19 May - 22 May 2026
19 May 20262026ConferenceEMBL Heidelberg, Virtual
Paolo Arosio, Sara Cuylen-Haering, Amy Gladfelter, Alex Holehouse
Description OverviewSpeakersPractical informationSponsorsAbout Overview This conference will take place at EMBL Heidelberg with the option to attend virtually Symposium overview The realisation that intracellular phase transitions underlie the formation of membrane less compartments also known as biomolecular condensates in cells has transformed our understanding of cellular organisation in time and space While the existence of membrane less organelles e g nucleoli stress granules and Cajal bodies had been known for a long time it was unclear until recently how these were formed maintained and regulated Importantly the interdisciplinary nature of the molecular and cellular principles that underlie condensate biology necessitates the combined expertise of cell biology genetics biochemistry biophysics and soft matter physics This interdisciplinary conference will bring together scientists from diverse fields to foster new discoveries and discuss emerging principles in condensate biology Topics will range from basic biophysical principles of condensate formation to the role intracellular phase transitions play in cellular adaptation to the impact condensate dysregulation has on human disease The conference will nurture a new generation of scientists who challenge the boundaries of existing fields and think creatively about how to tackle important emerging questions in cellular organisation adaptation and robustness Session topics Membraneless compartments in the cell Physical structural and molecular principles of condensate form and function Condensates in adaptation Condensates in gene expression genome organization Condensate crosstalk with cellular structures Condensates in disease What past participants say about the Symposium The EMBO EMBL Symposium on Cellular Mechanisms Driven by phase separation is a must attend for anyone working in this field as it brings together an interdisciplinary mix of scientists from domains of physics chemistry and biology Great opportunity to listen to excellent and current science Ambuja Navalkar St Jude Children s Research Hospital India Attending this conference has been an incredible opportunity to engage with cutting edge research in the field of bimolecular phase separation Elnaz Hosseini Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research Germany Speakers Keynote speakers Ibrahim Ciss Max Planck Institute of immunobiology and epigenetics Germany Karla Neugebauer Yale University School of Medicine USA Speakers Charlotte Aumeier University of Geneva Switzerland Elvan B ke Centre for Genomic Regulation CRG Spain Lindsay Case MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology USA Dorothee Dormann Institute of Molecular Biology Germany Allan Drummond University of Chicago USA Eric Dufresne Cornell University USA Roland Knorr University of Cologne Germany Kresten Lindorff Larsen University of Copenhagen Denmark Christine Mayr Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center USA Oliver Martin Mueller Cajar Nanyang Technological University Singapore Singapore Thomas Quail EMBL Heidelberg Germany Christine Roden University of Montreal Canada An ela ari Institute of Science and Technology Austria Austria Richard Young Whitehead Institute USA Scientific organisers Paolo Arosio ETH Zurich Switzerland Sara Cuylen Haering EMBL Heidelberg Germany Amy Gladfelter Duke University USA Alex Holehouse Washington University USA Practical information Registration fees On site registration fees include Admission to the event Possibility to submit an abstract Meals and coffee breaks as indicated in the programme Conference materials Access to the online event platform Access to all the livestreamed talks Video library of the recorded talks during the event and for four weeks afterwards Please note at the request of individual speakers some talks are not recorded A letter to support your visa application for more information check the Travel and accommodation tab Accommodation and travel are not included in the fees Participants are expected to book and pay their own expenses On site Academia 750On site PhD Student 650On site Industry 950On site Journal Editors 300 Editors from scientific journals are allowed to attend at a reduced rate but asked to contribute to the conference in return by taking part in meet the editors sessions or other planned activities within the programme Please contact Jules Nohle to ask for the special registration link for editors Virtual registration fees include Access to the online event platform Access to all the livestreamed talks Opportunity to submit questions Video library of the recorded talks during the event and for four weeks afterwards Please note at the request of individual speakers some talks are not recorded Virtual Academia 240Virtual PhD Student 190Virtual Industry 290 Note Accredited journalists may be eligible to register for complimentary on site or virtual press registration Registrants may be required to provide accreditation or equivalent proof of press membership after registration Please contact Jules Nohle for more information Confirmation and payment Registration will be on a first come first served basis You can register and submit your abstract without paying the conference fee in advance but your place can only be confirmed after payment of the registration fee If you are added to our waiting list please consider taking advantage of our offerings to participate virtually On site participants types of payments accepted are international bank transfers and credit card payments Virtual participants we are only able to accept card payments