Annual StratNeuro Retreat
The annual StratNeuro Retreat brings together neuroscience researchers from Karolinska Institutet, Umeå University, and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). For two days, participants network and share the latest research across the diverse neuroscience fields represented within the StratNeuro constellation.
The StratNeuro Retreat is the place to be for neuroscientists from Karolinska Institutet (KI), Umeå University (UMU), and Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). At our retreat, you will attend top talks by local researchers and invited leading neuroscientists, covering research from the molecular level through the cognitive and social levels. You will have a chance to network and discuss your work with other experts during our popular poster mingle session. Several KI Core Facilities and infrastructure serving the Neuroscience community will also participate in the poster session.
If you haven’t had the chance to attend any of our earlier retreats or just want to read about the highlights of our latest meeting, please check the news article about the 2025 retreat.
As KI is a member of the European University of Brain and Technology (NeurotechEU), StratNeuro will welcome small delegations from our NeurotechEU partners.
2026 StratNeuro Retreat
The 2026 StratNeuro Retreat will be at Djurönäset from 3-5 June.
The retreat will start on 3 June with the PhD student day, focusing on career development and networking. - The PhD student day program will be announced soon.
The main retreat program will take place on 4-5 June, and includes four plenary sessions, a poster session, and two breakout sessions, each with two parallel mini-symposia/workshops.
Keynote Speakers
The keynote speakers for the StratNeuro retreat 2026 are:
- Anne Schäfer (Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Germany)
- Nachum Ulanovsky (Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel)
- Grégoire Courtine (EPFL, Switzerland)
Application and Eligibility
Eligibility:
- Neuroscientists from Karolinska Institutet (KI), Umeå University (UMU), Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), and small delegations from our NeurotechEU partners.
- PhD students and postdocs are required to submit an abstract for a poster in order to be eligible to attend the retreat.
- Undergraduates, MSci students or research assistants are unfortunately not eligible to register to the 2026 retreat.
Application
- Applications are open from 16 February to 2 March at 23.59 (local time).
- To apply, please complete the application form available here.
- Decisions will be sent at the beginning of April.
Competitions
At this retreat you will have a chance to receive one of these honors and awards:
- Best poster (two categories: pre-clinical & translational/clinical). The winners will receive a prize gift.
- Best poster blitz (two categories: pre-clinical & translational/clinical). The winners will receive a prize gift.
If you are selected to participate in the poster blitz, you may be one of the ten Poster blitz presenters that will be selected among the abstracts. Selected abstract authors will receive instructions on how to prepare, at the beginning of May.
StratNeuro Retreat Program
Organising committee
- Jens Hjerling-Leffler, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics
- Pablo Lopez, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neuroscience
- Johan Lundström, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Neuroscience
- Konstantinos Meletis, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neuroscience
- Emanuela Santini, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neuroscience
- Laura Sardon Puig, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neuroscience
- Mariline Mendes Silva, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Neuroscience
The StratNeuro Retreat 2025 was held in Djurönäset on May 27-28th
The StratNeuro retreat 2024 took place in Djurönäset on June 3-5. It included a PhD Day as well as 2 days for the main retreat
The 2023 StratNeuro Retreat took place in Djurönäset between 29-30 May 2023. Read the news article for a summary and highlights.
The 2022 StratNeuro Retreat took place at Runö in Åkersberga between 18-20 May. It was a somewhat special retreat and many were eager to meet again. The organisers worked particularly hard to make this meeting a productive and memorable one.
The StratNeuro 2019 retreat was held at Sånga-Säby on 1-2 October.