Building networks: engineering in vascular biology

Time	Speaker
09:00 – 10:00	Registration and coffee
	Session I – New developments in vascular biology Session chair: Kristina Haase – EMBL Barcelona, Spain
10:00 – 10:15	Opening Remarks Kristina Haase – EMBL Barcelona, Spain
10:15 – 11:00	KEYNOTE TALK A self-assembled model of the blood-brain barrier Roger Kamm – Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
11:00 – 11:45	KEYNOTE TALK Regulation of Endothelial Cell Specialization Karen Hirschi – University of Virginia, USA
11:45 – 12:00	Tour of EMBL Barcelona (selected participants only)
11:45 – 13:15	Lunch & Meet the Speakers
	Session II – Developmental vascular biology Session chairs: Maria Bernabeu – EMBL Barcelona, Spain & Shane Herbert – The University of Manchester, UK
13:15 – 13:45	Junctional dynamics during angiogenic sprouting, anastomosis and lumen formation Heinz-Georg Belting- University of Basel, Switzerland
13:45 – 14:15	Methods for defining vascular cell types in health and disease Michael Vanlandewijck – Uppsala University, Sweden
14:15 – 14:30	The interplay between Sox9 and endothelial cells in vasculature formation Giovanni Dalmasso – EMBL Barcelona, Spain
14:30 – 15:00	From hemogenic endothelium to hematopoietic stem cells: dissecting Notch functions Anna Bigas – Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, Spain
15:00 – 15:30	Coffee break
15:30 – 16:00	Molecular mechanisms coordinating endothelial cell behaviour Claudio Franco – Institute of Molecular Medicine, Portugal
16:00 – 16:15	Mechanisms in vascular remodelling and vessel size control – going against the flow Holger Gerhardt – Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Germany
16:15 – 16:45	New organ-on-chip approaches for angiogenesis and vasculature development Samy Gobaa – Institut Pasteur, France
16:45 – 17:00	Short break
	Session III – Emerging topics – Lymphatics Session chair: Michael Mak – Yale University, USA
17:00 – 17:30	Selective regulators of lymphatic endothelial junctions Maike Frye – University Medical Center Hamburg, Germany (Virtual Speaker)
17:30 – 17:45	Modular HA-hydrogels to control lymphatic networks for tissue engineering applications Laura Alderfer – University of Notre Dame, USA
17:45 – 18:15	Tubing the vertebrate’s body: mechanisms of blood and lymphatic vessel formation Karina Yaniv – Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
18:15 – 18:45	Flash talks by selected participants: Akinola Akinbote – EMBL Barcelona, Spain (poster 33) Nensi Alivodej – Max Planck Institute for Brain Research and Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany (poster 36) Camille Compère – Collège de France, France (poster 56) Lisa Frank – Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany (poster 63) Idris Salmon – KU Leuven, Belgium (poster 113)
18:45 – 20:30	Poster session 1 (ODD numbers) with drinks & snacks

