Morphogenic genes and next-generation (NextGen) Agrobacterium technologies are advancing the transformation of a wide range of plant species. In this workshop, presenters will provide an overview of these emerging tools and provide practical guidance for researchers seeking to incorporate them into their work. The presentation in Part 1 of the workshop will outline the principles of morphogenic gene utilization and summarize the current status of the technology with an emphasis on practical implementation strategies. Regarding NextGen Agrobacterium, although considerable natural diversity exists, only a limited number of strains are routinely used for plant transformation. Both commonly used and underexplored strains can be further optimized through bioengineering to improve transformation outcomes and potentially enable success with intractable species. Part 2 will feature three presentations focusing on: (1) fundamental practices for handling Agrobacterium; (2) recent innovations in strain design and application; and (3) how NextGen Agrobacterium can address common challenges such as bacterial overgrowth, construct instability, and hypersensitive responses frequently observed with traditional strains.

Learning to clearly communicate research to a wide array of audiences is an important part of the professional development of future scientists. This exciting event will be hosted by the SIVB Toastmasters. Toastmasters are part of an international, multi-disciplinary organization committed to developing confidence in public speaking skills. This luncheon will have networking activities to build skills and confidence to orally present research in a safe social environment. There will be a fun contest with prizes in many categories.

Designing and implementing an automation project can feel overwhelming.  This workshop will explain the process in an effort to help attendees achieve greater success when pursuing new automation opportunities. We will begin with a brief history of automation in labs and greenhouses, explore how it has progressed, and the current and emerging technologies.  We will discuss the importance of input/consumable standardization. Before automating, it’s critical to define your goals—whether focused on ROI (Return On Investment), employee satisfaction, product consistency, or other priorities. Understanding the available equipment is only the first step in an automation project.  Assembling the right people on your implementation team and establishing realistic timelines for implementation are key to success.  We’ll cover key team skills, timeline factors, and preparation strategies that can shorten project duration. Attendees should leave with increased confidence and understanding to facilitate a more successful automation experience.

Lab automation offers significant benefits to the laboratory workflow. It can increase efficiency, boost productivity, and improve consistency and reliability of results by reducing human error. However, the process of adopting automated systems presents several hurdles including high initial costs, workflow rigidity, and underestimation of maintenance needs. To address these and other issues, this panel discussion will feature experts from manufacturers, industry users, and academic research scientists, providing valuable insights into the automated systems and covering common challenges and potential solutions at different phases of lab automation.

Plant tissue culture provides the foundation for modern biotechnology, which has revolutionized plant breeding, propagation, and food production. In this process, plant cells, tissues, or organs, are cultured in a highly controlled environment on a well-defined culture medium containing complex mixtures of nutrients, plant growth regulators, carbohydrates, gelling agents, and other components. The composition of the culture media can dramatically impact the growth and development of the tissues and make the difference between success and failure. However, the optimal combination of culture medium components can be highly species and even genotype specific. While biotechnology has progressed rapidly with exciting advances in plant transformation and genome editing in a vast array of species, most systems still rely on a small selection of media optimized for a limited number of plants. As a result, plant regeneration, multiplication, and acclimatization remain major bottle necks in implementing these techniques in many high-value species. Last year, the SIVB held an exciting workshop that reviewed the role and importance of different components of plant tissue culture media and the different approaches for media optimization. This workshop will expand upon this and delve deeper into modern approaches for media optimization. Come listen to academic and industry leaders discuss practical approaches to optimizing culture media and improve plant tissue culture systems. Topics presented include the integration of plant tissue nutrient analysis for iterative media optimization and applications of machine learning and optimization algorithms to develop and validate predictive models.

Plant tissue culture provides the foundation for modern biotechnology, which has revolutionized plant breeding, propagation, and food production. In this process, plant cells, tissues, or organs, are cultured in a highly controlled environment on a well-defined culture medium containing complex mixtures of nutrients, plant growth regulators, carbohydrates, gelling agents, and other components. The composition of the culture media can dramatically impact the growth and development of the tissues and make the difference between success and failure. However, the optimal combination of culture medium components can be highly species and even genotype specific. While biotechnology has progressed rapidly with exciting advances in plant transformation and genome editing in a vast array of species, most systems still rely on a small selection of media optimized for a limited number of plants. As a result, plant regeneration, multiplication, and acclimatization remain major bottle necks in implementing these techniques in many high-value species. Last year, the SIVB held an exciting workshop that reviewed the role and importance of different components of plant tissue culture media and the different approaches for media optimization. This workshop will expand upon this and delve deeper into modern approaches for media optimization. Come listen to academic and industry leaders discuss practical approaches to optimizing culture media and improve plant tissue culture systems. Topics presented include the integration of plant tissue nutrient analysis for iterative media optimization and applications of machine learning and optimization algorithms to develop and validate predictive models.

