Events
Upcoming Events
Wisconsin Research, Innovation and Scholarly Excellence (RISE) Summit
November 13, 2026 | 9:00 AM-1:30 PM
Union South | Madison, WI
The third annual RISE Summit will focus on building new interdisciplinary research collaborations across UW–Madison. The event will feature a plenary session with campus leadership, breakout sessions focused on health (RISE-THRIVE), artificial intelligence (RISE-AI), and sustainability (RISE-EARTH), and opportunities to connect with colleagues and campus partners.
This event may be of particular interest to WiNSC investigators, trainees, and staff interested in expanding collaborative research networks and exploring opportunities in health-related research.
Learn more and register:
https://go.wisc.edu/risesummit26
Stem Cell Seminar: Leveraging Novel Stem Cell and Gene Editing Development for Disease Modeling
November 24, 2026 | 12:00-1:00 PM CST
Orchard View Room, Discovery Building | Madison, WI | Hybrid via Zoom
Hosted by the UW Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center as part of the Stem Cell Seminar Series, Anita Bhattacharyya, PhD (Cell and Regenerative Biology, Waisman Center) and Yi-Tang Lee, PhD (Waisman Center) will present Leveraging Novel Stem Cell and Gene Editing Development for Disease Modeling. The seminar will explore emerging applications of stem cell biology and gene-editing technologies for disease modeling and translational biomedical research.
Join via Zoom:
https://uwmadison.zoom.us/j/96958883460
Passcode: 970506
Learn more:
https://stemcells.wisc.edu/campus-lab-meeting-schedule/
Fifth Geroscience Summit: Revisiting the Geroscience Hypothesis – Focus on Health
December 2–3, 2026
NIH Campus | Bethesda, MD and Virtual
Hosted by the NIH Geroscience Interest Group (GSIG), this summit will bring together researchers, clinicians, and industry leaders to discuss advances in aging biology and opportunities to improve healthspan. Topics include aging mechanisms, healthspan measurement, gerotherapeutics, and translational research.
Key features:
- In-person and virtual attendance options
- Sessions spanning basic, clinical, and population-level aging research
- NIH-supported program featuring leading experts in geroscience
Learn more and register: Fifth Geroscience Summit
Past Events
Stem Cell Seminar: A Tunable Synthetic Osteoid to Support 3D Osteocyte-Like Cell Culture
November 10, 2026 | 12:00-1:00 PM CST
Orchard View Room, Discovery Building | Madison, WI | Hybrid via Zoom
Hosted by the UW Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center as part of the Stem Cell Seminar Series, Monica Ohnsorg, PhD (Department of Biomedical Engineering, UW–Madison) gave a talk titled A Tunable Synthetic Osteoid to Support 3D Osteocyte-Like Cell Culture. The presentation highlighted the development of engineered bone-like systems designed to support advanced cell culture models and studies of skeletal biology.
View event agenda:
https://stemcells.wisc.edu/campus-lab-meeting-schedule/
Biology of Aging Visiting Scholar Seminar: The Mitochondrial Legacy: Can Inherited Mitochondrial-Haplotype Shape Aging?
November 4, 2026 | 1:00-2:00 PM
7001A WIMR | Madison, WI | Virtual Option Available
As part of the Biology of Aging Visiting Scholar Seminar Series, Michelle Nguyen, PhD, Postdoctoral Trainee in the Geroscience Training Program at the University of Oklahoma Harold Hamm Health Campus, presented research examining how inherited mitochondrial DNA variation influences aging, metabolism, and lifespan. Using the novel OKC-HET B/W rat model and multi-omics approaches, her work explored the impact of mitochondrial haplotypes on age-related physiological changes and longevity.
The seminar highlighted emerging evidence linking mitochondrial genetics to aging processes and provided attendees with insights into the interaction between mitochondrial function, metabolism, and lifespan regulation.
Event Flyer:
https://uwmadison.box.com/s/a395mslllnivikq0szrvifeu3azzjpt0
A Practical Guide to Using AI to Enhance Your Quality of Life (and Research Productivity)
October 29, 2026 | 3:00 PM
Virtual Webinar
Hosted by the Clin-STAR Coordinating Center, this webinar featured Courtney Balentine, MD, MPD, FACS, who discussed practical applications of artificial intelligence to support research productivity and daily workflows. The presentation covered selecting appropriate AI models, developing and testing prompts for individual and recurring tasks, strategies for improving efficiency, and key distinctions between chatbot-based tools and agentic AI systems.