Time	Speaker
08:30 – 09:00	Registration
	Session I – Mechano-vascular biology Session chairs: Milica Radisic – University of Toronto, Canada & Stephan Huveneers – Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands
09:00 – 09:30	Building perfusable microvascular models for tissue regeneration and disease modeling Ying Zheng – University of Washington, USA (Virtual Speaker)
09:30 – 09:45	Dynamics of the endothelial cadhesome under blood flow Emir Bora Akmeric – Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Germany
09:45 – 10:15	Junctional mechanotransduction in angiogenesis Stephan Huvaneers – Amsterdam UMC, The Netherlands
10:15 – 10:30	The junctional mechanosensor Amotl2 regulates endothelial Yap through modulation of DNA methylation Aarren Mannion – Karolinksa Institute, Sweden
10:30 – 11:00	Coffee break
11:00 – 11:30	Dynamic and Non-Elastic Interactions in the Extracellular Matrix Michael Mak – Yale University, USA
11:30 – 11:45	Human brain microvascular endothelial cell remodeling in response to circumferential stretch in a microvessel-on-chip Clara Ramón-Lozano – École Polytechnique, France
11:45 – 12:15	Engineering the mechanical environment to tune vascular cell and tissue development Jeroen Rouwkema – University of Twente, The Netherlands
12:15 – 12:30	Blood flow oscillations are triggered by irregular vascular networks: a microscale mechanism for cycling hypoxia in tumours? Yaron Ben-Ami – University of Oxford, UK
12:30 – 13:00	Perfusable on-chip vascular network for mechanobiology and organogenesis applications Ryuji Yokokawa – Kyoto University, Japan
13:00 – 13:15	Tour of EMBL Barcelona (selected participants only)
13:00 – 14:00	Lunch & Meet the Speakers
	Session II – Signalling & angiogenesis Session chair: Claudio Franco – Institute of Molecular Medicine, Portugal
14:00 – 14:30	Temporal adaptation of vascular network topology Katie Bentley – The Francis Crick Institute, UK
14:30 – 15:00	Mechanosensitive Notch signaling regulates structural homeostasis of the arterial wall Cecilia Sahlgren – Åbo Akademi University, Finland
15:00 – 15:15	Inverting angiogenesis with interstitial flow and chemokine matrix-binding affinity Guillermo Vilanova – Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain
15:15 – 15:45	Deciphering angiogenic cues encoded in cell shape Shane Herbert – The University of Manchester, UK
15:45 – 16:15	PIK3CA mutations in endothelial cells: the emerge of an oncoprotein beyond cancer Mariona Graupera – Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Spain
16:15 – 16:45	Coffee break
	Session III – Emerging topics – Vascular infection & integrity Session chair: James Sharpe – EMBL Barcelona, Spain
16:45 – 17:15	Regulation of vascular integrity via adhesion receptor signalling Pipsa Saharinien – University of Helsinki, Finland
17:15 – 17:30	Vasculature-on-a-chip platform with innate immunity enables identification Of Angiopoietin-1 peptide as a therapeutic for SARS-CoV-2 induced inflammation Rick Lu – University of Toronto, Canada
17:30 – 18:00	Recreating cerebral malaria with in vitro 3D brain microvascular models Maria Bernabeu – EMBL Barcelona, Spain (postponed to Wednesday 11 May 2022)
18:00 – 18:15	Engineered 3D vessels-on-chip to model inflammatory responses using hiPSC-derived vascular cells and monocytes Merve Bulut – Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands
18:15 – 18:45	Flash talks by selected participants: Irene Aspalter – The Francis Crick Institute, UK (poster 40) Hannah Fleckenstein – EMBL Barcelona, Spain (poster 62) Jacky Goetz – The Institute of Hematology and Immunology, France (poster 68) Claire Leclech – École Polytechnique, France (poster 86) Léa Pinon – Institut Pasteur, France (poster 108)
18:45	Group photos
18:45 – 20:30	Poster session 2 (EVEN numbers) with drinks & snacks
21:00 – 23:00	Conference dinner (registered participants only)

