Thank You for an Incredible TGS 2025
Thank you to everyone who attended the inaugural Translational Glial Sciences (TGS) Conference! We were delighted to welcome a full house to our first event as the Institute for Glial Sciences, and we are grateful to welcome so many new glial scientists into our growing community.
Held on November 4, 2025, at the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion of the Health Education Campus, the inaugural conference brought together scientists at the forefront of glial sciences to share their latest findings on the impact of glia in a range of diseases, along with emerging opportunities to target glia for therapeutic benefit.
The event also marked the launch of the Institute for Glial Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, established to illuminate the hidden role of glia in disease and advance the era of glial medicines.
TGS 2025 at a Glance
Inaugural Translational Glial Sciences Conference
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion
Health Education Campus
Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio
Check-in & Lunch: 11:30 a.m.
Scientific Program: 12:30–5:45 p.m.
2025 Keynote & Conference Leadership
The inaugural conference featured a keynote address by Lorenz Studer, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and a plenary lecture by Bruce Trapp, PhD, of Cleveland Clinic.
TGS 2025 Scientific Program
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion
Conference Begins
Master of Ceremonies:
Raeka Aiyar, PhD
Institute for Glial Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
Welcome Remarks:
Stanton L. Gerson, MD
Dean, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Paul Tesar, PhD
Institute for Glial Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
The IGS Blueprint for Glial Medicines: Lessons from Oligodendrocytes
Plenary Lecture
Bruce Trapp, PhD
Cleveland Clinic
Glia Cells in the Pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis
Tracy Young-Pearse, PhD
Harvard Medical School , Brigham and Women's Hospital
Moving beyond amyloid and tau to capture the biological heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease using human IPSC models
Marissa Scavuzzo, PhD
Scavuzzo Lab , Institute for Glial Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
Understanding glia in the brain inside your gut
Allison Bradbury, PhD
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Development of genetic therapies for inherited pediatric leukodystrophies
Tyler Miller, MD, PhD
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Redefining and targeting the immune microenvironment in glial diseases
Dimitry Ofengeim, PhD
Sanofi
Key drivers of disease progression in multiple sclerosis
Benjamin Clayton, PhD
Institute for Glial Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
Modulating reactive glia to promote neuroprotection
Keynote Address
Lorenz Studer, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Panel Discussion: The Promise of Glial Medicines
Moderator:
Raeka Aiyar, PhD (Institute for Glial Sciences)
Panelists:
- Richard Ransohoff, MD (Third Rock Ventures)
- Paul Tesar, PhD (Institute for Glial Sciences)
- Tracy Young-Pearse, PhD (Harvard Medical School)
- Lorenz Studer, MD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)
Conference Speakers
TGS 2025 brought together leading researchers and innovators from academic institutions, clinical research centers and biotechnology to explore advances in glial science and the development of glial-targeted medicines.
Speaker names below link to the archived conference biographies, which include individual headshots, scientific backgrounds and research interests.
- Keynote Speaker: Lorenz Studer, MD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
- Plenary Speaker: Bruce Trapp, PhD – Cleveland Clinic
- Paul Tesar, PhD – Institute for Glial Sciences
- Tracy Young-Pearse, PhD – Harvard Medical School / Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Marissa Scavuzzo, PhD – Scavuzzo Lab , Institute for Glial Sciences
- Allison Bradbury, PhD – Nationwide Children's Hospital
- Tyler Miller, MD, PhD – Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
- Dimitry Ofengeim, PhD – Sanofi
- Benjamin Clayton, PhD – Institute for Glial Sciences
Additional Conference Participants
The inaugural conference also featured remarks and panel discussion contributions from:
- Raeka Aiyar, PhD – Conference Chair, Moderator and Master of Ceremonies, Institute for Glial Sciences
- Stanton L. Gerson, MD – Dean, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
- Richard Ransohoff, MD – Third Rock Ventures
Looking Ahead to TGS 2027
Thank you for being part of our growing glial sciences community. We look forward to continuing the scientific exchange and collaboration at TGS 2027.
Visit our main conference page for information about upcoming TGS events and highlights from previous conferences.
The Institute for Glial Sciences was pleased to host the inaugural Translational Glial Sciences Conference on November 4, 2025 at the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion of the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic. The conference brought together scientists at the forefront of glial sciences to share their latest findings on the impact of glia in a range of diseases, along with emerging opportunities to target glia for therapeutic benefit.
The event also marked the launch of the Institute for Glial Sciences, the newest institute at Case Western Reserve University, established to illuminate the hidden role of glia in disease and advance the era of glial medicines.
Agenda
9:30 Online Registration closes
11:30 Check in and Lunch
12:30 Conference begins
Master of Ceremonies: Raeka Aiyar, PhD | Institute for Glial Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
Welcome by Dean Stanton L. Gerson, MD, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
12:40 Paul Tesar, PhD | Institute for Glial Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
The IGS Blueprint for Glial Medicines: Lessons from Oligodendrocytes
1:10 Bruce Trapp, PhD | Cleveland Clinic
Plenary Lecture: Glia Cells in the Pathogenesis of Multiple Sclerosis
1:40 Tracy Young-Pearse, PhD | Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Moving beyond amyloid and tau to capture the biological heterogeneity of Alzheimer’s disease using human IPSC models
2:05 Break
2:30 Marissa Scavuzzo, PhD | Institute for Glial Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
Understanding glia in the brain inside your gut
2:45 Allison Bradbury, PhD | Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Development of genetic therapies for inherited pediatric leukodystrophies
3:10 Tyler Miller, MD, PhD | Institute for Glial Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
Redefining and targeting the immune microenvironment in glial diseases
3:25 Dimitry Ofengeim, PhD | Sanofi
Key drivers of disease progression in multiple sclerosis
3:50 Benjamin Clayton, PhD | Institute for Glial Sciences, Case Western Reserve University
Modulating reactive glia to promote neuroprotection
4:05 Break
4:30 Lorenz Studer, MD | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Keynote Address
5:00 Panel discussion: The Promise of Glial Medicines
Panelists: Richard Ransohoff, MD | Paul Tesar, PhD | Tracy Young-Pearse, PhD | Lorenz Studer, MD | Moderator: Raeka Aiyar, PhD
5:45 Conclusion