Plant tissue culture provides the foundation for modern biotechnology, which has revolutionized plant breeding, propagation, and food production. In this process, plant cells, tissues, or organs, are cultured in a highly controlled environment on a well-defined culture medium containing complex mixtures of nutrients, plant growth regulators, carbohydrates, gelling agents, and other components. The composition of the culture media can dramatically impact the growth and development of the tissues and make the difference between success and failure. However, the optimal combination of culture medium components can be highly species and even genotype specific. While biotechnology has progressed rapidly with exciting advances in plant transformation and genome editing in a vast array of species, most systems still rely on a small selection of media optimized for a limited number of plants. As a result, plant regeneration, multiplication, and acclimatization remain major bottle necks in implementing these techniques in many high-value species. Last year, the SIVB held an exciting workshop that reviewed the role and importance of different components of plant tissue culture media and the different approaches for media optimization. This workshop will expand upon this and delve deeper into modern approaches for media optimization. Come listen to academic and industry leaders discuss practical approaches to optimizing culture media and improve plant tissue culture systems. Topics presented include the integration of plant tissue nutrient analysis for iterative media optimization and applications of machine learning and optimization algorithms to develop and validate predictive models.

Plant tissue culture provides the foundation for modern biotechnology, which has revolutionized plant breeding, propagation, and food production. In this process, plant cells, tissues, or organs, are cultured in a highly controlled environment on a well-defined culture medium containing complex mixtures of nutrients, plant growth regulators, carbohydrates, gelling agents, and other components. The composition of the culture media can dramatically impact the growth and development of the tissues and make the difference between success and failure. However, the optimal combination of culture medium components can be highly species and even genotype specific. While biotechnology has progressed rapidly with exciting advances in plant transformation and genome editing in a vast array of species, most systems still rely on a small selection of media optimized for a limited number of plants. As a result, plant regeneration, multiplication, and acclimatization remain major bottle necks in implementing these techniques in many high-value species. Last year, the SIVB held an exciting workshop that reviewed the role and importance of different components of plant tissue culture media and the different approaches for media optimization. This workshop will expand upon this and delve deeper into modern approaches for media optimization. Come listen to academic and industry leaders discuss practical approaches to optimizing culture media and improve plant tissue culture systems. Topics presented include the integration of plant tissue nutrient analysis for iterative media optimization and applications of machine learning and optimization algorithms to develop and validate predictive models.

This session will highlight cutting-edge tools and approaches that have moved from research labs into practical use. The audience will gain insight into how advances in biotechnology are improving crop productivity, resilience, and sustainability, while also driving innovations in animal health and production. Featured speakers will offer unique perspectives on the challenges and opportunities of translating scientific breakthroughs into real-world applications across a variety of disciplines.

This session will explore the ever-evolving journey of transgenic and gene edited crop technologies from their early discovery stages to widespread commercial adoption over the past thirty years.  We will examine key scientific breakthroughs, regulatory forces, and market dynamics that have shaped the global landscape of agricultural biotechnology.  The key milestones in tissue culture and molecular biology that led to the present-day advances including the development of genome editing will be explored. We will complete the picture with the emerging regulatory frameworks surrounding gene editing, highlighting how evolving regulations are influencing innovation, commercialization, and public perception. Attendees will gain insights into the intersection of science, policy, and commercialization, and how these forces continue to redefine the future of crop development. 