Time	Speaker
08:45 – 09:15	Registration
09:15 – 09:45	Recreating cerebral malaria with in vitro 3D brain microvascular models Maria Bernabeu – EMBL Barcelona, Spain
	Session I – Vascular oncology Session chairs: Katie Bentley – The Francis Crick Institute, UK & Kristina Haase – EMBL Barcelona, Spain
09:45 – 10:15	Modeling the Perivascular Niche in Human Brain Tumor Rong Fan – Yale University, USA
10:15 – 10:30	ccRCC spheroids reveal a specific tumor vasculature resistant to anti-angiogenic treatment Noémie Brassard – Collège de France, France
10:30 – 11:00	Complement from Tumour Extracellular Vesicles Regulates Metastasis in an on-Chip Human Pre-Metastatic Niche Mark Gillrie – University of Calgary, Canada
11:00 – 11:30	Coffee break
11:30 – 12:00	Investigation of cancer microenvironment with perfusable vasculature in microfluidic system Jessie Jeon – Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, South Korea (Virtual Speaker)
12:00 – 12:30	Patient-derived vascularized colon cancer tumor-on-a-chip recapitulates patient drug responses Christopher Hughes – University of California, Irvine, USA
12:30 – 12:45	Tour of EMBL Barcelona (selected participants only)
12:30 – 13:30	Lunch & Meet the Speakers
	Session II – Ageing in vascular bio Session chair: Holger Gerhardt – Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Germany
13:30 – 14:00	Role of the vasculature in bone growth, homeostasis, regeneration, and aging Ralf Adams – Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Germany
14:00 – 14:30	Neurovascular interactions during CNS development Amparo Acker-Palmer – Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany
14:30 – 15:00	Dysregulation of angiogenesis in chronic liver disease Mercedes Fernandez – IDIBAPS Biomedical Research Institute, Spain
15:00 – 15:30	Genetic robustness Didier Stainier – Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Germany
15:30 – 16:00	Coffee break
	Session III – Cardiovascular development & disease Session chair: Karina Yaniv – Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel
16:00 – 16:15	Changes in extracellular matrix in failing human non-ischemic and ischemic hearts with mechanical unloading Yimu Zhao – University of Toronto, Canada
16:15 – 16:45	Heart-on-a-chip models of healthy and diseased myocardium Milica Radisic – University of Toronto, Canada
16:45 – 17:15	Tissue-specific human vascularized models to study fibrosis and other cardiac diseases Kristina Haase – EMBL Barcelona, Spain
17:15 – 17:30	Awards & Final remarks Maria Bernabeu – EMBL Barcelona, Spain
17:30 – 18:00	Farewell Cava

Registration Fees include admission, conference materials, COVID-19 safety measures, meals and coffee breaks. Participants are expected to book and pay their own accommodation and travel expenses.

Academia	€425
PhD Student	€325
Industry	€725

NO visa support letters will be issued until payment of the registration fee is confirmed.

Accredited journalists may be eligible to register for a reduced press rate or in some cases for complimentary registration. Registrants may be required to provide accreditation or equivalent proof of press membership after registration. Please contact Raili Pall for more information.

Confirmation and Payment

Registration will be on a first-come first-served basis. Your place can only be confirmed after payment of the registration fee.

Types of payments accepted are international bank transfers and credit card payments.

Abstract submission

After you have logged in and successfully registered, you will receive an email asking you to submit your abstract.  Click on the link provided and enter your abstract in the text box provided. Alternatively you can submit your abstract by clicking on the link on the confirmation page directly after registering. The same login credentials are used for both processes.

Please note:

Title: The title should not exceed 20 words. Only the first word of the title should start with a capital letter and the rest of the title should be in lowercase.

Authors and Affiliations: Please fill in the author’s details as requested in the online form. The compulsory details are: First Name, Last Name, Organisation Name (Affiliation or Company), Country and Email. Mark only one author as the role of First author and please don’t forget to indicate who will be presenting. The order of the authors will be listed as follows: First Author, Co-First Author (alphabetically if multiple), co-author(s) (in the order added by the submitter).

Presentation Types: When submitting your abstract, you can apply for an oral or poster presentation. A selection process will take place with the results announced 2-3 weeks after the abstract submission deadline.

Please check our FAQs pages for further information on how to submit an abstract.

Limited financial assistance is provided by the EMBL Advanced Training Centre Corporate Partnership Programme and EMBO in the form of both registration fee waivers and travel grants. Availability is limited to participants attending on-site event and will be indicated during the abstract or motivation letter submission process.

Your place in the meeting is only confirmed by paying the registration fee, which is mandatory even when receiving a fee waiver.

Registration Fee Waiver

The fee waiver will cover the registration sum that you have paid to attend the course or conference.

Travel Grant

The travel grant will cover the cost of travel (airfare, train, bus, taxi, accommodation, visa, and/or registration fees*) and is provided up to specified caps which are normally as follows:

– up to €400 for participants travelling to an EMBL Course, EMBL Conference or EMBO|EMBL Symposium from within Europe.
– up to €1000 for participants travelling to an EMBL Course, EMBL Conference or EMBO|EMBL Symposium from outside Europe.
– up to €500 for any participant travelling to an EMBO Practical Course or EMBO Workshop.
– up to €1000 for any participant working in Chile, India, Singapore or Taiwan travelling to an EMBO Practical Course or EMBO Workshop.

