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Organoid Symposium & Workshop
Symposium
Dates: December 2 & 3, 2024
Location: Chestnut Conference Centre, Toronto, ON
Abstract Competition Application Deadline: October 22, 2024
Register Here for the Symposium
Apply Here for the Symposium Abstract Competition
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.
Workshop
Dates: December 4-6, 2024
Location: University of Toronto, Medical Science Teaching Labs
Workshop Application Deadline: October 22, 2024
Apply Here for the Workshop
Partners: Sponsors:
Stem Cell Network is excited to partner with the University of Toronto’s Applied Organoid Core 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. The Symposium and Workshop offer participants the following:
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
- Gui-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 – 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:
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- 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).
Who should attend the Symposium:
All investigators and trainees who are currently or considering working with organoid models are welcome to register for the two-day Symposium, which will be offered both virtually and in person (subject to venue capacity). Representatives from industry are also welcome to register.
Who should attend the Workshop:
This workshop will be of interest to trainees/highly qualified personnel (HQP) (i.e., graduate students, post-docs, research associates and/or technicians) who wish to acquire direct technical experience working with stem cells and derived organoids. At the end of this workshop, participants will gain an in-depth understanding of the theory, applications and techniques for generating 3D organoid models from high-quality stem cell cultures to address fundamental questions underlying their research aims.
Applications to attend the workshop will be accepted on a competitive basis, with priority given to trainees/HQP currently working in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine in a Canadian lab. Preference will also be given to trainees/HQP with mammalian cell culture experience, particularly stem cell culture experience.
SCN is also offering a limited number of travel awards for trainees currently working in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine in a Canadian lab to attend the Workshop. Applications are currently being accepted. Please see details below for how to apply.
SCN is pleased to offer a Certificate of Completion for this event.
To be eligible to receive a certificate, participants must:
- Attend the entire workshop; and
- Complete the post-event survey.
Please note: The Certification of Completion is a document demonstrating your attendance at a training event. It is not a credential, as it is not issued based on proof of learning or knowledge attainment.
Information for trainees/HQP regarding the Symposium Abstract Competition and Workshop application processes:
Dates & Key Details for the Symposium Abstract Competition
Symposium Dates: December 2 & 3, 2024
Symposium Location: Chestnut Conference Centre, Toronto, ON (In-person & online)
How to Apply for the Symposium Abstract Competition
- Complete the application form here by October 22, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (sender’s time).
- If a confirmation email is NOT received from SCN within 24 hours of submission, it is the responsibility of the applicant to contact SCN and ensure that the application form has been received by SCN.
- The Organoid Symposium & Workshop Organizing Committee will review all complete applications, and applicants will be informed of the competition outcome by late October.
Eligibility for the Symposium Abstract Competition
- Applicants must be a trainee/highly qualified personnel (HQP) (i.e. a graduate student, post-doc, research associate and/or technician) currently working on a research project in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine in a Canadian lab.
- If you’re unsure whether you are a trainee/HQP, please email trainingSCN@stemcellnetwork.ca for confirmation.
- Those who submit top-ranked abstracts will be invited to give an oral presentation at the Symposium and provided a travel stipend to attend in-person.
Conditions for the Symposium Abstract Competition
- The SCN Travel Stipend will cover:
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- Complementary registration (valued at $100 CAD).
- The full cost of up to three nights accommodation at our designated hotel (the night before the Symposium with departure on the day after the Symposium).
- Limited travel costs to/from the Symposium location and meals not provided during the course. Up to a maximum of $500. These maximums will be outlined in SCN’s Travel Booking & Reimbursement Policy (policy will be provided to the selected applicants). Prior to applying, applicants should discuss with their Principal Investigator how any residual costs not supported by SCN will be covered.
- Please note: If you confirm your place in the Workshop but fail to attend (in the absence of mitigating circumstances), your academic supervisor will be responsible for covering the cost of the Workshop.
- Successful applicants will be automatically registered for the Symposium by SCN upon confirmation of their acceptance.
- Reimbursement will be processed following the Symposium, in accordance with the SCN Travel Booking & Reimbursement Policy (policy will be provided to successful applicants). All reimbursement payments are by EFT.
- By accepting this opportunity, attendees also accept to have their pictures taken during the Symposium and used in materials as described above.
Dates & Key Details for the Workshop
Workshop Dates: December 4 – 6, 2024
Workshop Location: University of Toronto, Medical Science Teaching Labs, Toronto, ON (In-person only)
How to Apply for the Workshop
- Complete the application form here by October 22, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. (sender’s time).
- Provide your CV and a full letter of support from your current supervisor detailing how your attendance will benefit your research and the lab’s stem cell and regenerative medicine research program as a whole. Letters and CV should be e-mailed by supervisors directly to trainingSCN@stemcellnetwork.ca at the same time you submit your application documents. A confirmation email will be sent within 24 hours of SCN receiving the submitted support letter. If a confirmation email is NOT received from SCN within 24 hours of submission, it is the responsibility of the applicant to contact SCN and ensure that all application materials have been received by SCN.
- The SCN Training & Education Committee will review all complete applications, and applicants will be informed of the competition outcome by late October.
Eligibility for the Workshop
- Applicants must be a trainee/highly qualified personnel (HQP) (i.e. a graduate student, post-doc, research associate and/or technician) currently working on a research project in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine in a Canadian lab. Non-academic applicants are welcome to apply (a non-academic rate will apply, details are available upon request), however academic applicants are prioritized. Interested non-academic applicants should contact the workshop organizer directly by emailing trainingSCN@stemcellnetwork.ca
- If you’re unsure whether you are a trainee/HQP, please email trainingSCN@stemcellnetwork.ca for confirmation.
The Stem Cell Network is offering a limited number of travel awards to enable eligible trainees who are not based in Toronto to attend this Workshop. Non-academic applicants are not eligible for SCN travel support.
Conditions for the Workshop
- The $1500 SCN Travel Award will cover:
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- The full cost of up to four nights accommodation at our designated hotel (the night before the Workshop with departure on the day after the Workshop)
- Limited travel costs to/from the Workshop location and meals not provided during the Workshop. These maximums will be outlined in SCN’s Travel Booking & Reimbursement Policy (policy will be provided to the selected applicants). Prior to applying, applicants should discuss with their Principal Investigator how any residual costs not supported by SCN will be covered.
- Successful applicants will be automatically registered for the Workshop by SCN upon confirmation of their acceptance.
- Reimbursement will be processed following the Workshop, in accordance with the SCN Travel Booking & Reimbursement Policy (policy will be provided to successful applicants). All reimbursement payments are by EFT.
- Spaces are limited for this training opportunity. SCN will provide travel support for applicants who attend all sessions. For applicants who fail to attend all sessions in the absence of extenuating circumstances, expenses related to travel bookings and cancellations will not be covered.
- By accepting a place in this Workshop, the recipient agrees to complete a survey describing the value of the training and networking opportunities made available through this opportunity. This information will be used at SCN’s discretion on its website, newsletters and for the purpose of reporting to their funding agencies.
- By accepting this opportunity, attendees also accept to have their pictures taken during workshop and used in materials as described above. Please note that expense reimbursement will be processed only once the completed report is received.
For further information on the Organoid Symposium & Workshop or application-related enquiries, please email trainingSCN@stemcellnetwork.ca.
