Registration is free and please RSVP for the academic and social events including light breakfast/ lunch/ reception by March 1 st , 2026, at:
2026 1st Annual Scintillon Innovator Forum — The Scintillon Research Institute
We look forward to seeing you at the beautiful Catamaran Hotel and Beachfront for an inspiring and fruitful Meeting!
Tal Teitz, Chair
Jiwu Wang, Co-Chair
We are delighted to share the announcement of the 1st annual Scintillon Institute Innovator Forum, to be held March 27, 2026 at the lovely Catamaran Hotel in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego, California. This inaugural 2026 meeting begins a tradition of engaging national and international colleagues from academia and industry to discuss some of the most exciting and innovative topics today. This year, we will be focused on aging and rejuvenation research.
We aim to promote in-depth discussions and collaborations between researchers and industry experts and to foster new interactions in the field of healthy aging and its translation to clinical implications to slow aging impacts.
Schedule for Symposium Innovator Forum 2026, Friday March 27th, 2026
8:15-9:00 AM- Registration and light breakfast
9:00-9:10 AM: Welcome remarks, introduction of event chairs
9:10 -10:00 Scientific Keynote- Dr. Peter Adams, Sanford Burnham Prebys
Session 1: Chairperson – Dr. Iustin Tabarean, Scintillon Research Institute
10:00-10:20 AM – Dr. John Nolan, Scintillon Research Institute, “Cellular Express: Nanoscale Communication Between Cells”
10:20-10:40 AM – Dr. Irene Munk Pedersen, Scintillon Research Institute, “Developing Next-Generation BBB/brain Interphase 3D Platforms for CNS Disease Modeling and Drug Screening”
10:40-11:00 AM – Dr. Alexey Terskikh, Scintillon Research Institute, “Salient features of Global Chromatin Organization Predict Function and Ageing”
11:00-11:15 AM – Break
Session 2: Chairperson – Dr. Brian Lawson, Scintillon Research Institute
11:15- 11:35 AM – Dr. Valentin Cracan, Scintillon Research Institute, “Development of Xenotopic Tools for Delaying Aging-Associated Metabolic Decline”
11:35-11:55 AM – Dr. Tal Teitz, Scintillon Research Institute, “Dabrafenib, a BRAF kinase Inhibitor, as a Top Candidate Therapeutic for Cisplatin- and Noise-induced Hearing Loss”
11:55-12:15 AM – Dr. Pablo Lapuerta, 4M Therapeutics, “Innovation in Neuroscience Drug Development”.
12:15-1:45 PM- Lunch
Session 3: Chairperson – Dr. Yun Yung, Scintillon Research Institute
1:45- 2:05 PM – Dr. Jiwu Wang, Scintillon Research Institute, “mRNA-Directed iPSC Differentiation and Rejuvenation”
2:05- 2:25 PM – Dr. Duc Dong, Scintillon Research Institute, “Unlocking Nascent Regenerative Potential with Small Molecule to Treat Muscle Degeneration and Aging”
2:25-2:45 PM – Dr. Wei Zhu, CTO of CELLINK (Sweden) on Translating bioprinting innovations from lab research.
2:45 – 2:50 PM – Introduction to SDEE and Entrepreneur Pitch Talk.
2:50 – 3:30 PM– Break
3:30-4:30 PM- Panel Discussion- Michael Yang – Moderator, Dr. Hideyuki Okano (Keio University), Dr. Pablo Lapuerta (4M Therapeutics), Dr. Jian Zuo (Ting Therapeutics), Dr. Joel Buxbaum (Scintillon Research Institute).
4:30- 5:30 PM – Keynote Speech- Dr. Hideyuki Okano, “iPSCs-based Degenerative Therapy and Drug Development for CNS Disorders”.
5:30 -700 PM – Reception
