Date: 11 March 2025 (Tuesday)
Time: 11am (GMT+1)
The webinar is intended for scientists and researchers working with cell and tissue cultures who want to expand their knowledge in the field of brain organoids or plan to start research using these models. During the meeting, the Host will briefly present the current state of knowledge on brain organoids, discuss the methodology of their cultivation and present the applications of these models in scientific research. Particular attention will be paid to the practical aspects of working with organoids and their potential in neurobiological and neurological research.
The webinar will be led by Sandra Acosta, PhD, Assistant Professor, who has extensive experience in the field of brain organoids derived from iPSC/ESC and their use in modeling genetic and neurodevelopmental diseases. Dr. Acosta is a Serra-Hunter Fellow and Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics at the University of Barcelona. Throughout her career, she has been working on issues related to the development of the central nervous system (CNS), developing models (both in vitro and in vivo) of brain development – in health and in disease. During her PhD, she had the opportunity to work on the 3D culture of tumoroids. She completed two postdoctoral internships – the first in the laboratory of prof. Vanderhaeghen in Brussels (2009-2013), the second in the laboratory of prof. Oliver at Northwestern University in Chicago (2014-2018).
Her team’s research focuses on solving key questions related to the development of the human brain in health and disease. Thanks to an interdisciplinary approach – her team has developed not only several tools – from genomics to technologically advanced AI, but also made significant contributions to understanding the pathomechanisms related to developmental epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, as well as understanding how the most human features of the brain are formed in evolution.
Sandra Acosta, PhD, Assistant Professor about herself:
As a scientist, I have a long trajectory in the fields of iPSC/ESC-derived brain organoids and genetic and neurodevelopmental disease modeling. I am Serra-Hunter Fellow and Assistant Professor at Department of Pathology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Barcelona (April 2021). Throughout my career, I tackled questions related to the development of the central nervous system implementing in vitro and in vivo models of brain development in health and disease. Briefly, during my PhD, I got the chance to receive an early introduction and work with culture of 3D tumoroids (then called Neurospheres). Next, I expanded my international profile during two postdoctoral fellowships in the lab of Prof. Pierre Vanderhaeghen in Brussels (2009-2013) and Prof. Oliver at Northwestern University in Chicago (2014- 2018).
My lab is centered in understanding central questions of human brain development in health and disease. To this purpose, we tackle our questions from a multidisciplinary perspective. This approach lead us to developing several tools, from a genomics and technological AI perspective, and to contribute to the pathogenesis associated to developmental epilepsy, Alzheimer disease, as well as to understand how the human-most brain traits arise evolutionary.
Registration form:
The Foundation for the Promotion of Science and Development 'TYGIEL’ was established in 2014. Since its inception, it has been the initiator and organizer of numerous scientific conferences, as well as educational and research-based events. As a dynamic scientific organization dedicated to promoting research and knowledge exchange, we focus on:
– organizing high-value scientific conferences, courses, and training across various disciplines,
– supporting students, academics, and researchers,
– facilitating research collaboration.
The beneficiaries of our initiatives are students, experts, academics, and researchers. Our aim is to bring them together in the hope of gaining knowledge and insight into up-to-date developments in science and life. In Poland, every year we organize numerous conferences covering various fields of science, from the natural sciences to the humanities. With extensive domestic experience, we are embracing international initiatives. We aim to present ourselves as a reliable partner in scientific development and skill enhancement.
If you are interested in our work in Poland, we invite you to visit our homepage (in Polish) »click here to visit our Polish homepage«
Our Mission is to:
– support scientific research and development;
– support activities aimed at improving the quality of scientific research;
– promote scientific and research achievements;
– promote commercialization of research results;
– develop innovation and interdisciplinarity;
– conduct and support educational activities for comprehensive development and increasing the level of education of the society.
We pursue our statutory objectives through cooperation with research centers, local governments, business institutions, entrepreneurs, other NGOs and other institutions.
The Scope of our activities consist of, but is not limited to:
- organization of lectures, conferences, trainings, seminars and other educational projects aimed at disseminating research results and increasing the level of education of the society;
- supporting scientific initiatives and assisting in the implementation in furtherance of scientific research;
- promoting scientific achievements;
- scholarships and training programs for scholars, students, volunteers, apprentices and specialists in various fields;
- promotional and didactic activities;
- conducting editorial and publishing activities with regard to statutory objectives;
- activities aimed at the implementation of scientific projects, in particular inter-university and interdisciplinary projects;
- conducting consulting activities.
Foundation for the promotion of science and development „TYGIEL”
e-mail: ...@tygiel-international.com
ul. Głowackiego 35/348, 20-060 Lublin
VAT no PL946-26-49-975 REGON: 061730828 KRS: 0000524667
PLN account: PL70 1140 2004 0000 3102 7533 8307
EUR account: PL02 1140 2004 0000 3312 1237 8057
USD account: PL08 1140 2004 0000 3712 1253 7124
BIC/SWIFT: BREXPLPWMBK Bank name: mBank