2026 Neurodegeneration Summit
The 2026 Neurodegeneration Summit will highlight research conducted by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at Van Andel Institute and Michigan State University. It will feature trainee talks, a poster session and ample networking opportunities.
Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will have the opportunity to be considered for an oral presentation. Please indicate if you would like to be considered for an oral presentation during the registration process. The deadline to submit an abstract for consideration is March 10.
This event is open only to VAI and MSU faculty, trainees, and staff. For more information on VAI’s other scientific events, please visit our Events page or contact Allison Baker to be added to our email list.
- 8 a.m. Breakfast and registration
- 9 a.m. Scientific talks 1
- 10 a.m. Coffee break
- 10:15 a.m. Scientific talks 2
- 11:15 a.m. Coffee break
- 11:30 a.m. Scientific talks 3
- 12:30 p.m. Lunch
- 1:30 p.m. Alumni panel
- 2:30 p.m. Posters
- 4 p.m. Closing remarks and award presentation
- 4:30 p.m. Networking hour
What if I need additional accommodations?
Please contact Allison Baker to discuss any special accommodation needs.
How do I submit my abstract to be considered for an oral presentation?
Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows will have the opportunity to be considered for an oral presentation. Please indicate if you would like to be considered for an oral presentation during the registration process. The deadline to submit an abstract for consideration is March 10.
Code of Conduct Guidelines
We are dedicated to providing a harassment-free, non-discriminatory symposium experience for all participants, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, pregnancy, height, weight, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other personal characteristics covered by applicable law. We will not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. We expect participants at our events to engage in constructive and professional discussions at all times. Harassment can include unwelcomed attention, inappropriate comments or jokes that refer to gender differences, sexual topics, requests for dates, or other sexual activities as well as the use of language that may demean or degrade individuals. These behaviors are not appropriate for any of our conference venues, including talks, workshops, networking sessions, poster sessions, social networking platforms, and other online media platforms. Any participant violating these guidelines will be removed from the symposium at the discretion of the conference organizers.
Anyone who has experienced the above, or who has witnessed such behavior, should notify Allison Baker at Anonymous reporting may also be done through the EthicsPoint Hotline.
The poster session is open to all event attendees. Abstract-selected speaker slots are reserved for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Please indicate if you would like to be considered for an oral presentation during the registration process.
Submitted abstracts should represent original research. The title should be brief and descriptive, and the body should include rationale, methods and results. Please prepare abstracts using the below template.
Abstract submission
Poster abstracts should be submitted during the registration process.
Questions?
Questions regarding abstract submission, posters or the poster session can be directed to Allison Baker.
Abstract Format
TITLE OF ABSTRACT IN ALL CAPS (STYLE = TITLE)
Presenting Author1,2, Other Author1, and Last Author1,3 (Style = Authors)
1First Dept., Institution, City, State, Country, 2Second Dept., Institution, City, State, Country, and 3Last Dept., Institution, City, State, Country (Style = Affiliations)
Body of abstract should be 300 words or less. Define each abbreviation at first use. Font should be Arial, 11 pt. and text should be single-spaced. Submitted files should be Word documents document (.doc or .docx) with the filename formatted as: lastname_abstract. (Style = Body)
Example
THE ROLE OF A-SYNUCLEIN IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE PATHOLOGY
Jane Smith1 and Joe Jones2
1Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, United States, and 2 Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids, MI, United States
The pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is protein-rich, intraneuronal inclusions known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, which are composed primarily of aggregates of misfolded a-synuclein (a-syn) protein. Recent studies suggest…
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Translational Neuroscience
Napissara Boonpraman is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Sammi Lab in the Department of Translational Neuroscience at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand. She received her Ph.D. in Medical Sciences (Neuroscience) from Soonchunhyang University, South Korea in 2023. Her research focuses on how environmental toxicants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and organophosphate pesticides, contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease through mechanisms involving mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. She employs human iPSC-derived neurons, blood–brain barrier co-culture systems, rodent models and C. elegans in her studies.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Moore Laboratory
Dr. Brandon Meyerink is a neuroscientist with experience in neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases. He joined VAI in 2025 as a postdoctoral fellow focusing his research on lysosomal function and the lysosomal protein ATP13A2. His work uses multiple models to examine how this protein affects the function of neurons associated with Parkinson’s disease.
Brandon received his Ph.D. in 2025 from the University of South Dakota. He completed his doctoral research using CRISPR gene editing to model neurodegenerative diseases and explore the role of autophagy in neurons at Sanford Research in Sioux Falls, SD. His broad research interests are aimed at understanding how neurons maintain their function and how (when this goes wrong) this results in neurological disease.
Ph.D. Student, VAI Graduate School
Ben is a dedicated young scientist with experience in Parkinson’s disease, spinal injury and neuroinflammation. During an Erasmus+ traineeship in Germany, he studied the neuroprotective effects of urolithin A (UA) on viral brain infections and found that UA reduces poly I:C-viral mimetic-induced microglial reactivity. He now is a Ph.D. student in the Henderson Lab at Van Andel Institute, where he focuses on understanding how mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to alpha-synuclein aggregation and neuronal vulnerability in Parkinson’s disease, and how that knowledge could be leveraged for future development of disease-modifying therapies.
Ph.D. Candidate, Michigan State University
Marco A. Perez is a Ph.D. candidate in the lab of Dr. Nicholas Kanaan at the Michigan State University Grand Rapids Research Center. Marco’s research focuses on the interaction between tau and protein phosphatase 1 in primary neurons utilizing a variety of protein biochemistry, biophysical, and advanced microscopy techniques. Outside of the lab, Marco enjoys cycling, hiking, spending time with friends and loved ones, and the company of his cat, Pancho.
Event Details
Contact Info:
Email: Allison Baker