The Institute for Glial Sciences (IGS) is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Translational Glial Sciences (TGS) Conference, taking place October 7, 2026, from 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., in the Tinkham Veale University Center at Case Western Reserve University. The TGS Conference will showcase scientists at the forefront of glial sciences and their latest findings about the impact of glia on a variety of diseases, as well as emerging opportunities to target glia for therapeutic impact.
The Conference is hosted annually by IGS, whose mission is to illuminate the hidden role of glia in disease and unlock the era of glial medicines.
Registration is free but capacity is limited.
We are pleased to share that our keynote address will be delivered by Sally Temple, PhD, Co-Founder and Scientific Director of the Neural Stem Cell Institute, and a pioneer in developmental neuroscience and stem cell therapies.
Keynote Speaker: Sally Temple, PhD
Neural Stem Cell Institute
Chair: Paul J. Tesar, PhD
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Chair: Raeka Aiyar, PhD
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TGS 2026 Agenda
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Tinkham Veale University Center
Keynote Lecture
Sally Temple, PhD (Neural Stem Cell Institute)
Modeling, Targeting and Healing: Stem Cell Strategies to Combat Neurodegeneration in the Brain and Eye
Session 1: Glial Defects in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Chair: Benjamin Clayton, PhD (Institute for Glial Sciences)
10:00–10:25 a.m. | Brittany Needham, PhD (Indiana University)
Gut bacterial signals that influence myelination patterns
10:25–10:50 a.m. | Amy Waldman, MD (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)
Zilganersen for the treatment of Alexander disease
Short Talks Selected from Abstracts
10:50–11:00 a.m. | Kate Letai, PhD (Institute for Glial Sciences)
Specialized enteric glial cells coordinate intestinal motility
11:00–11:10 a.m. | Xiaotian Liu, PhD (UT Southwestern)
Genetic Labeling and Functional Interrogation of Border-Associated Astrocytes
Session 2: Inflammatory Regulation of Glia in Disease
Chair: Tyler Miller, MD, PhD (Case Comprehensive Cancer Center)
11:40 a.m.–12:05 p.m. | Justin Lathia, PhD (Cleveland Clinic)
How can we leverage sex differences to understand novel mechanisms of glioblastoma growth and identify next-generation therapeutic opportunities?
12:05–12:30 p.m. | Ying Xiong (Institute for Glial Sciences)
Pathological Inflammation Alters Oligodendrocyte Differentiation and Function
Short Talks Selected from Abstracts
12:30–12:40 p.m. | Chien Wen Chen (Case Western Reserve University)
Osmoresilience Underpins Glioblastoma Environmental Fitness
12:40–12:50 p.m. | Elen Ziroyan (Cleveland Clinic)
A Cx43-WNK1-C-MYC signaling axis drives glioblastoma cancer stem cell growth and survival
Session 3: Glia in CNS Degeneration and Regeneration
Chair: Nikhil Panicker, PhD (Cleveland Clinic)
2:15–2:40 p.m. | Valentina Fossati, PhD (Jackson Laboratories)
Advances in Human iPSC-Derived Glial Models for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease Research
2:40–3:05 p.m. | Stefan Irion, MD (GC Therapeutics)
Rewriting Glial Identity: Transcription Factor Programming from Cell State to Therapy
Short Talks Selected from Abstracts
3:05–3:15 p.m. | Jeffrey Atkinson, PhD (Ohio State University)
Grey Hair & White Matter - Aging promotes chronic neuroinflammation in CNS autoimmune demyelinating disease
3:15–3:25 p.m. | Maria Habean (Cleveland Clinic)
Astrocytic NLRC5 suppresses CASP1 activation and inflammasome responses during neuroinflammation
Panel Discussion: Accelerating the Path of Glial Medicines to the Clinic
Moderator: Raeka Aiyar, PhD (Institute for Glial Sciences)
Panelists:
- Julie Gerberding, MD, MPH (Foundation for the National Institutes of Health)
- Richard Ransohoff, MD (Third Rock Ventures)
- Stefan Irion, MD (GC Therapeutics)
- Amy Waldman, MD (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)
Confirmed Speaker List
- Keynote Speaker: Sally Temple, PhD – Neural Stem Cell Institute
- Valentina Fossati, PhD – The Jackson Laboratory
- Julie Gerberding, MD, MPH – Foundation for the National Institutes of Health
- Stefan Irion, MD – GC Therapeutics
- Justin Lathia, PhD – Cleveland Clinic
- Brittany Needham, PhD – Indiana University School of Medicine
- Richard Ransohoff, MD – Third Rock Ventures
- Paul Tesar, PhD – Institute for Glial Sciences
- Amy T. Waldman, MD, M.S.C.E. – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Abstract Submission Is Now Closed
Thank you to everyone who submitted an abstract for TGS 2026. Conference registration is still open, but space is limited.
See Highlights from Our Inaugural TGS Conference
Discover keynote speakers, scientific highlights, and photos from the inaugural 2025 Translational Glial Sciences Conference.
Sponsors
We gratefully acknowledge the sponsors whose support helps make the Translational Glial Sciences Conference (TGS) possible.
