The past ten years have seen an explosion of information regarding stem cells (SCs) within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, due to an improved ability to identify SCs, follow their fates, and manipulate them in vitro. The next frontier in the field of GI stem cell biology is understanding the role that dysregulated ISC behavior plays in the etiology of numerous diseases, and conversely, the impact of GI diseases on proper SC function.  This meeting will bring together a diverse group of investigators to discuss topics such as how the environment of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon impacts SC behavior in healthy and diseased states, how SC behaviour and the niche differ along the proximal-distal axis of the GI tract, and the strengths of various models for investigating the relationship between gastrointestinal SCs, the niche, and the onset and propagation of disease states.

Key Sessions

• Inflammation: causes and consequence
• Microbiome and inter-tissue signaling 
• Metabolism and Aging
• Modeling the GI tract in vitro
• GI diseases and SCs 
• Plasticity in the GI tract
• Regulation of SC behavior in the GI tract

Confirmed Keynote Speaker

Prisca Liberali (FMI)
DESIGN PRINCIPLES OF TISSUE ORGANIZATION IN INTESTINAL REGENERATION

Confirmed Invited Speakers

Helen Abud (Monash University)
ROLE OF THE EGF FAMILY OF LIGANDS IN EPITHELIAL REPAIR
Maria Alcolea (MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute)
EPITHELIAL CELL FATE TRANSITIONS; AN OESOPHAGEAL TALE
Samuel Asfaha (Western University)
STEM CELLS IN EPITHELIAL REPAIR POST COLITIS
David Castillo-Azofeifa (Genentech)
CHRONIC IFNγ-DRIVEN INFLAMMATION IMPAIRS INTESTINAL TOLERANCE AND REGENERATION IN AGING
Michael A. Helmrath (Cincinnati Children's Hospital)
NEXT GENERATION DEVELOPMENT OF IN VIVO GI ORGANOIDS
Henri Jasper (Genentech)
CONTROL OF EPITHELIAL REPAIR AND AGING BY NON-CANONICAL WNT SIGNALING
Kim Jensen (University of Copenhagen)
GUIDING INTESTINAL STEM CELL FATE
Pekka Katajisto (University of Helsinki)
AGING OF THE INTESTINAL NICHE
Tae-Hee Kim (SickKids)
MECHANISMS OF GUT STEM CELL-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION
Bon-Kyoung Koo (IMBA)
Irene Miguel-Aliaga (The Francis Crick Institute)
GROWTH OF THE MATERNAL INTESTINE DURING REPRODUCTION
Maria Mihaylova (Ohio State University)
INSIGHTS INTO NUTRIENT SENSING AND METABOLIC REGULATION OF MAMMALIAN GUT HOMEOSTASIS
Jason Mills (Baylor College of Medicine)
PALIGENOSIS AND STEM CELL RECRUITMENT IN REGENERATION AND TUMORIGENESIS
Yekaterina (Kate) Miroshnikova (NIH)
NUCLEAR MECHANOTRANSDUCTION IN STEM CELL FATE REGULATION
Benjamin Ohlstein (UT Southwestern Medical Center)
HAVE NICHE, WILL TRAVEL
Fred de Sauvage (Genentech)
TARGETING INTESTINAL STEM CELLS IN COLORECTAL CANCER
Kaelyn Sumigray (Yale School of Medicine)
REGULATION OF SECONDARY CELL FATE DECISIONS IN THE INTESTINAL SECRETORY LINEAGE
Kelley Yan (Columbia University)
LINEAGE HIERARCHY OF THE INTESTINAL EPITHELIUM DURING HOMEOSTASIS AND TISSUE REPAIR
Omer Yilmaz (MIT)
DIETARY CONTROL OF STEM CELLS IN PHYSIOLOGY AND DISEASE

Student Offer

Take advantage of this fantastic opportunity for students! Fully paying 'single' or 'shared' registrants can bring a student for only $999. Unfortunately, Postdocs are not eligible. Both registration packages include; accommodation for the 07, 08, 09 May 2024 (on a shared basis for students) and a food and beverage package for the conference period. Once registered, please contact Jack Peters to obtain a special registration code for your student. 

Target Audience

The audience will be a mixture of scientists and physicians from the fields of stem cell biology, gastrointestinal disease, metabolic disorders, or immunology who are interested in integrating concepts across these areas to improve understanding of mechanisms underlying SC behavior along the GI tract, and contributions of SC dysregulation to disease, and disease treatment. The conference will facilitate discussions around topics such as:

• Novel methods for assessing stem cell growth and differentiation capabilities from along the intestinal tract
• Discussing the extent to which mouse studies can faithfully model human disease, and what are the limits
• The impact of inflammation (disease, infection) on SC proliferation and differentiation capacity
• The impact of diet and metabolism on SC behaviour from different regions of the gastrointestinal tract
• The impact of aging on SCs from different regions of the gastrointestinal tract
• The mechanisms of communication between the gastrointestinal tract and other organs

Although the below programme is the most up to date version, please note it is still a draft copy and is subject to change. We will continue to upload the latest version here, and circulate a final copy to all participants in the week before the meeting.

Please see below opportunities for financial support for students, postdocs and early career researchers. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Conference Manager, Jack Peters.

Student Offer

Take advantage of this fantastic opportunity for students! Fully paying 'single' or 'shared' registrants can bring a student for only $999. Unfortunately, Postdocs are not eligible. Both registration packages include; accommodation for the 07, 08, 09 May 2024 (on a shared basis for students) and a food and beverage package for the conference period. Once registered, please contact Jack to obtain a special registration code for your student. 

ECR Awards

We have been able to create a number of ECR awards. Two different award values are available, $500 or $1,000 and these have been set aside for early career researchers. If you are a student, postdoc or junior faculty (within 3 years of your position), you are eligible. To apply please email the conference manager, Jack Peters. 

Your application should include your name, organisation, career level, an abstract for talk or poster consideration and a short summary outlining why you require financial support to attend the meeting.

Applications will be considered as they are submitted so although there is no application deadline, we recommend applying early to avoid disappointment as we only have a limited number of ECR awards available. If you are interested in presenting a poster, please ensure your abstract and ECR award application are submitted no later than midnight (BST) on Thursday 28 March 2024.