*Registration fees are only covered for EMBO Practical Courses or EMBO Workshops

The organisers may reduce the grant cap to accommodate more participants. Recipients will be notified of their travel cap amount when they are informed of the outcome of their application. Original receipts must be provided with your signature for all costs incurred within two months of completion of travel. Scanned copies cannot be accepted.

Childcare Grant (EMBO Practical Courses and Workshops only)

For EMBO Practical Course or EMBO Workshop participants with children, there is the possibility to apply for a childcare grant to offset child care costs incurred by participants or speakers when participating at a course or conference. Eligible costs include fees for a baby-sitter or child-care facility, travel costs for a care giver, or travel costs for taking the child to the meeting etc. Please note that priority will be given to early stage researchers. A maximum amount of 500 EUR can be awarded per participant applying for an EMBO Childcare Grant. In order to apply for this grant for EMBO Workshops, you must be registered by the abstract submission deadline.

Application

You may apply for financial assistance when submitting your motivation letter for courses, and abstract for conferences. In your application you will be asked to answer questions regarding why your lab cannot fund your attendance and how your attendance will make a difference to your career. Application for financial support will not affect the outcome of your registration application.

Selection

The scientific organisers will select the recipients of all financial assistance during the motivation letter or abstract selection process. Results will be announced approximately 6-8 weeks before the event start date, however for some events this may be delayed. Selection results do not impact your admission to the meeting. Selection is based on your current work or study location, the reasons for needing financial support and the impact this event will have on your career.

Reimbursement

Costs will be reimbursed after the meeting only once a reimbursement form and original receipts (from travel costs) have been received.

Further details

View our list of external funding opportunities and information on attending a conference as an event reporter.

For further information about financial assistance please refer to the FAQ page.

EMBL Barcelona is located at the Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB). The PRBB is located on Barceloneta seafront between Hospital del Mar and the Arts Hotel in the Olympic Port of Barcelona.

Address: Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, C/ Doctor Aiguader, 88, 08003 Barcelona

The conference is taking place in the PRBB auditorium. It is located on a raised level, in the heart of the PRBB building overlooking the sea, with independent access from the rest of the building. Access to the Auditorium will be by the stairs located at the entrance of the inner square of the building. For people with limited mobility, the access through lifts up the 1st floor can be used.

While on campus, please wear your conference badge at all times for security purposes.

Accommodation is not included in the conference registration fee.

Below is a list of hotels that are located near the conference venue.

Please note that a city tax per person/per night for the stay needs to be paid (whether you book in a hotel or through Airbnb).

Hotel Name	Address	Bookings
H10 Marina	Avinguda del Bogatell, 64-68 Olympic Village, 08005 Barcelona (map | website)	Tel. +34 933 09 79 17 corporate.hmb@h10hotels.com grupos.hmb@h10hotels.com
H10 Port Vell	Pas de Sota Muralla, 9, 08003 Barcelona (map | website)	Tel. +34 933 10 30 65 reservas.hpv@h10hotels.com
Hotel SB Icaria:	Av. d’Icària, 195, 08005 Barcelona (map | website)	Tel. +34 932 21 82 00 reservations.icaria@sbhotels.es
Hotel Ibis Styles:	Carrer de Llull, 71, 08005 Hb004742, Barcelona (map | website)	Tel. +34 934 83 37 48 H9663@accor.com
RESA – campus del Mar Residencia	Pg. Salvat Papasseit, 4 08003 Barcelona (map| website)	Tel. +34 933 90 40 00 campusdelmar@resa.es
RESA – La Ciutadella Residencia	Passeig Pujades, 33-37 08018 Barcelona (map| website)	Tel. +34 933 94 32 00 ciutadella@resa.es

Catering

Lunches and coffee breaks are included in the registration fee. The lunch buffets and coffee breaks will be set-up in front of the Auditorium. Snacks will be served on the first evening of the workshop during the Welcome reception (PRBB terrace), as well as during the poster sessions (groundfloor beneath the Auditorium). 

