Scientific Focus
Bridging Cell-to-Cell Communication
Nanotubular communication represents a fundamental shift in our understanding of biological networks, revealing a previously underappreciated mode of long-range, direct intercellular connectivity. This symposium will bring together leading investigators to examine the molecular, cellular, and biophysical mechanisms that govern the formation, dynamics, and function of these specialized structures. Topics will span membrane remodeling, cytoskeletal organization, cargo trafficking, and signal propagation across nanotubular networks, as well as their roles in development, tissue homeostasis, and disease progression.
2026 Symposium Organizers
Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of Houston
College of Pharmacy
Srinivasa (Srini) Subramaniam, Ph.D.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Florida Atlantic University,
Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute
Program Overview
2026 Meeting Keynote Speaker: Dr. Thomas B. Kornberg
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Scientific Themes
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Fundamental Mechanisms of Tunneling Nanotube Formation and Function
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Cytonemes and Specialized Cellular Protrusions in Development and Tissue Organization
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Intercellular Transfer of Organelles, RNAs, and Molecular Cargo
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Nanotubular Communication in Development, Regeneration, and Tissue Homeostasis
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Nanotubular Communication in the Nervous System
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Nanotubular Communication in Infection, Immunity, Cancer, and Human Disease
Professor,
Cardiovascular Research Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
University of California, San Francisco
2026 Meeting Keynote Speaker: Dr. Chiara Zurzolo