Oliver Smithies Symposium: The Biology of Aging
October 29, 2026 | 12:00-4:30 PM
DeLuca Forum, Discovery Building | Madison, WI
Hosted by the UW–Madison Department of Genetics and co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Nathan Shock Center (WiNSC), the 12th Oliver Smithies Symposium brought together leading investigators to discuss the biology of aging, longevity, and age-related disease. The program featured presentations by Vadim Gladyshev, John Sedivy, Dudley Lamming, and Dame Linda Partridge, which highlighted current discoveries in geroscience and aging research.
The Oliver Smithies Symposium was established in 2008 through a generous gift from Nobel Laureate Oliver Smithies, who served as a professor in the Department of Genetics at UW–Madison for 25 years. Smithies envisioned the symposium as an opportunity for trainees and early-career scientists to interact directly with leading researchers and gain an appreciation for both the excitement and challenges of scientific discovery.
View symposium agenda (PDF):
https://uwmadison.box.com/s/30nn3atgasikqca5sj4q08n5wpj43p7g
DOM Inflammation & Immunity Team Science Event
October 27, 2026
HSLC 1335 | Madison, WI | 1:00-5:30 PM
Faculty, researchers, trainees, and staff were invited to participate in the Department of Medicine’s Inflammation & Immunity Team Science Event. Designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration across DOM and SMPH, the event provided opportunities to connect with colleagues, explore emerging research ideas, and develop future team-science initiatives.
The program featured Shark Tank-style presentations highlighting potential collaborative research projects, including:
- Defining the Failed Transition from Inflammation to Repair in Aged Skeletal Muscle
- Epithelial Reprogramming in Severe Asthma with Fungal Sensitization
- Thymus and Lymphocytes in Lung Transplantation (TaLL Study)
Pilot funding timeline:
Letter of Intent due March 1, 2027
Application due April 1, 2027
Learn more about DOM Pilot Funding: https://www.medicine.wisc.edu/intranet/research-services/pilot-funding
UW Epigenetics Symposium
October 26, 2026
Discovery Building | Madison, WI
The day included a series of talks from UW faculty focused on understanding epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression. This year focused on the Epigenetics of Aging, and featured a keynote from Peter Adams, Director of the Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program at Sanford Burnham Prebys. The day also featured lightning talks from chosen abstracts, followed by a poster session and social. This year the event was co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Nathan Shock Center.
Event Flyer: View PDF
Chromatin and Epigenetics in Aging and Disease
October 19–22, 2026
Grand Hotel Malahide | Malahide, Ireland
Hosted by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), this international meeting brought together investigators studying chromatin biology, epigenetics, and aging. The program spanned fundamental mechanisms, disease relevance, and translational applications, fostering discussion and collaboration across disciplines and career stages.
The conference featured Meet-the-Expert sessions, poster presentations, and a career development workshop, providing opportunities for scientific exchange, networking, and professional development.
View conference flyer (PDF) — includes speaker lineup, program highlights, and additional details
Event information:
https://events.faseb.org/event/Chromatin/summary
NIH Geroscience Interest Group Webinar: Genetics Modulation of Sex- and Age-Specific Mortality in the UM-HET3 ITP Family
October 15, 2026 | 11:00 AM–12:00 PM CT
Virtual Webinar
The NIH Geroscience Interest Group (GSIG) Advances in Geroscience webinar series featured Robert Williams, PhD (University of Tennessee Health Science Center), who presented on Genetic Modulation of Sex- and Age-Specific Mortality in the UM-HET3 ITP Family. The webinar explored genetic influences on longevity and age- and sex-specific mortality, highlighting mechanisms relevant to geroscience and lifespan regulation.
Learn more and register: [Registration Link]
36th Institute on Aging Annual Colloquium
October 14, 2026 | 8:30 AM-1:30 PM
University of Wisconsin–Madison | Madison, WI
The UW Institute on Aging’s 36th Annual Colloquium brought together researchers, healthcare professionals, students, and community members to explore current advances in aging research. The program featured scientific presentations, a poster session, and a health and resource fair focused on supporting healthy aging.
Attendees engaged with aging researchers from across the University of Wisconsin–Madison and learned about local resources that support health and well-being throughout the lifespan.
Event information:
https://aging.wisc.edu/annual-colloquium/
When Zombie Cells Attack: How Geroscience is Fighting Back to Extend Healthspan
October 8, 2026
Virtual Webinar
Hosted by AFAR and the Nathan Shock Centers, this webinar explored the biology of cellular senescence (“zombie cells”), the role of senescent cells in aging and age-related disease, and emerging approaches to targeting these cells through senolytic therapies.
Speakers discussed recent advances in senolytic drug development, the connections between cellular senescence and metabolic decline, and updates from SenNet, the NIH Cellular Senescence Network. The webinar highlighted ongoing efforts to translate discoveries in geroscience into interventions that may improve healthspan and reduce the burden of age-related disease.