In exceptional cases we can accept bank transfers Please contact events embl de for details Cancellation policy If you are no longer able to take part in the conference please inform your conference contact responsible for this event Your registration and the submitted abstract will be deleted Please also check our Terms and Conditions for the cancellation policy Abstract submission Abstract submission Only participants registering to attend the on site event are eligible to submit an abstract Unfortunately abstracts will not be accepted from virtual participants After registration you can submit your abstract via a separate link that will be provided in the email confirmation Alternatively you can access the link on the confirmation page directly after registering The same login credentials are used for both processes Things to keep in mind when preparing the abstract Abstract body The limit of 2 000 characters refers to manually typed text and excludes spaces If an error occurs try using a different web browser preferably Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox If you copy paste the text into the form hidden formatting might still be included which may cause the text to exceed the 2 000 character limit resulting in an error message We recommend you clear all formatting before pasting in the text If you have special symbols in your text make sure you are using Unicode characters otherwise these will not be recognised Title The title should not exceed 20 words Only the first word of the title should start with a capital letter and the rest should be lowercase Authors and affiliations Please fill in the author s details as requested in the online form The compulsory fields are First Name Last Name Organisation Name Affiliation or Company Country and Email Kindly mark only one author in the role of First Author and please don t forget to indicate who will be the Presenter Please enter your co authors correctly via the system by adding accounts together with their organisation institute Do not copy paste them into the body of the abstract text as they will not be indexed in the abstract book 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 3 weeks after the abstract submission deadline delays may occur For detailed instructions on how to submit a conference abstract follow the instructions provided in this video Please check our FAQs pages for further information on how to submit an abstract Financial assistance Financial assistance Limited financial assistance is provided by the EMBL Advanced Training Centre Corporate Partnership Programme and EMBO in the form of registration fee waivers travel grants and childcare grants 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 to an on site event airfare train bus taxi accommodation visa and is provided up to specified caps which are normally as follows up to 400 for participants travelling to an EMBO EMBL Symposium from within Europe up to 1000 for participants travelling to an EMBO EMBL Symposium from outside Europe 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 Receipts and boarding passes for air travel must be provided via email with your signature for all costs incurred within two months of completion of travel Childcare grant There is the possibility to apply for a childcare grant to offset child care costs incurred by participants speakers and organisers when attending a conference Eligible costs include but are not limited to fees for a baby sitter or child care facility and travel costs for a caregiver Please note that priority will be given to early stage researchers You may apply for a childcare grant at the same time when submitting your abstract There is a limited amount of funding available for the childcare grants and funds will be distributed amongst eligible applicants Application On site participants You may apply for financial assistance when submitting your abstract 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 Virtual participants If you are attending virtually you can apply for financial assistance in the submission portal by the abstract deadline Read the instructions on how to apply for financial assistance Only submissions for financial assistance will be accepted Presentation abstracts cannot be submitted here and will be declined In your application you will be asked to summarise your current work 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 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 for registration fee waivers and travel grants is based on scientific merit your current work or study location the reasons for needing financial support and the impact this event will have on your career Childcare grants will be allocated in the same timeframe 6 8 weeks before the event start date Please note that priority will be given to early stage researchers 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 or refer to the FAQ page Become an event reporter At our conferences we also offer the option to become an event reporter By attending the meeting sharing your insights on social media and writing a detailed report you can offset the conference fees Please read the instructions on how to apply Travel and accommodation Visa We can send you a registration confirmation to support your visa procedure not an official invitation letter after you have paid the registration fee Please contact the conference officer responsible for your event For more information please see here Travel If you are travelling to Heidelberg via aeroplane train car or long distance bus you can find useful information here Accommodation Accommodation is not included in the conference registration fee As further changes in our events are possible you should book flights trains and