Cnidofest 2026 Program

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: DR. Carrie Albertin

Dr. Carrie Albertin is an Assistant Professor at Harvard University. Her research integrates developmental biology, genomics, and advanced imaging in emerging marine model systems. The Albertin lab investigates the evolutionary and developmental bases of biological novelty using soft-bodied cephalopods (squid and octopus) as model systems. To enable this work, Carrie and her group have built new tools to study cephalopod biology, including sequencing, assembling, and annotating genomes, developing husbandry approaches, and establishing genome editing in these animals.

TECHNOLOGY PRESENTATIONS

"Tech Talks" are unique highlights of the Cnidofest program. These are invited talks that highlight emerging technologies and challenge our participants to think about how we might apply these methods to our own questions and model organisms. The speakers frequently come from outside the "cnidarian community" and bring new perspectives and ideas.

Dr. Tingting Xiang (University of California, Riverside) will discuss forward genetics approaches in cnidarian systems.

Dr. Joshua Currie (Wake Forest University) will present live-imaging approaches for studying regeneration.

Dr. Sean Colin (Roger Williams University) will discuss jellyfish-inspired bioengineering.

Preliminary Program

Wednesday, September 23rd

5:30 - 7:30 pm Swope Cafeteria open for dinner

5:30 - 7:30 pm Registration and Check-in

7:30 - 9:30 pm Mixer in Meigs Room

Thursday, September 24th

7:30 - 9:00 am Breakfast at Swope Cafeteria

9:00 - 10:15 am Keynote Address by Dr. Carrie Albertin

10:15 - 10:45 am Coffee Break

10:45 - 12:15 pm Session 1* – Regeneration I; Tech Talk (Josh Currie on Live Imaging)

12:15 - 1:30 pm Lunch at Swope Cafeteria

1:30 - 2:45 pm Session 2* – Regeneration II

2:45 - 3:15 pm Coffee Break

3:15 - 4:30 pm Session 3 – Evo Devo

4:30 - 5:00 pm Lightning Talks

5:00 - 5:30 pm Group Photo

5:30 - 6:00 pm Free Time

6:00 - 7:00 pm Dinner at Swope Cafeteria

7:30 - 9:30 pm Poster Session I

Friday, September 25th

7:30 - 9:00 am Breakfast at Swope Cafeteria

9:00 - 10:15 am Session 4 – Development I

10:15 - 10:45 am Coffee Break

10:45 - 12:15 pm Session 5 – Physiology; Tech Talk (Sean Colin on Robotics)

12:15 - 1:30 pm Lunch at Swope Cafeteria

1:30 - 2:45 pm Session 6 – Neurobiology I

2:45 - 3:15 pm Coffee Break

3:15 - 4:30 pm Session 7 – Neurobiology II

4:30 - 5:00 pm Lightning Talks

5:00 - 6:00 pm Free Time

6:00 - 7:00 pm Dinner at Swope Cafeteria

7:30 - 9:30 pm Poster Session II

Saturday, September 26th

7:30 - 9:00 am Breakfast at Swope Cafeteria

9:00 - 10:15 am Session 8 – Development II

10:15 - 10:45 am Coffee Break

10:45 - 12:15 pm Session 9 – Symbiosis and Emerging Genetic Approaches; Tech Talk (Ting TIng Xiang on Forward Genetics)

12:15 - 1:30 pm Lunch at Swope Cafeteria

1:30 - 2:45 pm Session 10 – Cell Biology I

2:45 - 3:15 pm Coffee Break

3:15 - 4:30 pm Session 11 – Cell Biology II

4:30 - 5:00 pm Awards Ceremony and Meeting Wrap Up

6:00 - 8:00 pm Banquet Dinner at Swope Cafeteria