Featured speakers included:
- Steven N. Austad, PhD (Moderator)
- Darren J. Baker, PhD
- Anthony Covarrubias, PhD
- Laura Niedernhofer, MD, PhD
Circadian Clocks and Rhythms to Understand Metabolic Effects of Caloric Restriction
October 7, 2026 | 1:00–2:00 PM CT
G5/113 CSC | Madison, WI & Virtual (Microsoft Teams)
As part of the T32 Biology of Aging and Age-Related Diseases Seminar Series, Roman Kondratov, PhD, from the Center for Gene Expression in Health and Disease in the Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences at Cleveland State University, presented Circadian Clocks and Rhythms to Understand Metabolic Effects of Caloric Restriction.
The seminar explored the role of circadian clocks and biological rhythms in mediating the metabolic effects of caloric restriction and highlighted current research examining how circadian regulation influences healthspan and aging-related processes. The presentation provided attendees with insights into the interaction between metabolism, circadian biology, and longevity, and their potential implications for aging research.
Aging Biology: Insights from Organismal Diversity
October 5, 2026
Coffman Memorial Union | Minneapolis, MN
Sponsored in part by the University of Minnesota, this symposium featured presentations on aging biology from a comparative and evolutionary perspective. Speakers discussed endocrine regulation, epigenetic changes across the lifespan, regenerative biology, and other mechanisms that influence aging across diverse organisms. The event concluded with a banquet and an after-dinner talk by David Walker on brain aging and determinants of healthspan.
Cell Press Symposia: Hallmarks of Aging
October 4–6, 2026
Seville, Spain
Organized by Cell Press in partnership with leaders in aging research from the National Institute on Aging and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, this symposium highlighted recent advances across the hallmarks of aging. Presentations covered fundamental mechanisms of aging, translational geroscience, and the development of interventions aimed at extending healthspan and treating age-related disease.
The meeting brought together investigators, trainees, and clinicians from around the world to discuss emerging discoveries and future directions in aging research.
Event information:
https://www.cell.com/cell-symposia/hallmarks-of-aging-2026
UAB Nathan Shock Center Seminar: Accumulation of GZMK+ T Cells in Aging
September 30, 2026
Virtual Webinar
The UAB Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Basic Biology of Aging hosted a seminar by Daniel Tyrrell, PhD, Assistant Professor of Molecular & Cellular Pathology at UAB, entitled Accumulation of GZMK+ T Cells in Aging.
The presentation examined age-associated changes in immune cell populations, with a focus on the accumulation of GZMK+ T cells during aging and their potential role in age-related immune dysfunction. The seminar provided attendees with insights into emerging mechanisms linking immune aging and healthspan, and highlighted current research directions in the biology of aging.
Inflammaging Checkpoints | Vishwa Deep Dixit
September 28, 2026
1211 DeLuca Biochemical Sciences Building (BSB) | Madison, WI
Inflammaging Checkpoints, presented by Vishwa Deep Dixit, DVM, PhD, Professor of Pathology and Immunobiology and Director of the Yale Center for Research on Aging (Y-Age), was held as part of the Department of Biomolecular Chemistry’s Jim and Katie Krause Metabolism Seminar series.
Co-sponsored by the Wisconsin Nathan Shock Center, the seminar highlighted emerging insights into the biological mechanisms linking aging, inflammation, metabolism, and immune function. Dr. Dixit discussed key regulatory pathways involved in inflammaging and their implications for age-related diseases, providing valuable perspectives for faculty, trainees, and staff engaged in aging research.
A reception followed the seminar in the BSB Atrium, offering attendees an opportunity for discussion and networking.
11th Annual UW–Madison Postdoctoral Research Symposium
September 25, 2026
HF DeLuca Forum, Discovery Building | Madison, WI
Held during National Postdoc Appreciation Week, the 11th Annual UW–Madison Postdoctoral Research Symposium brought together postdoctoral researchers from across campus for professional development, networking, and research communication activities.
The program featured an AI for Postdocs panel discussion, poster sessions, a research communication workshop, and a blitz talk competition, highlighting the contributions of postdoctoral scholars to UW–Madison’s research community.
Mechanisms of Aging (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
September 22–26, 2026
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory | Cold Spring Harbor, NY
The 2026 Mechanisms of Aging meeting brought together researchers from across the aging field to discuss the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate aging, including metabolism, epigenetics, proteostasis, brain aging, and stem cell biology.
The conference was organized by Rozalyn Anderson (UW–Madison), William Mair (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health), and Ashley Webb (Buck Institute for Research on Aging), and featured invited speakers, abstract-selected presentations, and poster sessions highlighting emerging research in aging biology.