Innovations and Inspirations: Highlights from the 2024 StratRegen Retreat
On the 24-25th of October 2024, the StratRegen Retreat brought together a dynamic community of researchers and clinicians from 14 departments across Karolinska Institutet. This year’s event welcomed 160 attendees, including students, post-docs, and senior researchers, all dedicated to advancing regenerative medicine.
The two-day retreat at Djurönäset featured 17 insightful presentations from renowned international keynote speakers, StratRegen grant recipients, and guests from stem cell centers in Helsinki and Copenhagen to foster Nordic collaboration. With a high-energy poster session showcasing 70 research projects and unique networking opportunities, the retreat underscored StratRegen's commitment to interdisciplinary innovation and regional partnership.
Keynote Speakers: Leading Innovations in Regenerative Science
The retreat opened with a much-anticipated keynote by Dr. Sergiu Pasca from Stanford University. His talk on the latest developments in assembloids captivated the audience, showcasing how 3D multicellular brain organoids are creating new opportunities to understand brain development and neurological disorders.
During the tissue stem cell session, Dr. Ya-Chieh Hsu from Harvard University took the stage to share her research on stem cell niches and the interactions between stem cells and other organ systems, a field critical to advancing therapeutic applications for tissue repair.
The final keynote of the first day, delivered by Dr. Tatiana Segura from Duke University, introduced Microporous Annealed Particle (MAP) scaffolds. These innovative scaffolds, with broad applications in tissue engineering, inspired participants by demonstrating their significant potential for supporting cellular growth and regeneration.
Day Two: RNA Dynamics and Advances in Cell Therapy
Day two opened with Dr. Xiao Wang from MIT, who shed new light on RNA dynamics and gene expression regulation through her innovative use of in situ sequencing. Her presentation provided fresh perspectives for researchers exploring RNA’s therapeutic potential.
Concluding the keynote lineup, Dr. Eelco de Koning from Leiden University led an engaging session on cell-based therapies for diabetes, particularly pancreatic cell transplantation. His talk resonated with researchers focused on translational regenerative science and chronic disease treatment, sparking discussions on clinical applications.
Poster Session: Creativity and Connection in Action
The retreat’s poster session was an energetic showcase of cutting-edge research, with participants enthusiastically sharing projects across various regenerative science topics, from scaffold design to organoid modeling. Despite the time constraints, the atmosphere was vibrant and collaborative. This year’s Poster Prize was awarded to Adrian Martinez Martin from Enric Llorens' group at CMB and Alek Erickson, a Research Specialist from FyFa, recognizing their standout presentations.
Evening Festivities and the StratRegen Art Competition
After a lively (and long) dinner, attendees enjoyed a relaxed afterwork social with DJ Roro, billiards, and darts—a perfect setting for informal networking. This year, the retreat also hosted its first StratRegen Art Competition, inviting participants to visually represent their research and inspirations.
The People’s Choice Award went to Martyna Lukoseviciute for her piece, Scar Spiral, a representation of a neural stem cell organoid model derived from spinal cord tissue. The Innovation Award was presented to Francesca Mastropasqua for Shading Light on Early Development, a ceramic sculpture highlighting the intricacies of early-stage 3D cell models. Finally, Ingrid Rosenburg Cordeiro won the Unmodified Magnificence Award for Nervous Limbs, inspired by the regenerative capacity of newt limbs.
Looking Forward
The 2024 StratRegen Retreat was a resounding success, fostering collaboration, sparking new ideas, and celebrating the creativity and commitment within the regenerative medicine community at Karolinska. As we look to the future, the connections and insights from this retreat will continue to propel research forward, strengthening interdisciplinary bonds across departments as we pursue new frontiers in regenerative and stem cell science.
The StratRegen Steering Group would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all participants, speakers, and the organizing committee for their time, dedication, and invaluable contributions that made the 2024 retreat possible.