Dear colleagues, dear friends,
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to our European Microglia and CNS Macrophages Conference 2026 which takes place at the Hotel Stadt Freiburg, Tagungszentrum Berliner Tor, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, on October 14-16, 2026.
This event is organized by by the Institute of Neuropathology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg and the Center for Brain Research and Advancement In Neuroimmunology (BRAIN). We seek to establish a future European platform for key leaders in field of CNS immunity with a special focus on parenchymal and non-parenchymal macrophages and other CNS immune cells. We will not only present the latest discoveries in the field of microglia and CNS macrophage biology but we will also have round table formats to discuss current developments and controversies, and to establish academic view points and guidelines for the field. The special think tank design of the conference is key for the success of this event. It will further support support networking of young investigators and experts in the field. Poster sessions will be well embedded.
For this symposium, we have invited the leading experts in the field. This symposium will give the opportunity to discuss and share recent data and engaging discussions that will shape the future of this rapidly evolving field.
We encourage you all to share your knowledge, challenge each other’s ideas, and foster connections that will not only advance the science but also enhance the collaborative spirit that drives progress in research and innovation. We look forward to an inspiring and productive event.
Program October 14-16, 2026
DAY 1
12:00 - 12:30 pm | Registration
12:30 - 12:45 pm | Opening and Welcome | Marco Prinz
12:45 pm - 05:45 pm | Session I: Dissecting the myeloid side of the brain
Chairs: Lance Bosch + Sandra Siegert
12:45 – 01:30 pm | Microglial communication with circulatory proteins | Tony Wyss-Coray
01:30 - 02:00 pm | A novel transciptomic microglia taxonomy across mouse and human pathologies | Marco Prinz
02:00 - 02:45 pm | Round table I: Tool boxes and technologies
Chairs: Steffen Jung + Takahiro Masuda
02:45 - 03:15 pm | Coffee Break
03:15 - 03:45 pm | Non-redundant functions of microglia in the brain | Josef Priller
03:45 - 04:00 pm | Microglia-derived Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 is Critical for Neurodevelopment | Dominika Rusin
04:00 - 04:15 pm | Adenosine regulates microglial responses to injury and maintains brain health | George Sideris-Lampretsas
04:15 - 04:45 pm | CNS border-associated macrophages orchestrator brain development and disease | Takahiro Masuda
04:45 - 05:15 pm | Microglia in the early choreography of brain construction | Sonia Garel
05:15 - 05:45 pm | Microglial network adaptation in development| Katrin Kierdorf
05:45 - 06:45 pm | Coffee Break + Postersession
07:30 - 09:30 pm | Speaker’s Dinner (Invited speakers only)
DAY 2
09:00 am - 10:15 am | Session II: CNS drainage and interfaces
Chairs: Daniel Erny + Lukas Frommer-Amann
09:00 - 09:30 am | Brain barriers as gatekeepers of the neuroimmune axis | Britta Engelhardt
09:30 - 09:45 am | Early postnatal cytomegalovirus infection targets central nervous system border compartments | Agnibesh Dey
09:45 - 10:15 am | CNS macrophages in neurodegeneration | Melanie Greter
10:15 - 10:45 am | Coffee Break
10:45 - 11:30 am | Round table II: CNS drainage
Chairs: Britta Engelhardt + Melanie Greter
11:30 am - 04:15 pm | Session III: From cell states to cell types
Chairs: Chintan Chhatbar + Isadora Lenoel
11:30 -11:45 am | Maternal-fetal type I interferon signaling drives TREM2 dysregulation and synaptic dysfunction in neurodevelopmental disorders | Matteo Bizzotto
11:45 - 12:00 pm | Disruption of the Brain-Spleen Axis Impairs Monocyte-Microglia Communication and Accelerates Disease Progression in a Model of Amyloidosis | Hodaya Polonsky
12:00 - 01:15 pm | Lunch
01:15 - 01:45 pm | From Defense to Design: Microglia and Immune Cells in Shaping the Brain | Michela Matteoli
01:45 - 02:15 pm | Microglial TDP-43 in motor dysfunction | Rosa Paolicelli
02:15 - 03:00 pm | Round table III: Nomenclature
Chairs: Bart Eggen + Rosa Paolicelli
03:00 - 03:30 pm | Lysosomal failure triggers microglial degeneration in neurodegeneration | Renzo Mancuso
03:30 - 04:00 pm |Microglia transcriptomic states occupy distinct spatial domains in human CNS disease | Bart Eggen
04:00 - 05:00 pm | Coffee Break + Postersession
05:00 – 09:30 pm | Speaker’s excursion (Invited speakers only)
DAY 3
09:00 am - 01:15 pm | Session IV: Therapeutical targeting of CNS macrophages
Chairs: Kyrania Christofi + Maximilian Frosch
09:00 - 09:30 am | Therapeutical targeting of CNS macrophages | Bożena Kamińska-Kaczmarek
09:30 - 10:00 am | Tagrgeting microglia activation in ICANS | Robert Zeiser
10:00 - 10:15 am | Microglia – Fc fragment interaction is critical for efficacy of the anti-amyloid antibody Lecanemab in Alzheimer’s disease | Ciana Xu
