International Symposium chaired by Nobel Laureate Shinya Yamanaka to honor the past and chart the future of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) science

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) today announced that registration and abstract submission are open for the ISSCR International Symposium: 20 Years of iPSC Discovery: A Celebration and Vision for the Future, co-sponsored by the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine. The symposium will take place 20–22 October 2026 in Kyoto, Japan.

Developed in partnership with the Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) at Kyoto University, the scientific program is chaired by Shinya Yamanaka, recipient of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), an honor he shared with the late Sir John Gurdon.

“The ISSCR is honored to convene the community in Kyoto for this historic moment,” said Hideyuki Okano, ISSCR President. “Throughout the last 20 years, iPSC technologies have continued to open unexpected scientific frontiers and move steadily toward clinical impact. Gathering in Kyoto – the birthplace of iPSCs – gives us a unique opportunity to celebrate the journey and set an ambitious vision for the next two decades.”

The discovery of iPSCs revolutionized biology by showing that mature cells can be reprogrammed to an embryonic-like, pluripotent state, allowing the creation of patient-specific cells capable of differentiating into nearly any cell type. This breakthrough transformed disease modeling, drug discovery, and regenerative medicine, opening new frontiers for cell therapy development. Today, iPSC-derived models and organoids are accelerating insights into diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular, and rare genetic disorders - driving innovation in understanding disease mechanisms and advancing therapeutic discovery.

Program Leadership and Organizers
Chaired by Shinya Yamanaka, CiRA, Kyoto University & CiRA Foundation, Japan; Gladstone Institutes, USA, the symposium is co-organized by Jun Takahashi, CiRA, Kyoto University, Japan, Takanori Takebe, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, USA, Christine Mummery, Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands, and Emily Titus, Notch Therapeutics, Canada.

Featured Sessions & Speakers
Opening Keynote

• Shinya Yamanaka, CiRA, Kyoto University & CiRA Foundation, Japan; Gladstone Institutes, USA

• Janet Rossant, Senior Scientist Emeritus, The Hospital for Sick Children; Editor-in-Chief, Stem Cell Reports, Canada

• George Q. Daley, Harvard Medical School, USA

Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms in iPSC Biology

• Yasuhiro Takashima, CiRA, Kyoto University, Japan

• Nissim Benvenisty, The Hebrew University, Israel

• Maike Sander, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Germany

iPSC Differentiation and Maturation

• Karl R. Koehler, Boston Children’s Hospital & Harvard Medical School, USA

• Elizabeth Ng, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW Melbourne & Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia

• Olivier Pourquié, Harvard Medical School, USA

Disease Modeling with iPS Cells

• Bruce R. Conklin, Gladstone Institutes, USA

• Silvia Velasco, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine, reNEW Melbourne & Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia

• Mingxia Gu, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

Clinical Applications of iPS Cells

• Masayo Takahashi, Vision Care Inc.; Kobe City Eye Hospital; Ritsumeikan University, Japan

• Bob Valamehr, Fate Therapeutics, USA

• Xiaokui Zhang, Aspen Neuroscience, Inc., USA

Bioengineering Approaches in iPSC Modeling

• Orly Reiner, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

• Philipp Wörsdörfer, University of Würzburg, Germany

• Harsha D. Devalla, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Netherlands

Enabling Technologies for the Next Breakthrough

• Azadeh Golipour, GC Therapeutics, USA

• Yoshiyuki Sankai, University of Tsukuba; President & CEO, CYBERDYNE Inc.; Program Director, SIP, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan

• Ruwanthi Gunawardane, Allen Institute for Cell Science, USA

• Muzlifah Haniffa, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK

Submit an abstract before 29 July 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT and register before then for the best rates.

To commemorate the anniversary and highlight new advances enabled by iPSC technology, Stem Cell Reports, the open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the ISSCR, will publish a special issue aligned with the symposium.

About ISSCR
With nearly 5,000 members from more than 80 countries, the International Society for Stem Cell Research (@ISSCR) is the preeminent global, cross-disciplinary, science-based organization dedicated to stem cell research and its translation to the clinic. The ISSCR mission is to promote excellence in stem cell science and applications to human health.