Dinners are at the participants own expense.  

Please wear your badge at all times when serving yourself.

No food or drinks are allowed in the PRBB auditorium.

Electricity and charging station

The mains voltage in Barcelona is 230 volts AC. The flat European standard and the Schuko plug CEE 7/7 fit into the Spanish sockets. Most Europeans do not need to buy an adapter plug for Spain. Please note that there are no power outlets in the auditorium. You can recharge your electronic devices at the reception area. We kindly ask you to bring your own charger cables. The charging station will be left unattended.           

Health and safety notes

Please read Barcelona’s COVID-19 terms and conditions for events.
Smoking is prohibited in all PRBB facilities
Eating and drinking is prohibited in the Auditorium.
Do not enter any restricted areas or the laboratories unless authorised to do so.Do not enter any restricted areas or the laboratories unless instructed to do so.

If first aid is required …

• Assist the casualty and provide first aid if trained to do so. 
• Take to Hospital del Mar, Pg Maritim Barceloneta, 23*31 OR
• Dial the emergency number 1020 from any internal phone OR
• Dial 112
• Please report all accidents to the Conference Officer at the Registration Desk.

In case of fire …

• Press the nearest fire alarm button or dial the emergency number 1020 from any internal phone.
• There will be a loudspeaker announcement (in Catalan, Spanish, English) if an evacuation is required. 
• On hearing the evacuation message leave the building promptly following the escape route and exit signs and proceed to the meeting point (“Punto the reunion”) on Passeig Maritim Barceloneta next to the sea side.

Beyond first aid…

Please remember to bring your own medication, if needed, to the conference.

Ensure in advance that your medical insurance will cover you during your visit in the event that you do need to see a doctor.

Internet

It is easy to access the internet via a wireless connection in any area of the building. When connecting a mobile device, the operating system automatically recognises the network “PRBB”. The passport for this network is “darwin1809”.

The PRBB also participates in the Eduroam project, which aims to allow network access for visitors from academic institutions associated with Eduroam. Access to the service is always delivered with the same credentials as in the home institution.

Lost and found

“Lost and Found” items are kept at Registration and will be stored at the EMBL Barcelona reception for a short whileafter the EMBO workshop.

Luggage

There are no lockers available on-site to store your belongings. It is highly recommended to leave any valuables in your accommodation. An unguarded wardrobe area is behind the registration desk. You may use this wardrobe at the last day of the Workshop to store your luggage. 

The venue is directly located at the beachside. Be aware of your surroundings and belongings when leaving the building. 

Phone numbers

In case of emergency, contact Security on the ground floor: 

Ext. 1020 / 0034933160020 

Reception: Ext. 1000 or 0034933160000

Below are the most important emergency service phone numbers for Barcelona. 

Fire service: 080

Medical emergencies: 061

Police (Mossos d’Esquadra): 088

The Mossos d’Esquadra are Catalonia’s autonomous community police force. They are responsible for crime investigations, crime prevention and assistance at accident scenes. 

Guàrdia Urbana: 092 

The Guàrdia Urbana are responsible for public order by patrollling the roads and streets. They also look after traffic safety and control. The Guardia Urbana are also the first point of call for everyday situations such as neighbourhood disputes like noise etc.

All general emergencies: 112

If you become ill during the event, please notify the Conference Officer(s) immediately.  

Photography

During the conference an EMBL Photographer may be taking photographs. If you would not like to appear in these, please inform the photographer or a member of the Course and Conference Office.

Pickpockets

It is highly recommended to leave any valuables in your accommodation. The venue is located at the beachside which is a very busy area. Be aware of your surroundings and belongings when leaving the building.

Sightseeing

A variety of activities in Barcelona can be found in this website: https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/

Time

Spain operates on Central European time (CET), which means that the country is 6 hours ahead of eastern standard time (EST) in the United States and 1 hour ahead of Greenwich mean time (GMT).

