From the Laboratory to the Clinic 2026: Complex pathogenesis of disease

Hosted by the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, the conference is designed to foster and facilitate interactions between a global audience of laboratory scientists, pharmaceutical and biotech scientists and clinicians, all interested in translational research. Over the years, the format has facilitated scientific exchange leading to new collaborations and scientific progress in the translational research space.

Focus of the 2026 conference

Understanding the pathogenesis of disease underpins successful attempts at therapy. We now have remarkable tools to understand pathogenesis, and in the 2026 conference will highlight four areas where major advances have been made, but much more is needed to reach cures. Until recently type 2 diabetes and obesity seemed unsurmountable challenges but exceptional research and translation has reversed the tide. Advances in metabolism leading to new therapies in diabetes and obesity, having unexpected benefits in other diseases, will be discussed by the pioneers in this field. Other forms of metabolism are also impacting health, understanding immune cell metabolism will be discussed.

We co-exist with a wide range of microbes, some that are health promoting, others that promote problems. Recent advances in microbial involvement in non-infectious disease will be explored. Neurodegeneration in its many forms is a major challenge. The “conventional” amyloid related approaches need to be supplemented by others to yield therapeutic progress, and some newer approaches will be discussed. While studying mechanisms of tissue damage has yielded significant benefit in many diseases, the important topic of tissue repair is harder to study but is making progress. Several aspects will be discussed, as they apply to heart disease as well as musculoskeletal.

We look forward to seeing you in September 2026.

Topics

• Immunology/Metabolism
• Metabolism
• Microbial
• Neurodegeneration
• Repair

Sessions and speakers

Immunology and Metabolism

• Craig Thompson - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
• Erika Pearce - John Hopkins
• Susan Kaech - Salk Institute
• Mark Davies - Stanford

Metabolism

• Svetlana Mosjov - The Rockefeller University
• Lotte Bjerre Knudsen - Novo Nordisk

Microbial effects on Disease

• Eran Elinav - Weizmann Institute of Science
• Nebosja Janjic - Crestone Pharma
• Dan Littman - NYU Langone Health
• Yasmin Belkaid - Pasteur Institute
• Michael Fishbach – Stanford University
• Kathy McCoy – University of Calgary               
• Philippe Sansonetti - Pasteur Institute
• Mone Zaidi - Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Neurodegeneration

• Kate Attfield – University of Oxford
• Laura Dugan - Etheros Pharmaceuticals
• Anne Schaefer - Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Sasha Tarakhovsky - The Rockefeller University
• Larry Steinman – Stanford Medicine
• Marco Colonna - St Louis Washington
• Isaac Chiu – Harvard University
• Tom Daniel – Aspen Neuroscience
• Katja Simon - Max Delbrück Center, Berlin

Repair

• Jagdeep Nanchahal - University of Oxford
• Tonia Vincent  - University of Oxford
• Christopher Buckley  - University of Oxford
• Molly Stevens - University of Oxford

Conference website

Please visit the main conference website when it launches in Spring 2026 to read and download the full programme, speaker information, venue information, pricing and to register.

Registration information

Registration will open in Spring 2026. Please register early as places are limited.

Registration is via the conference website.

Posters

This year we welcome you to present posters which will be displayed throughout the conference. Information for poster presenters can be found on the main conference website.

Prices

We are offer both in-person and virtual attendance.

Conference tickets range from £200 (single days) - £1100 (full conference) with discount for academic attendees. PhD students are welcome to attend and also are offered a discounted ticket price. Visit the main conference website for all of the available options.

Contact information 

If you have questions about the conference, please contact Charlotte at labtoclinic@kennedy.ox.ac.uk.