Specification of Endothelial Cell Phenotypes Workshop

A virtual event - February 10-12, 2026
(12:00pmET to 4:30pmET each day)

Organized by Ralf Adams, Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine and
Victoria Bautch, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Endothelial cells are the central component of vascular networks, modulate their behavior dynamically during angiogenic growth, interact with very diverse cell types both in the circulation and in their tissue environment, and play numerous indispensable roles during development and throughout life. Endothelial cells also contribute to major pathologies such as atherosclerosis, cardiac ischemia, and other vascular diseases. This workshop will explore the remarkable adaptability of endothelial cells, highlighting cutting-edge research within a rich historical framework. Sessions will feature invited speakers and short talks selected from abstracts, covering topics such as Developmental Phenotypes, Organ-specific Specialization, Vessel-Tissue Interactions, Cellular Heterogeneity and Plasticity, Mechanotransduction, and Disease Phenotypes.

Program Registration Abstract Submission Speakers

Program

Tuesday, February 10
12:00 - 12:30pm	Keynote Lecture Harnessing blood vessels to promote brain health Anne Eichmann, Yale School of Medicine
12:30 - 2:00pm	Developmental Phenotypes Chairs: Victoria Bautch and Ralf Adams Development and remodeling of the pharyngeal arch arteries Sophie Astrof, Rutgers University Short talk: Pervasive expression and function of micro-RNA-223 help coordinate vascular and hematopoietic development Dionna Kasper, Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine Short talk: Recreating the developmental diversity of human endothelial cells from pluripotent stem cells Kyle Loh, Stanford University Vascular plasticity and patterning in development Holger Gerhardt, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine
2:00 - 2:30pm	Break
2:30 - 4:30pm	Organ-Specific Specialization Regulation of the blood-brain barrier in health and disease Richard Daneman, University of California San Diego Mechanosensitive control of cell shape during cardiac morphogenesis Julien Vermot, Imperial College of London Short talk: The aging uterus: vascular remodeling and angiogenic signalling are impaired in advanced age pregnancy Wendy Duan, University of Alberta Short talk: Jam2 signaling functions downstream of Hand2 to initiate the formation of organ-specific vascular progenitors in zebrafish Saulius Sumanas, University of South Florida Arterial venous programming in Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasis Rong Wang, University of California San Francisco
Wednesday, February 11
12:00 - 12:30pm	Keynote Lecture Brain clearance through meningeal lymphatics and their connections Guo Young Koh, KIAST
12:30 - 2:00pm	Vessel-Tissue Interactions Angiogenesis in the absence of VEGF signalling Rui Benedito, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Exploring endothelial cell phenotypes in neurovascular development and disease Yosuke Mukoyama, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Endothelial cell of the CNS: from barriers to brain regulation Carmen Ruiz de Almodovar, University of Bonn
2:00 - 2:30pm	Break
2:30 - 4:30pm	Cellular Heterogeneity and Plasticity Regulation of endothelial cell fate decisions Karen Hirschi, University of Virginia Tracing endothelial diversity on the arterial path: from concepts to mechanisms Mara Pitulescu, Max-Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine Short talk: The splicing factor SF3B1 is essential for safeguarding splicing integrity and suppressing ferroptosis in endothelial cells to support angiogenesis Ziqing Liu, Medical College of Wisconsin Short talk: Foxf1 is required for the specification and maintenance of capillary endothelial cell fate in the lung Lisandra Vila Ellis, Northwestern University Studying novel vascular cell populations using the zebrafish Brant Weinstein, National Institute of Childhood Health and Human Development
Thursday, February 12
12:00 - 2:00pm	Cytoskeleton and Mechanotransduction Post-transcriptional RNA programs governing vascular cell dynamics Stefania Nicoli, Yale University Cell migration and contractility in vascular pathologies Claudio Franco, Católica Biomedical Research Centre Short talk: Phosphoproteomics maps Calcineurin-NFAT-DSCR1.4 signaling as druggable axis in Gαq-R183Q–driven capillary malformations Tong Xu, Amsterdam Medical Center Short talk: PROX1 increases vascular permeability and causes blood-brain barrier breakdown in neurovascular diseases Sara Gonzalez-Hernandez, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Control of endothelial phenotype by fluid shear stress Martin Schwartz, Yale School of Medicine
2:00 - 2:30pm	Break
2:30 - 4:30pm	Disease Phenotypes Chairs: Victoria Bautch and Ralf Adams Short talk: Sex-specific endothelial plasticity contributes to divergent plaque phenotypes in atherosclerosis Kelsey Watts, University of Virginia Short talk: Spatial and temporal mapping of endothelial turnover in micro- and macro-vasculature Margherita Zamberlan, Northwestern University Mapping the behavior of PIK3CA mutant clones in endothelial cells Mariona Graupera, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute Endothelial cell states in flux: mapping tumor vessel heterogeneity from past to present Andrew Dudley, University of Virginia RAS-MAPK pathway vascular malformations: towards etiology-based therapeutic management Miikka Vikkula, de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain

Registration

Registration Rates

	By January 5	After January 5
NAVBO Regular/Emeritus Members	$125	$175
NAVBO Trainee Members	$75	$100
Non-Members	$250	$300

A link to all of the sessions will be provided to all registrants within three days of the start of the meeting. Unlike our online presentations, you will not receive a link immediately upon registration.

Registration includes access to the recordings for one month (through March 13). A link to the recordings will be provided to registrants on February 13.