Travel to and from the venue

Our EMBO Workshop partner hotel, the “H10 Marina”, is a 15 minutes walk to the venue. 

If you prefer, you can also take the bus. The next bus stop is in 6 minutes walking distance to the hotel. Line V27 is departing from Av Icària – Joan Miró to Pg Marítim – Hospital del Mar. From there it is another 3 minute walk. 

Additionally, a taxi stand is located just outside the hotel main entrance.

Hotel address: Avinguda del Bogatell, 64-68 Olympic Village, 08005 Barcelona

Useful Spanish expressions

English	Spanish
Hello	Hola
Good morningGood afternoonGood eveningGood night	Buenos díasBuenas tardesBuenas nochesBuenas noches
I’m sorry	Lo siento / Perdona
Excuse me…	Perdóneme…
How are you?	¿Cómo estás?
I’m fine thanks. And you?	Estoy bien, gracias. ¿Y usted?
What is your name	Cómo te llamas
My name is	Me llamo
Do you speak English	Habla usted Inglés
I don’t understand	No entiendo
Please speak more slowly	Por favor hable más despacio
Thank you	Gracias
Where is the toilet?	¿Dónde está el servicio?
Please call me a taxi	Puedes avisar/llamar un taxi, por favor?
How do I get to….?	Como llego a….?
A beer/two beers please	Una cerveza / dos cervezas por favor.
A glass of red/white wine please	Un vaso de vino tinto / blanco por favor.
The menu, please	El menú, por favor
Is there a local speciality?	¿Hay alguna especialidad local?
I’m Vegetarian	Soy vegetarianoa
It was delicious	Estaba delicioso
The bill, please	La cuenta, por favor
I have a headache	Me duele la cabeza
I have a sore throat	Tengo dolor de garganta
My stomach hurts	Me duele el estómago
I’m allergic to	Soy alérgico a
I need a doctor who speaks English	Necesito un médico que hable inglés

Getting to Barcelona – By Plane

Barcelona-El Prat airport is located in El Prat de Llobregat just 12 km South West of the Barcelona city centre. It has two passenger terminals: Terminal 1 (T1) and Terminal 2 (T2). The airport has allocated airlines to terminals, regardless of the destination of the flight.

Airport Transfers to the city centre

The Aerobús is an express bus service that connects the Barcelona-El Prat airport with the city centre (Plaça Catalunya) in 35 minutes. You can take the Aerobús outside Terminal 1 (A1) and Terminal 2 (A2). This service runs every day of the year with departures between 5 and 15 minutes. From the city centre, you can take the metro or a bus to move around Barcelona.

The train service (R2 line) runs approximately every 30 minutes to and from Barcelona airport to the city centre. The journey takes 25 minutes. The train service operates from Terminal 2 (T2). To get from T2 to T1, use the shuttle bus service (Bus transit T1-T2). If you travel from the airport to the city centre, you can get off at Barcelona-Sants, Passeig de Gràcia or Clot which are serviced by metro stops.

You can also take the metro line L9 (orange) from the airport. It departs at Terminal 1 and connects at stations Torrassa (L1 and L10 Sud), Collblanc (L5 and L10 Sud) with metros to the city centre. 

You will find a taxi rank outside any of the main terminal exits. Look for the sign pointing to the nearest taxi rank. All official Barcelona taxis are black and yellow and are required to charge you only the value on the taximeter (plus any surcharge, e.g. luggage or night). The rates and surcharges are displayed inside the cab. In Barcelona, a taxi may be either ordered by phone, found at authorised taxi rank or flagged down in the street.            

Getting to Barcelona – By train

Barcelona Sants is the main train station for national and international arrivals and departures in Barcelona. It is situated in plaça dels Països Catalanes – Barcelona. National and regional trains also depart from França station. It is located at avinguda Marquès de l’Argentera, s/n – Barcelona.

Spanish Railways (RENFE)

Public Transport in Barcelona

Metro and tram

The metro network of Barcelona is very good and the trains are frequent and quick. You do not have to worry about timetables. Almost all attractions are within walking distance of a metro or tram station. When there are no subways, the gap can be filled by tram.