The In Vitro Animal Cell Sciences (IVACS) Section of the Society for In Vitro Biology is pleased to announce the 2026 Student Oral Presentation Competition during the SIVB Annual meeting in Reno, NV. This competition encourages the exchange of scientific information between the presenters, attendees, and expert judges. Moreover, it provides an invaluable opportunity for students to practice and improve their presentation delivery and public speaking skills. Students who wish to participate in this competition should check that option during the submission of their abstract to the 2026 Annual Meeting of the SIVB. Applicants should also e-mail a copy of their complete abstract and submission ID number to the session moderator, Dr. Addy Alt-Holland ([email protected]). The top finalists will be selected for this competition based on the quality of their abstracts, as well as the merit of their research and scientific findings. The text of the abstract should include the following sections: Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, Discussion and Conclusions. Where appropriate, the Methods section should include relevant statistical analysis. The abstract text should not exceed 1800 characters and should not include references. The oral presentations will be presented in-person at the meeting, and a panel of expert judges will select the winning presentations. Evaluation criteria will include experimental design, data analysis, proper interpretation of the results, originality of the study, technical difficulty, professionalism, the ability of the finalist to explain the research and answer questions, as well as adhere to the allocated time for the presentation. The Student Oral Presentation Competition session serves to recognize and reward the research and achievements of outstanding students. The top three finalists will be presented with a certificate and a cash award during the 2026 Annual Meeting. The DEADLINE for abstract submission for the Student Oral Presentation Competition is January 30, 2026. Should you have any questions, please contact the SIVB Office or the session moderator. We are looking forward to reviewing your abstract!

Plant regeneration is a highly coordinated process that requires precise regulation of cell fate specification together with the integration of cell division, growth, and differentiation. It relies on cross-talk among internal molecular signals, cell–cell communication, and environmental cues. Recent advances in multi-omics technologies and quantitative live-imaging at single-cell and single-nucleus resolutions have transformed our ability to dissect organogenesis and regeneration. These approaches provide high-resolution insights into gene expression dynamics, epigenetic modifications, and protein localization and accumulation, enabling researchers to reconstruct developmental trajectories and map interacting regulatory networks that underlie cellular dynamics and fate specification. By integrating these powerful tools, scientists are beginning to unravel the fundamental mechanisms of plant decision-making, with new opportunities to refine and optimize regeneration strategies and advance applications in plant biotechnology. This session will feature presentations on innovative technologies, recent discoveries, and emerging directions in the study of cellular reprogramming and developmental plasticity at single-cell resolution. A panel discussion will address current knowledge gaps, key challenges, and priorities for developing and adapting new tools to investigate organ formation and regeneration across scales—from cells to whole organisms.

Learning to clearly communicate research to a wide array of audiences is an important part of the professional development of future scientists. This exciting event will be hosted by the SIVB Toastmasters. Toastmasters are part of an international, multi-disciplinary organization committed to developing confidence in public speaking skills. This luncheon will have networking activities to build skills and confidence to orally present research in a safe social environment. There will be a fun contest with prizes in many categories.

While students are often introduced to careers in academia, industry, and government, the full breadth of opportunities (both within and beyond these traditional sectors) is rarely highlighted. This luncheon will begin with a brief overview of diverse career paths available to scientists, followed by small-group discussions led by professionals representing a range of fields. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore specific career areas in greater depth and engage directly with experts. A short survey will be circulated prior to the event to help match participants with their preferred discussion groups, though there will also be flexibility to join a group on the day of the event. This event is geared toward students, postdocs, and those exploring graduate programs or early career paths after a bachelor’s degree.

Because of long juvenility periods and reproductive cycles, improvement of woody plant species through traditional breeding methods remains time-consuming and labor intensive. Rapid improvements in woody plants can be realized through either transgenic or genome editing approaches, applying to yield, plant architecture, disease resistance, food quality, or fiber and timber production, to name only a few. Ideally, biotechnology would be used as a supplement to existing breeding efforts to quickly introduce known or novel characteristics into elite germplasm, improving agricultural outputs without requiring more inputs. Unfortunately, many woody species have historically proven recalcitrant to transformation and in vitro culture. In this session, we invite experts to present on novel biotechnological tools, methods or applications that have enabled efficient transformation or gene editing in woody plant species. These breakthroughs and others like them will ultimately enable the realization of plant improvement and novel trait introduction through biotechnology in woody plant species.

