International Symposium on the Molecular and Clinical Aspects of Cockayne Syndrome and Related Diseases

Ljubljana, Slovenia | 7–10 May 2026
Organized under the ERDERA Networking Support Scheme

Day 1 – May 8 (Friday): Opening & Keynote Session

Theme: Setting the Stage: Connecting Science, Clinics, and Families

14h00–15h00 Registration & Welcome Coffee – Participant arrival, networking
15h00–15h30 Opening Remarks – Welcome by the organizing committee and patient representatives
15h30–16h30 Keynote Lecture I – Jan H.J. Hoeijmakers, PhD: “DNA Damage, Ageing and the Link to Neurodegeneration: Lessons from DNA Repair Disorders”
16h30 – 17h00 Coffee break

Session 1: Cockayne Syndrome clinical insights

17h00–17h30 Brian T Wilson, MD, PhD: “To be announced”

Session 2: Lessons from disease models

17h30-18h00 James Adjaye, PhD: Modelling Cockayne Syndrome -Type B using patient derived induced pluripotent stem cells
18h30–18h15 Welcome Reception & Networking Cocktail

Day 2 – May 9 (Saturday): 

Session 3: From DNA Repair to Ageing 

09h30–10h00 Donata Orioli, PhD: “To be announced”
10h00–10h30 Arjan F. Theil, PhD: “Identification of a novel NER deficiency syndrome caused by mutations in GTF2H3”
10h30–11h00 Jurgen Martijen, PhD: “Unresolved RNA polymerase II stalling in Cockayne syndrome”
11h00–11h30 Coffee Break / Networking
11h30–12h30 Keynote Lecture II – Tomoo Ogi, MD, PhD: “Newly identified CSB patients in Japan: genotype-phenotype relationship and a new function of CSB”
12h30–14h00 Lunch Break

Session 4: What lies beyond DNA repair?

14h00–14h30 Miria Richhetti, PhD: “Neural organoids model the severity and progression of neurological defects in Cockayne syndrome”
14h30–15h00 Luca Proietti De Santis, PhD: “Towards Gene Therapy in Cockayne Syndrome: Timing, Genetic Context and Functional Readouts”
15h00–15h30 Sebastian Iben, PhD: “What goes constitutively wrong in Cockayne syndrome cells?”
15h30–16h00 Coffee Break / Networking Time

Session 5: Emerging Gene Therapies for CS 

16h00-16h30 Clévio Nóbrega, PhD “To be announced”
16h30-17h00 Christina Pacak, PhD “To be announced”
17h00–17h30 Broker & Networking Session – Developing collaborative projects
19h00–22h00 Conference Dinner (Gala Evening)

Day 3 – May 10 (Sunday): Clinical Medicine & Patient Advocacy Day

Session 5: Clinical Care and Diagnosis Across Europe 

10h00–12h00 Panel Discussion: From Bench to Bedside – Families, clinicians, and researchers discussing next steps
12h00–12h30 Closing Remarks – Summary of conclusions for families