You can find the operating hours of the metro and tram here.

Buses

The operating times of the buses are different for each line. You will find a notice board with the timetable at each stop. They operate from about 5:00 clock to about 22:00 clock.

Night bus (NitBus)

Both the metro and the buses do not run all night. In Barcelona, there is a fairly dense network of night buses to get you back to your hotel all night long. Except for the line N0 all lines stop at Plaça Catalunya and can change there. The N0 line is a circular line that allows you to circle around the city center and change to the other NitBus. The night buses are operated by the private operator AMB, which is why the Barcelona Card and Hola BCN Ticket are not valid.

The N17 line goes to the airport.

The operating hours of the NitBus are different for each line, but they run from about 22:00 to 05:00 clock.

What do I need to bring in order to access the conference?

1. Negative antigen / PCR COVID-19 test, not older than 24h for antigen and 72h for PCR tests OR valid proof of vaccination (Vaccines authorized by EU or WHO) by the event’s date OR valid proof of recovery (accreditation that you have passed COVID less than 6 months before the event) 
2. Your ID document/passport
3. A medicinal mask, either surgical or FFP2 

What kind of masks must be worn onsite?

A medicinal mask, either surgical or FFP2 (the latter is recommended) to be worn at all times indoors, except when eating or drinking and especially when in the auditorium or at the registration desk.

Do I need to wear a mask outside of the conference venue?

Masks must be worn in the following areas:

• Public and passenger transport. On platforms and stations, it is not necessary to carry it.
• Hospitals, health centers and pharmacies.
• Residences (workers and visitors).
• It is also recommended that people with a positive diagnosis of covid-19 or with compatible symptoms and vulnerable people who are unable to maintain a minimum safety distance.

For more information please check: https://web.gencat.cat/ca/activem/restriccions-territorials/catalunya/#bloc1

Which COVID-19 vaccines are recognised in Spain?

Any vaccine authorised by the European Union (European Medicines Agency, EMA) and WHO will be accepted. Certificates with vaccines not authorised by these agencies are also acceptable, but the last dose administered must be of one of the authorised vaccines. 

Complete vaccination schedules are defined as those established in the COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy in Spain.

What is the validity of vaccination proof in Spain?

From 1 February 2022, proof of vaccination is valid from 14 days after the date of administration of the last dose of the complete vaccination schedule and will be valid up to 270 days from the date of administration of that last dose.

Thereafter, in order to be valid, the vaccination certificate must reflect the administration of a booster dose. These certificates will be considered valid since the day the booster dose was administered.

What is the validity of proof of recovery in Spain?

Certificate of Recovery: corresponds to a test no more than 180 days after the date of the first positive NAAT test result and no earlier than the 11th day following the date of that positive test result. The certificate must state the date of the first positive test.

Do I need to register and quarantine when arriving in Spain?

You can find the latest information on entry and entry requirements for Spain on the Spain Travel Health Website. Please make sure to carefully read the information and to comply with all requirements and to carry the necessary supporting documentation.

Where can I get tested for COVID-19 in Barcelona and how much does it cost?

An antigen rapid test costs approximately 35-45€, a PCR test approximately 85-100€. You can also find more information about the different tests and links to some test centres here.

Costs of the test must be covered by the participants.

What if I test positive during the event?

If during the conference you test positive or develop symptomsassociated with COVID-19, such as reduced sense of smell and taste, chills, sore throat, muscle aches, headache, general weakness, diarrhea or vomiting, you should:

1. Refrain from coming to the event, or leave promptly
2. Contact the health service: contact the corresponding health authorities of the Autonomous Communities by telephone. If you feeling that the illness is serious, you have shortness of breath or chest pain, call 112
3. Call 933 038 158, where they will also assist you in English

What are the current local restrictions (e.g. public transport, restaurants or cafes)? Where can I find more information?

Specific rules and restrictions for Catalonia can be found here: https://web.gencat.cat/ca/activem/restriccions-territorials/catalunya/#bloc1  

Further information is also available via: https://spth.gob.es/faq?tab=2