Tissue culture began as an effort to establish cell populations which proliferated in semi-defined medium. Once established, these populations could be expanded and probed to address a wide range of research questions. As many cell types are anchorage-dependent, the monolayer (2D) culture systems predominated in tissue culture for several decades. The 2D cultures provided an excellent model format for many of the achievements in cellular aging, nutrition, differentiation, transformation, biochemistry and toxicology. This format continues to have wide application because of the ease of manipulation, uniformity of cell exposure to the test substances, and multiple assay endpoints possible. For example, cancer chemotherapy development and toxicology applications use 2D cultures of access test article action on specific cell types to predict potential action in vivo. In fact, cell-based assays for mutagenic activity gained international regulatory acceptance in the early 1970s. However, the mutagenic activity of a chemical in culture was not always confirmed in vivo. Therefore, the cell-based systems were considered to be predictors of hazard (potential activity) rather than risk (predictors of activity in vivo). A similar observation has been made for the prediction of antineoplastic activity observed in 2D cultures. To be effective, antineoplastic agents must be able to penetrate the tumor mass not simply kill the surface cells. To better model exposure, 3D cultures in the form of tumor spheroids, are now employed to assess depth of penetration. 3D systems, from spheroids to fully differentiated “tissues” offer advantages from specific applications. Multiple cell types may be incorporated. More extensive differentiation is possible both on the cellular and tissue levels. For example, human prosthetic skin models take keratinocytes from 2D expansion cultures and induce 3D differentiation with growth factors and exposure to the air-liquid interface. The choice of 2D vs 3D depends on the research question at hand. This symposium will review the strengths and limitations of each system and provide example where each is used effectively.

We are delighted to present the 2025 Post-Doctoral Oral Presentation Competition for the Plant Biotechnology Section. This dynamic session brings together a diverse group of researchers who have recently completed their doctoral degrees and entered the exciting realm of postdoctoral research. The symposia aim to showcase cutting-edge advancements and discoveries in plant biotechnology, fostering a platform for insightful discussions, interdisciplinary collaborations, and networking opportunities. With ever-growing techniques and their applications in plant biology, these symposia promise to be both intellectually stimulating and inspiring. Please join us as we celebrate the outstanding contributions of these talented postdocs, as they present their innovative research in plant biotechnology during this enlightening session. Post-Doctoral candidates wishing to participate in this competition should check that option when they submit their abstract. Competition finalists will be selected based on the quality of the abstracts. The abstract should address the following: Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, Discussion and Conclusions. Where appropriate, the methods section should include a description of how reproducible results were ensured. The abstract must not include references. The abstract text must not exceed 1800 characters. A panel of judges will evaluate the presentations at the meeting. Criteria for the evaluation include experimental design, data analysis, proper interpretation of the results, originality of the study, technical difficulty, appearance and ability of the post-doctoral candidate to present it. Winners will be presented with a certificate and a cash award at the meeting. Please note that the DEADLINE to submit your abstract for the SIVB Oral Presentation Competition is January 31, 2025.

Bio: Dr. S. Eliza Lockwood is an emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist with a long-standing interest in global health.  After completing her toxicology fellowship at NYU in 2006, Dr. Lockwood returned to Washington University in St. Louis and started an ACGME accredited fellowship in Medical Toxicology. Over the following ten years, Dr. Lockwood became increasingly involved with global health and humanitarian relief projects.  She organized a relief mission to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, started the scholar track in Global Health for the Washington University Division of Emergency Medicine, and was one of the Global Health Scholars for the Department of Internal Medicine. Over the years, Dr. Lockwood began to realize that in order to have a sustainable impact in global health, she needed to find creative ways of addressing malnutrition and insect-borne illness, two of the most commonly encountered public health problems in developing countries.  With that in mind, Dr. Lockwood started working as the Medical Affairs Lead for Bayer, a global seed and chemical company with innovative technology that has great potential to remediate malnutrition. Dr. Lockwood has lectured nationally and internationally on a diverse range of topics in medical toxicology and global health.

Plant tissue culture provides the foundation for modern biotechnology, which has revolutionized plant breeding, propagation, and food production. In this process, plant cells, tissues, or organs, are cultured in a highly controlled environment on a well-defined culture medium containing complex mixtures of nutrients, plant growth regulators, carbohydrates, gelling agents, and other components. The composition of the culture media can dramatically impact the growth and development of the tissues and make the difference between success and failure. However, the optimal combination of culture medium components can be highly species and even genotype specific. While biotechnology has progressed rapidly with exciting advances in plant transformation and genome editing in a vast array of species, most systems still rely on a small selection of media optimized for a limited number of plants. As a result, plant regeneration, multiplication, and acclimatization remain major bottle necks in implementing these techniques in many high-value species. Last year, the SIVB held an exciting workshop that reviewed the role and importance of different components of plant tissue culture media and the different approaches for media optimization. This workshop will expand upon this and delve deeper into modern approaches for media optimization. Come listen to academic and industry leaders discuss practical approaches to optimizing culture media and improve plant tissue culture systems. Topics presented include the integration of plant tissue nutrient analysis for iterative media optimization and applications of machine learning and optimization algorithms to develop and validate predictive models.