10:15 - 10:30 am | When brain guardians become liabilities: Microglial depletion rewires neuroimmune crosstalk to protect against bacterial meningitis | Federico Iovino
10:30 - 11:00 am | Coffee Break
11:00 - 11:45 am | Round table IV: Therapeutical targeting
Chairs: Marius Wernig + Robert Zeiser
11:45 - 12:15 pm | Novel immunotherapeutic strategies for reducing microglia-induced neurodegeneration | Robert Harris
12:15 - 12:45 pm | Using microglia to investigate and treat neurodegenerative disease | Marius Wernig
12:45 - 01:15 pm | Monocyte-derived Microglia - Assets or Liability? | Steffen Jung
01:15 - 01:30 pm | Closing remarks + Poster Prize | Marco Prinz
Invited Speakers
Bart Eggen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Britta Engelhardt, TKI, Switzerland
Sonia Garel, Collège de France, France
Melanie Greter, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Robert Harris, Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Steffen Jung, WIS, Israel
Bożena Kamińska-Kaczmarek, Nencki Institute, Warsaw
Katrin Kierdorf, University of Freiburg, Germany
Renzo Mancuso, VIB Antwerp, Belgium
Takahiro Masuda, Kyushu University, Japan
Michela Matteoli, Humanitas University, Italy
Rosa Paolicelli, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
Josef Priller, Technical University of Munich, Germany
Marco Prinz, University of Freiburg, Germany
Marius Wernig, Stanford University, USA
Tony Wyss-Coray, Stanford University, USA
Robert Zeiser, University of Freiburg, Germany
Abstract Submission
The Scientific Committee is pleased to invite authors to submit their abstracts for poster exhibition and/or talks according to the following guidelines:
- Presenting Authors are requested to register, create an account and submit an abstract for review according to the guidelines set out below.
- To submit your abstract for a short talk (15 minutes) or a poster contribution, please fill in the abstract submission form.
- Deadline for abstract submission: June 30, 2026.
- Select Abstract Type: Poster Presentation or Short Talk
- Abstracts must be submitted in English. Please do not submit multiple copies of the same abstract
- Maximum 300 Words
- All abstracts will be forwarded to the Scientific and Program Committee for review.
- You will be informed, if you have been selected for a talk or poster presentation.
- Please contact the Organizing Team (veranstaltung@uniklinik-freiburg.de) if you need to withdraw the submission.
Registration
Participation fees
- UKF Postdocs/Clinicians or higher graduation: 100€
- UKF Students (MD, Master, PhD): 50 €
External Participants: 150 €
The deadline for abstract submission ist closed now.
Registration for regular participation has been closed due to the exceptionally high demand, as the event is already fully booked.
Participants who have submitted an abstract are still eligible to attend.
The same applies to chairs and speakers who have not yet registered.
Location
Address:
Hotel Stadt Freiburg | Tagungszentrum Berliner Tor
Breisacher Str. 84
79110 Freiburg im Breisgau
Travel and Accomodation
How to reach Freiburg (im Breisgau)
... by Airplane: Freiburg is located in the middle of a dense network of international airports. The nearest international airport, EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg, is only 40 minutes away from Freiburg. Direct connection to Freiburg is provided by the Airport Bus or public transport with transfer in Basel. Frankfurt, one of Europe's largest hubs is only a two hour train ride or car drive away. Trains leave from the airport's long distance train station to Freiburg at least once every hour.
... by Car: Over the motorway A-5 Frankfurt-Karlsruhe-Basel
... by Train: Freiburg is located on the ICE/Intercity route Frankfurt-Karlsruhe-Freiburg-Basel. Twice an hour, trains from allover Germany or from Switzerland (Zurich/Basel) stop at Freiburg's main train station.
For using the public transport in Freiburg you can find information here.
Accommodation
We have a pre-reserved room allotment for conference participants at The Alex Hotel in Freiburg. Reservations can be made directly with the hotel until September 1, 2026, using the keyword “FreiMicro 2026”
The Alex Hotel
Rheinstraße 29
79104 Freiburg im Breisgau
+49 761 296970
PLEASE NOTE: Accommodation for invited speakers will be arranged by the conference organizers. Speakers do not need to make their own reservations.
Sponsoring
Disclosure of Sponsorship
argenx BV - 2.000€
We offer 2 m² information booths, including named recognition on the event website with logo, for 2.000 €.
Please contact us if you are interested.
Contact
Scientific Committee
Daniel Erny
Prof. for Translational Neuropathology
University of Freiburg
Katrin Kierdorf
Prof. for Infection Resistance
University of Freiburg
Marco Prinz
Prof. of Neuropathology
University of Freiburg
Organisation
Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
Stabsstelle Unternehmenskommunikation
Veranstaltungsmanagement
+49 761 270 19210