hotels with flexible options and favourable cancellation conditions Invited speakers please be wary of fraudulent hotel services contacting you to ask for payments see our Accommodation Scam Alert for more information The hotels below have rooms on hold for participants until 18 April 2026 in some cases at special rates Please email the hotel directly quoting the booking code EES26 08 to confirm the exact price of the room Hotel AnlageHotel ibis HeidelbergHotel MonptiHotel Bayrischer Hof InterCity Hotel HeidelbergPremier Inn Heidelberg CityB B HotelLeonardo Hotel Heidelberg City CentreStaycity Aparthotel HeidelbergThe Heidelberg Exzellenz HotelMeininger HeidelbergSteffi s Hostel HeidelbergHilton HeidelbergHotel Holl nder Hof Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Heidelberg Please note that as of 1 October 2025 Heidelberg City Council is introducing an overnight stay tax for tourists visiting Heidelberg including work related trips The cost will be 3 50 EUR per night for the first five nights of a consecutive stay and will be added to the hotel s nightly rate Please contact the individual hotel directly if you have any questions Local transportation Conference shuttle buses Conference shuttle buses are free of charge for participants and depart from designated bus stops near the hotels to EMBL and back mornings and evenings The bus stops for this conference are Staycity Aparthotel Speyerer Str 7 Kurf rsten Anlage Opposite Main Train Station Premier Inn City Zentrum Kurf rsten Anlage 23 Leonardo Hotel Heidelberg City Center Bergheimer Str 63 Neckarm nzplatz Heidelberg Tourist Information Peterskirche Bus stop Hilton Hotel Kurf rsten Anlage 1 ISG Hotel Im Eichwald 19 View Conference shuttle bus stops and hotels in a larger map Please note that not every bus stop will be used for every event Other local transportation In addition to the shuttle busses there is also the public bus 28 that serves the EMBL campus and taxis can be easily booked at any time For more information see here Further details Address EMBL Meyerhofstra e 1 69117 Heidelberg Germany For more information about accommodation and travel please refer to the FAQ page On site information Here you will find useful information for when you are onsite at the event Catering All meals and coffee breaks as indicated in the porgramme are included in the registration fee Our catering staff will prepare a variety of vegetarian meals meat and fish dishes soups pasta fresh fruit and vegetables as well as a variety of desserts Please wear your badge at all times when serving yourself No food or drinks are allowed in the auditorium Internet Wi Fi is available on campus using the EMBL Events network and the event specific password which will be provided on site The eduroam network secure worldwide roaming access service developed for the international research and education community is also available Photography During the conference an EMBL Photographer may be taking photos If you would not like to appear in these please inform the photographer or a member of the Course and Conference Office Charging stations There are lockers available next to the stairs leading down into the Auditorium You will find some of those equipped with sockets to charge your smartphone tablet etc In most places the electricity is 220 volts AC 50 cycles An adaptor and a plug that fits the German socket may be needed for your appliances laptop i e American Japanese etc A USB charging station for electronic devices is available at the registration desk Printing We can help to print your boarding pass train ticket Please send it to events embl de and collect your print outs at the registration desk Luggage There are lockers available on site to store your luggage which require a 2 EURO coin to operate There is another luggage room on level E0 which is free to use but remains unlocked during the conference Lost and found Lost and Found items are kept at the registration desk until the end of the conference EMBL merchandise If you are interested in purchasing EMBL merchandise products presented in the glass display in the registration area please email the EMBL shop to place an order Kindly note the EMBL shop is only open upon request and all purchases must be made in cash Euros only Nursing room There is a nursing room available in the ATC Rooftop Lounge on level A29 Room for prayers meditation and yoga There is a room for prayer yoga and meditation located on level E0 behind the Auditorium Please be respectful of others using the room EMBL campus map Health and safety notes Please take a moment to read our health and safety policy Do not smoke in any EMBL building Eating and drinking is prohibited in the Auditorium and all laboratories Do not enter any restricted areas or the laboratories unless instructed to do so If first aid is required The first aid room is located next to the ATC Registration Desk room 10 205 Dial the Emergency number 222 from any EMBL internal phone only Be prepared to answer the following questions Where is the accident What happened How many injured Emergency number 06221 387 7821 from mobile phones Please report all accidents to the conference officer at the registration desk In case of fire Press the nearest fire alarm button or the Emergency number 222 from any internal phone A loud fire alarm will go off if an evacuation is required On hearing the alarm leave the building immediately following the escape route and fire wardens and head to one of the meeting points Do not use the lifts Beyond first aid The Heidelberg University Hospital or Universit tsklinikum has a 24 hour accident and emergency facility and is at Im Neuenheimer Feld 672 It is a 8km or a 20 minute taxi ride away from EMBL In a medical emergency