Plant tissue culture provides the foundation for modern biotechnology, which has revolutionized plant breeding, propagation, and food production. In this process, plant cells, tissues, or organs, are cultured in a highly controlled environment on a well-defined culture medium containing complex mixtures of nutrients, plant growth regulators, carbohydrates, gelling agents, and other components. The composition of the culture media can dramatically impact the growth and development of the tissues and make the difference between success and failure. However, the optimal combination of culture medium components can be highly species and even genotype specific. While biotechnology has progressed rapidly with exciting advances in plant transformation and genome editing in a vast array of species, most systems still rely on a small selection of media optimized for a limited number of plants. As a result, plant regeneration, multiplication, and acclimatization remain major bottle necks in implementing these techniques in many high-value species. Last year, the SIVB held an exciting workshop that reviewed the role and importance of different components of plant tissue culture media and the different approaches for media optimization. This workshop will expand upon this and delve deeper into modern approaches for media optimization. Come listen to academic and industry leaders discuss practical approaches to optimizing culture media and improve plant tissue culture systems. Topics presented include the integration of plant tissue nutrient analysis for iterative media optimization and applications of machine learning and optimization algorithms to develop and validate predictive models.

Cells are the fundamental unit of life, yet predicting the complexity of cellular structure and function within tissues and organs is an exceptionally challenging task. This is due, but not limited to the diversity of cell types, microenvironments, dynamics on the plasticity of cell states, and complexities of intracellular, intercellular and extracellular interactive networks. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming an important tool in unravelling these biological complexities. AI provides the computational capability to perform multifaceted tasks that sense, comprehend, act, and learn to solve complex problems. AI approaches include supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement and mixed learning models. This workshop will introduce basic AI concepts and provide AI examples in cell biology from a leading expert in this field, Dr. Gerald Quon, UC-Davis. The workshop will be organized to ensure networking with fellow students and postdocs.

Understanding the spectrum of genetic variation, from naturally occurring mutations to mutations that are induced through genome editing and mutagenesis, is essential for progress and innovation in agriculture and biomedicine. Genetic variation is a fundamental driving engine for adaptations and trait improvements in plants and animals. It has enabled advances in crop quality, yield, and resilience. These same principles are increasingly applied to human therapeutics, where targeted mutations support precision treatments and disease modeling. This “Patterns of Change” session will explore molecular signatures of genetic variations that arise naturally (spontaneously) with those that are induced (engineered). We will examine the rates, types, and genomic distributions of mutations that result from natural processes, such as DNA replication errors and recombination processes. We will also highlight the outcomes of induced approaches, from broad-spectrum chemical and physical mutagenesis to precise targeted technologies using CRISPR-based genome editing. The overall goal of this “Patterns of Change” session is to foster a data-driven conversation on how to evaluate the outcomes of genetic changes regardless of their origin, and to inform their application in breeding, biotechnology, and regulatory science. By leveraging evidence from advanced sequencing and data analysis, this session and our speakers will provide a framework for understanding the similarities and differences between these sources of variation.

The Plant Biotechnology Section is pleased to announce the 2026 Bob V. Conger Plant Biotechnology Student Oral Presentation Competition. This event provides a platform for emerging scientists to showcase their research in plant biotechnology. Students wishing to participate in this competition should check that option when they submit their abstract. Competition finalists will be selected based on the quality of the abstracts. The abstract should address the following: Background, Objectives, Methods, Results, Discussion and Conclusions. Where appropriate, the methods section should include a description of how reproducible results were ensured. The abstract must not include references. The abstract text must not exceed 1800 characters. A panel of judges will evaluate the presentations at the meeting. Criteria for the evaluation include experimental design, data analysis, proper interpretation of the results, originality of the study, technical difficulty, appearance and ability of the student to present it. Winners will be presented with a certificate and a cash award at the meeting. Please note that the DEADLINE to submit your abstract for the Bob V. Conger Plant Biotechnology Student Oral Presentation Competition is January 30, 2026.

