita Y Turco, Friedrich Miescher Institute
Group Leader
Group Leader
Lu Song, Becoming
Principal Scientist
Principal Scientist
Sheila Chari, Cell Press
Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
Poster Viewing
1:00–9:00 PM
Kiln
Panel: Navigating the Ethics of Human Stem Cell–Based Embryo Models
2:00–3:30 PM
Fred Farr Forum
* Ben Hurlbut, Arizona State University
Panel Moderator
Panel Moderator
Jacob H Hanna, Weizmann Institute of Science
James Briscoe, The Francis Crick Institute
Yasuhiro Takashima, Kyoto University CiRA
Hongmei Wang, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Magdalena D. Zernicka-Goetz, California Institute of Technology
José Silva, Guangzhou National Laboratory
Coffee Available
3:30–4:00 PM
Fred Farr Forum
Synthetic Biology for Embryo Modeling
4:00–6:00 PM
Fred Farr Forum
* Samira Musah, Duke University
Session Chair
Session Chair
* Matteo A. Molè, Stanford University
Session Chair
Session Chair
Miki Ebisuya, TU Dresden
Optogenetic Manipulation and Cross-Species Comparison of Stem Cell Models
Optogenetic Manipulation and Cross-Species Comparison of Stem Cell Models
Harry McNamara, Yale University
Recording and Controlling Development Signals in Stem Cell Models
Recording and Controlling Development Signals in Stem Cell Models
Michelle Chan, Princeton University
Molecular Recording To Characterize Progenitor Cell Behaviors In Gastruloids
Molecular Recording To Characterize Progenitor Cell Behaviors In Gastruloids
Ali Shariati, University of California, Santa Cruz
Short Talk: CRISPR-Programming Human Embryogenesis
Short Talk: CRISPR-Programming Human Embryogenesis
Catherine Triandafillou, University of Pennsylvania
Short Talk: Illuminating Cell- and Tissue-Level Error Correction Strategies in Early Development Through Spatial Profiling of Gene Expression
Short Talk: Illuminating Cell- and Tissue-Level Error Correction Strategies in Early Development Through Spatial Profiling of Gene Expression
Sponsored Dinner
6:00–7:00 PM
Seascape
Poster Session 2
7:00–9:00 PM
Kiln
Friday, February 20, 2026
Breakfast (Included in Asilomar Room Rate)
7:30–8:30 AM
Crocker Dining Room
Progressive Embryo Modeling towards Organogenesis and Translation
8:30–11:30 AM
Fred Farr Forum
* Idse Heemskerk, University of Michigan
Session Chair
Session Chair
James Briscoe, The Francis Crick Institute
Building a Spinal Cord: The Embryonic Development of the Vertebrate Neural Tube
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
Modeling and Uncovering the Human Post-Implantation Embryonic Development
Joshua M. Brickman, University of Copenhagen
Measure for Measure: Epigenetic Balancing in Stem Cell Based Embryo Models.
Measure for Measure: Epigenetic Balancing in Stem Cell Based Embryo Models.
Rio Sugimura, HKU
Short Talk: Blood Originates In Hypoblasts During Embryonic Development
Short Talk: Blood Originates In Hypoblasts During Embryonic Development
Conchi Estaras, Temple University
Short Talk: YAP Regulates Body Axis Formation In A Human Model Of Gastrulation
Short Talk: YAP Regulates Body Axis Formation In A Human Model Of Gastrulation
Coffee Break
9:30–9:50 AM
Kiln
Meeting Wrap-Up: Outcomes and Future Directions (Organizers)
11:30–11:45 AM
Fred Farr Forum
Lunch (Included in Asilomar Room Rate)
12:00–1:00 PM
Crocker Dining Room
Departure
1:00–11:59 PM
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