the ambulance service generally transports patients to this hospital Please remember to bring your own medication if needed to the conference Note that the next pharmacy is a 4 minute drive from the EMBL but for many medications you will be required to see a doctor to get a prescription Ensure in advance that your medical insurance will cover you during your visit in the event that you do need to see a doctor while in Heidelberg The EMBL course and conference office team are able to advise you on where to turn for emergency or non emergency medical treatment in Heidelberg and can assist you in making appointments and or arranging transport to get to the pharmacy or a doctor of your choice if necessary Please note we are not however permitted to personally accompany you off campus Sightseeing A variety of activities in Heidelberg can be found on the website of Heidelberg Marketing Event platform Access Access to the event platform is given to all on site and virtual participants You can use the event platform to Access to all the livestreamed talks Opportunity to submit questions for virtual participants Video library of the recorded talks during the event and for four weeks afterwards Please note at the request of individual speakers some talks are not recorded Access to the abstract book Opportunity to engage with speakers and other participants via the discussion area and chat functionality Other useful information How to give a good scientific talk or to make a good scientific poster and more More information about the platform will be shared ahead of the conference Guidelines Pleaase do not share the link to the course or donverence platfrom with anyone else Do not broadcast the conference to unregistered participants You are encouraged to post about the event Post unless the speaker specifically says otherwise but be mindful of unpublished data Please do not capture transmit or redistribute data presented at the meeting Additional information can be found in our Code of Conduct Time zone The programme is planned based on the Europe Berlin time zone unless otherwise stated Please take your time zone into consideration when planning your attendance Additional information Please find additional information including FAQs terms and conditions and travelling to EMBL on our Information for participants page Sponsors Media partners Journal of Cell Biology JCB a Rockefeller University Press journal Life Science Alliance LSA a Rockefeller University Press journal Synthetic Biology and Engineering a Sciepublish journal Sponsorship opportunities We offer a variety of event sponsoring possibilities with the flexibility to select a set sponsorship package or combine individual sponsorship options to suit your event budget Discounts are available for companies sponsoring multiple events at EMBL Heidelberg View other conferences or contact sponsorship embl de for further information If you are interested in becoming a media partner of this event please visit our media partnerships webpage Request a sponsorship brochure Warning EMBL wishes to warn sponsors of EMBL conferences and courses of fraudulent schemes purporting to offer sponsorship opportunities on behalf of EMBL or affiliated with EMBL officials One current scam campaign of which we are aware is conducted using the name Judy Eastman judy gopcontact a2hosted com and entails approaches to sponsors offering sponsorship opportunities on EMBL s behalf Please be kindly advised that all relevant communication regarding sponsorship of EMBL conferences symposia and courses is handled by EMBL directly and is sent from an official EMBL account EMBL does not work with any external providers on sponsorship acquisition Please also note that EMBL never provides attendee lists for purchase Any offers of such are fraudulent EMBL will never call or email you to ask for your credit card details or to request a payment All payments are on invoice Suspicious communications purportedly from for or on behalf of EMBL should be reported to EMBL at the following email address sponsorship embl de About EMBO EMBL Symposia promote scientific communication and collaboration in the European research area They provide scientists with a platform to discuss and exchange ideas on forward looking topics and new developments in the life sciences Topics emphasise upcoming developments and the interdisciplinary nature of related fields Jointly funded and organised by EMBO and EMBL and complementary to their respective courses workshops and conference programmes the symposia promote scientific communication and collaboration All symposia are held in the EMBL Advanced Training Centre ATC in Heidelberg Germany or virtually... OverviewSpeakersPractical informationSponsorsAbout Overview This conference will take place at EMBL Heidelberg, with the option to attend virtually. Symposium overview The realisation that intracellular phase transitions underlie the formation of membrane-less compartments, also known as biomolecular condensates, in cells has transformed our understanding of cellular organisation in time and space. While the existence of membrane-less organelles – e.g., nucleoli, stress granules, and Cajal bodies – had been known for a long time, it was unclear until recently how these were formed, maintained, and regulated. Importantly, the interdisciplinary nature of the molecular and cellular principles that underlie condensate biology necessitates the combined expertise of cell biology, genetics, biochemistry, biophysics, and soft matter physics. This interdisciplinary conference will bring together...
EMBO | EMBL Symposium
EMBL Heidelberg, Virtual
Registration (Virtual)
12 May 2026
Registration (On-site)
7 April 2026
Abstract submission
10 February 2026