Animal cell culture continues to expand its indispensable role in advancing knowledge, biotechnology, and translational applications. This IVACS session will highlight recent in vitro biology studies that examine novel cell line development for food innovation, develop and characterize new porcine cell lines for applications in diagnostic virology and virus-host receptor binding studies, and elucidate proteomic biosignatures accompanying the immortalization of fish cell lines. Together, their research showcases how modern advances in animal cell cultures provide new insights into novel fundamental biological concepts and processes while addressing contemporary issues in sustainability, agriculture, nutrition, food safety, animal welfare, and climate change.

We are pleased to announce the 2026 Postdoctoral Oral Presentation Competition for the Plant Biotechnology Section. This engaging session highlights the work of exceptional researchers who are now advancing the frontiers of postdoctoral research. The symposium serves as a platform to showcase cutting-edge innovations in plant biotechnology and foster opportunities for intellectual exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Postdoctoral fellows who would like to participate in the competition should indicate this option when submitting their abstract. Finalists will be selected based on the scientific quality and clarity of their abstracts. Abstracts should address the following: Background, objectives, methods (including details ensuring reproducibility, where applicable), results, discussion, and conclusions. Please note that abstracts must not include references and should not exceed 1,800 characters. A panel of judges will evaluate presentations during the meeting based on experimental design, data analysis, interpretation, originality, technical rigor, presentation quality, and overall communication skills. Winners will receive a certificate and a cash award. The abstract submission deadline is January 30, 2026. Don’t miss this opportunity to share your research and connect with fellow innovators shaping the future of plant biotechnology.

Learning to clearly communicate research to a wide array of audiences is an important part of the professional development of future scientists. This exciting event will be hosted by the SIVB Toastmasters. Toastmasters are part of an international, multi-disciplinary organization committed to developing confidence in public speaking skills. This luncheon will have networking activities to build skills and confidence to orally present research in a safe social environment. There will be a fun contest with prizes in many categories.

The In Vitro Animal Cell Sciences (IVACS) Section of the Society for In Vitro Biology is pleased to announce the 2026 Post Doctoral Oral Presentation Competition during the SIVB Annual meeting in Reno, NV. This competition encourages the exchange of scientific information between the post doctoral presenters, attendees and expert judges. Additionally, it provides an invaluable opportunity for post doctoral presenter to enhance their presentation delivery and public speaking skills. Post doctoral fellows who wish to participate in this competition should check that option during the submission of their abstract to the 2026 SIVB Annual meeting. Applicants should also e-mail a copy of their complete abstract and submission ID number to the session moderator, Dr. Kolla Kristjansdottir ([email protected]). The abstract text should not exceed 1800 characters and should not include references. The oral presentations will be presented in-person at the meeting, and a panel of expert judges will select the top presentation. Evaluation criteria will include experimental design, data analysis, proper interpretation of the results, originality of the study, technical difficulty, professionalism, the ability of the finalist to explain the research and answer questions, and importantly, adherence to the allocated time for the presentation. The Post Doctoral Oral Presentation Competition session serves to recognize and reward the research and achievements of outstanding post doctoral presenters. The finalists will be presented with a certificate and a cash award during the 2026 SIVB Annual meeting. The DEADLINE for abstract submission for the Post Doctoral Oral Presentation Competition is January 30, 2026. Should you have any questions, please contact the SIVB Office or the session moderator. We are looking forward to reviewing your abstract!

The molecular basis of human disease has gained increasing attention over the past decade. Advances in cell and tissue culture technologies—particularly primary human cell cultures, organoids, and organ-on-chip systems — together with next-generation sequencing, have transformed biological research. These innovations have enabled the generation of large-scale genotypic and phenotypic datasets, fueling major progress in disease modeling and the development of more effective drug screening platforms. A parallel emphasis has been placed on the discovery of novel biomarkers, which are essential for disease diagnosis, prognosis, and precision healthcare. Despite these advances, a key challenge in translational medicine remains decoding the complex relationships between the vast array of genomic variants in humans and the poorly understood mechanisms of disease. Molecular-level analyses of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids are emerging as powerful approaches to bridge this gap. Recent strides in glycomics, metabolomics, and proteomics have already provided critical insights into infection biology and disease mechanisms. This session will highlight the potential benefits, persistent challenges, and emerging opportunities in leveraging advanced molecular and cellular technologies for disease modeling and drug discovery.

