SCN – Organoid Symposium & Workshop
Stem Cell Network is excited to partner with the University of Toronto’s Applied Organoid Core, and the Network Biology Collaborative Centre (NBCC) at Mount Sinai, in delivering the 2024 Organoid Symposium and Workshop: Generation and Applications of iPSC-Derived Organoid Models! Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived organoid research offers unique opportunities to explore human disease, advance personalized drug discovery, and study complex biological processes such as development and disease progression.
Symposium
Dates: December 2 & 3, 2024
Location: Chestnut Conference Centre, Toronto, ON
Abstract Competition Application Deadline: October 22, 2024
Register Here for the Symposium
Please note: The Symposium will be offered as a hybrid event (in-person and online) while the Workshop will be offered as an in-person only event.
Symposium (December 2 & 3):
Registration is now open! All researchers are welcome to register.
Symposium Abstract Competition is open! There are a limited number of trainee oral presentation opportunities available. To be considered, trainees/HQP must submit a Symposium Abstract Competition application. A travel stipend will be provided for oral presenters based outside of Toronto. All oral presenters will receive complementary registration.
This two-day Symposium, offered in a hybrid format, will highlight cutting-edge research and developments in the field of organoids. The symposium includes national and international speakers with expertise in the development and utilization of organoid models across a range of tissue types. The symposium will include:
Presentations and Panel Discussions: Leading subject matter experts and trainee talks will provide the latest insights on advancements in iPSC-derived organoid-based research applications across brain, lung, liver, intestine, and organ-on-a-chip models.
Speakers:
- Thomas M. Durcan, McGill University
- Alex Gregorieff, McGill University
- Yun Li, Hospital for Sick Children
- Guo-Li Ming, University of Pennsylvania
- Joana F. Neves, King’s College London
- Shin Ogawa, McEwen Stem Cell Institute
- Massimiliano Paganelli, CHU Sainte Justine Research Center
- Milica Radisic, University of Toronto
- Sara Vasconcelos, Toronto General Research Institute
- Darcy Wagner, McGill University
- James Wells, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
- Amy Wong, University of Toronto
Networking Opportunities: The Symposium offers the opportunity to connect with leading Canadian and International experts and peers on iPSC-derived organoids.
Workshop
Dates: December 4-6, 2024
Location: University of Toronto, Medical Science Teaching Labs
Workshop Application Deadline: October 22, 2024
Workshop – Limited spaces available: Application required
Applications to attend the Workshop are currently being accepted! Stem Cell Network is also offering a limited number of travel awards for SCN trainees to attend the Workshop.
Workshop (December 4 to 6):
The three-day in-person workshop will provide trainees/HQP with practical experience in stem cell culture techniques and the generation of cerebral and liver organoids. The Workshop will include:
- Two days of instructor-led sessions (December 4 to 5): Trainees/HQP will be guided through the generation of brain and liver organoids from pluripotent stem cells, gaining hands-on experience with expert support. Topics include:
- Thawing/cryopreservation, maintenance and stem cell passaging methods;
- Stem cell culture quality and identification and removal of random differentiation;
- Single-cell preparation and embryoid body seeding for organoid initiation;
- Harvesting of embryoid bodies and hydrogel embedding;
- Observation of key cell populations through confocal microscopy
- One day of organoid-focused applications (December 6): This includes demonstrations of advanced confocal imaging techniques led by industry specialists, along with expert-led live demos showcasing high-throughput screening (HTS) and the incorporation of vasculature into embedded cerebral organoids (COs).