Conference Description
The Epithelial Stem Cells and Niches GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.
Adult epithelia regenerate throughout life due to the constant activity of stem cell populations. These stem cells maintain tissue homeostasis and repair injury through intricate communication with their specialized tissue microenvironment, known as the “niche.” Niches are complex, structured arrays of different cell types, most commonly non-epithelial, that guide tissue stem cell dynamics, namely dormancy or activation to differentiate and self-renew. Epithelial stem cells and their niches present an opportunity for accelerated understanding of tissue biology, as some relevant principles and regulatory pathways in several different epithelial tissues overlap. Breaking news in one organ system could solve similar problems in another tissue. Thus, sharing ideas and most recent information across systems benefits the field as a whole. The GRC on Epithelia Stem Cells and their Niches will include work from the epidermis and its appendages, intestine, lung, mammary gland, oral and craniofacial complex, and other emerging epithelial tissues, in several model organisms. Our focus this year on organ function and multi-organ communication reflects an emerging appreciation that the next frontier for our field is to move beyond viewing organs as isolated entities and toward understanding how they function as interconnected systems.
The conference will consist of nine sessions, on the topics listed below. The conference chair is currently developing their preliminary program, which will include the names of the invited speakers and discussion leaders for each of these sessions. The preliminary program will be available by November 26, 2025. Please check back for updates.