Commercial micropropagation plays an important role in modern plant production, providing high-quality, uniform, and disease-free plants at scale. However, the industry continues to face challenges related to cost, efficiency, and biological constraints. This session will highlight new innovations that are changing the future of plant tissue culture. Presentations will include developments in automation technologies that streamline labor-intensive processes, strategies for ensuring virus-free plant production through molecular diagnostics and sanitation methods, and the use of bioreactor systems to achieve scalable and cost-effective propagation. These approaches provide solutions for improving consistency, lowering production costs, and enabling wider adoption of micropropagation across diverse crop species. Attendees will gain insights into both current applications and future directions, with opportunities for discussion on how these innovations can be implemented to meet the needs of the global plant production industry.

Advancements in plant engineering are essential for global food security, yet transformation and regeneration remain constrained by species and genotype. This workshop convenes leading researchers and industry experts to present cutting-edge strategies that directly address these barriers—from fast, genotype-flexible in planta transformation systems, to novel technologies for delivering nucleic acids and proteins, to viral-mediated delivery of morphogenic regulators enabling leaf transformation. The session concludes with a moderated panel in which speakers will discuss practical applications, performance parameters, and implementation challenges. By focusing on validated approaches and current research, the workshop aims to accelerate robust transformation workflows and enable high-yielding crops.

Synthetic biology applies engineering principles to biological systems to design and build unique modules, devices, or organisms with new and useful functions for various applications. This exciting, multidisciplinary field features various “top-down” and “bottom-up” approaches to redesign entire organisms, construct functional biological components, or develop molecular machines. Synthetic biology is projected to account for a third of the global manufacturing output by the end of the next decade and poised to disrupt human health and food production. This plenary session will feature selected research aspects of this field in both plant and animal systems.

Starting with the 2026 meeting, we are introducing a new 30-minute presentation format: Featured Oral Presentations. Speakers will be selected through the same peer-reviewed abstract process used for regular Oral Presentations, but the extended time slot will allow them to explore their research in far greater depth. Presenters will be responsible for the abstract submission fee as well as all travel and meeting expenses. We believe this longer format will enrich the experience for both speakers and attendees, giving scientists at every career stage a valuable platform to showcase their discoveries. This year’s current Featured Topic is Plant Synthetic Biology. Other topics may be added prior to the start of the meeting.

Nanotechnology has emerged as a transformative tool in addressing global challenges and advancing sustainable development, particularly in healthcare. By manipulating materials at the nanoscale, researchers have unlocked new possibilities across diverse fields including energy, agriculture, construction, transportation, environmental conservation, and medicine. In healthcare, the application of nanotechnology—known as nanomedicine—has demonstrated significant potential in combating both common and complex diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, neurological conditions, and cancer. Nanotechnology is already contributing to advances in diagnostics, targeted drug delivery, regenerative medicine, gene therapy, dentistry, oncology, aesthetics, and therapeutics. Realizing the full potential of nanomedicine requires close collaboration among physicians, clinicians, researchers, and technologists. Such interdisciplinary cooperation will enable the development of more precise, programmatically designed interventions aimed at improving patient outcomes. Recent progress in understanding the molecular and pathophysiological basis of disease is also helping to overcome existing challenges in the application of nanotechnology to medicine. This session will explore the current successes, persistent challenges, and future opportunities of nanotechnology in healthcare, with a focus on how it can revolutionize disease diagnosis, treatment, and patient care.

Green revolution in the 20th century transformed agriculture and livelihoods in Latin America and Asia. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), these technologies were not widely adopted, primarily because high-yield crop varieties needed large amounts of input like chemical fertilizers and water. Smallholder farmers in SSA produce yields that are only 15-20% of what is achieved in regions with similar climates. At the same time, the population in SSA is projected to double by 2050, making it nearly ten times what it was back in 1960. Low agriculture productivity is a major driver of persistent poverty in the least developed countries, and economic growth through agriculture is more effective at reducing poverty than any other sector. Demand for innovation for smallholder farmers is high and increasing in SSA. However, investment in technology remains limited for SSA with primary focus toward a select number of cash crops, such as maize. This session will showcase innovative biotech products created by scientific community in Africa, aimed at improving agricultural productivity. Presenters will share experiences in developing trait products for cowpea, cassava, and maize. These products address Africa-specific challenges and will soon be launched to support small-holder farmers.

Learning to clearly communicate research to a wide array of audiences is an important part of the professional development of future scientists. This exciting event will be hosted by the SIVB Toastmasters. Toastmasters are part of an international, multi-disciplinary organization committed to developing confidence in public speaking skills. This luncheon will have networking activities to build skills and confidence to orally present research in a safe social environment. There will be a fun contest with prizes in many categories.

Genome editing has emerged as important tool in crop improvement by making targeted and precise changes to plant genomes. Unlike conventional breeding, which often requires multiple generations of crossing and selection to achieve specific traits, genome editing allows for precise modifications in both coding and non-coding regions. Genome editing can also address traits that were previously considered difficult or inaccessible through traditional methods. Developments in genome editing are contributing to new approaches in agriculture and food production globally. This session will discuss genome editing within non-coding regions that regulate gene expression and explore potential applications for non-coding sequences in crop biotechnology. Furthermore, recent advancements in base-editing technology will be discussed by comparing different editor platforms. The session will also address improvements to genome editing tools aimed at increasing accuracy and facilitating the modification of multiple alleles and genes.

Spatial omics technologies are revolutionizing our understanding of gene function by enabling the mapping of gene activity within the architectural context of tissues, organs and cell cultures. This session will explore cutting-edge applications of spatial omics researches in both plant and animal systems to accelerate the gene discovery and functional annotation. In plant research, spatial omics is shedding light on tissue-specific gene expression patterns critical for development, stress responses, and metabolic specialization. In animal systems, these technologies are advancing our understanding of cellular heterogeneity in complex tissues, lineage trajectories, disease microenvironments and developmental biology in cultured tissues and 3D models. The session will highlight innovations and breakthrough in spatial data acquisition and integration, imaging-based transcriptomics, computational tools that bridge spatial resolution with functional genomics, and applications in gene discovery.   By bringing together researchers from both plant and animal biology, this cross-disciplinary session aims to inspire new applications of spatial omics in in vitro biology and foster collaboration between plant and animal researchers working at the interface of spatial genomics and in vitro biology.

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing biological research, offering unprecedented opportunities to accelerate discovery and innovation across in vitro biology. This plenary session will explore how AI tools and techniques are transforming research in both plant and animal cell culture systems, from fundamental cellular processes to agricultural biotechnology applications. The session will introduce key AI methodologies including machine learning, deep learning, and computer vision. Expert speakers from academia and industry will share case studies of successful AI implementation, discuss readily available AI tools and platforms, and provide guidance for researchers at all technical levels. Whether you are seeking to incorporate AI into existing research or to understand how these powerful tools can accelerate scientific discoveries, this session will provide valuable insights into the transformative potential of AI in advancing in vitro biology research and applications across plant and animal systems.

Cannabis regulations have shifted dramatically in recent years.  Many states have legalized medical and recreational use, and hemp has been legalized at the federal level.  A similar pattern has emerged internationally with countries such as Germany and Canada legalizing recreational cannabis productiona nd use.  As a result, cannabis has developed into a multi-billion-dollar international market and research into agricultural methods and biotechnology have flourished.  Of particular interest for cannabid breeders and producers is the manipulation of ploidy to expedite genetic gains and enhance production efficiency.  This session will focus on various aspects of ploidy manipulation in cannabis including advances in double haploid technology to develop true F1 hybrid seed, the development of seedless triploids to facilitate efficient outdoor production, and various other aspects of ploidy manipulation.  Together, this will provide insights into the current and future applications of ploidy manipulation in cannabis breeding and production.

Protoplasts – plant cells without cell walls – have re-emerged as a powerful system for advancing plant biotechnology, synthetic biology, genome editing, and crop improvement. This session will explore cutting-edge developments in protoplast isolation, engineering, and regeneration, with emphasis on their role in gene editing, synthetic biology, and trait improvement. This session will highlight breakthroughs in overcoming long-standing challenges of plant protoplast regeneration, efficient transformation, novel gene editing and metabolic engineering applications, and strategies to harness protoplasts as versatile platforms for trait discovery, functional genomics, and sustainable crop improvement. By bringing together experts in cell biology, molecular genetics, and crop science, this session will provide new perspectives on how protoplast technologies are shaping the future of sustainable agriculture, crop resilience, and plant-based biomanufacturing.