SNC'25 Programme

Wednesday, 17 September 2025


13:00	SNC’25 Opening \| Hall I, 13:00—13:15

13:15	AOŽ Memorial lecture \| Hall I, 13:15—14:00 Astrocytes release glutamate by regulated exocytosis in health and malignancy Vladimir Parpura Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China

14:00	Symposium \| Hall I, 14:00—16:00 Glia contribution to brain function in health and disease: from exocytosis and signaling to metabolism Chair: Nina Vardjan, Robert Zorec

	Making sense of glial adhesion GPCR biology Nicole Scholz Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Division of General Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Germany

	Two tales of astrocyte pathology: Alzheimer disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Vedrana Montana International Translational Neuroscience Research Institute, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, P.R. China

	*Dysregulation of octopaminergic Ca²⁺ signaling and metabolism in the aging Drosophila* brain** Anemari Horvat Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

	Cannabinoid and noradrenergic regulation of glycogen-derived lactate production in astrocytes Marko Kreft Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Celica Biomedical Center, Ljubljana, Slovenia

	Amisyn is required for β-adrenergic inhibition of MHC-II surface expression and fusion pore conductance decrease in astrocytes Julijan Vršnik Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology - Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

16:00	Coffee by the Posters \| Poster exhibition area, 16:00—16:30

16:30	Symposium \| Hall I, 16:30—18:30 CTNNB1 neurodevelopmental syndrome: from dreams to novel treatment options Chair: Damjan Osredkar

	New frontiers in rare diseases Damjan Osredkar Department of Pediatric Neurology, University Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia

	The past, presence, and future of vector-based gene therapies: how technological advancements help us maximising clinical impact and benefits to the patients Leszek Lisowski Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia Viral Vector Manufacturing Facility, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine – National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland Australian Genome Therapeutics Centre, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia Gene2Cure Foundation, USA

	*Design and in vitro* validation of an AAV-mediated gene therapy for CTNNB1 syndrome** Andrea Perez-Iturralde Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia

	Determination of efficacy, safety and toxicity for CTNNB1 syndrome gene therapy in vivo Duško Lainšček Department of Synthetic Biology and Immunology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia Center for Technologies for Gene and Cell Therapies, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia

	First in human clinical trial of the CTNNB1 syndrome Damjan Osredkar Department of Pediatric Neurology, University Children's Hospital, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia

18:30	Neuroscience & Society Dialogue: Umetna inteligenca v nevroznanosti \| Hall I, 18:30—20:00 Nina Omejc, Dejan Georgiev, Martin Žnidaršič

Thursday, 18 September 2025


8:30	Short Oral Presentations \| Hall I, 8:30—9:40

	Novel proteins involved in the FUS-mediated biogenesis of sdRNAs in human cells Patrycja Świergiel Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland Center of Advanced Technologies, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland

	Small RNAs regulate TDP-43 aggregation Klementina Polanec Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

	NTRK3 as a mediator of neuronal differentiation in sonic hedgehog pathway-activated medulloblastoma Lea Erjavc Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna, Austria

	The miRNA 216b-5p acts as a tumor-suppressor by manipulating cell cycle progression in glioblastoma cells Alexandra Lang Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna, Austria

	Heightened risk of tau pathology onset following SARS-CoV-2 infection Vincenzo Iannone Institute of Neuroscience, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy

	Individual differences in global brain connectivity changes after rTMS for depression: an exploratory study Jana Verdnik Mind & Brain Lab, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

9:40	Late breaking news: Precision therapeutics for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis \| Hall I, 9:40—10:00 Oscar Wilkins Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, United Kingdom The Francis Crick Institute, London, United Kingdom

10:00	Coffee by the Posters \| Poster exhibition area, 10:00—10:30

10:30	Plenary talk \| Hall I, 10:30—11:15 A little competition is a good thing: the friendly rivalry of Rho Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor (RGNEF) with TDP-43 Michael Strong Departments of Clinical Neurological Sciences and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada

11:15	Biogen Satellite Symposium: Tofersen - new treatment for SOD1 ALS \| Hall I, 11:15—12:15 Blaž Koritnik Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia

12:15	Lunch \| Poster exhibition area, 12:15—13:00

13:00	Symposium \| Hall II, 13:00—15:00 3D-cell and animal models Chair: Helena Motaln

	From stem cells to smart brains in the lab Peter Ponsaerts Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium

	Advances in zebrafish models of ALS and related neurological diseases Edor Kabashi Institute IMAGINE – INSERM, Paris, France

	De novo innervation of human myotubes as an experimental model to study development and function of human skeletal muscle in vitro Sergej Pirkmajer Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

	Induction of alpha-synuclein pathology in human iPSC-derived neurospheroids to model synucleinopathies Elise van Breedam Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute (Vaxinfectio), University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium

	FUS phosphorylation in neurogenesis and neuromuscular junction formation Helena Motaln Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

	*Noradrenergic regulation in brain: increased L-lactate in cortical astrocytes and locus coeruleus* neurons** Zala Smole Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology - Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica Biomedical, Ljubljana, Slovenia

13:00	Symposium \| Hall I, 13:00—15:00 Molecular brain imaging in tracking neurodegenerative brain disorders Chair: Matej Perovnik, Tomaž Rus

	Molecular imaging of parkinsonian syndromes: differential diagnosis and beyond Joachim Brumberg Klinik für Nuklearmedizin, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg, Germany

	Healthy and disease-specific metabolic brain networks in patients with neurodegenerative disorders Matej Perovnik Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia

	Exploring connectivity patterns in dual phase PET imaging Débora Elisa Peretti Laboratory of Neuroimaging and Innovative Molecular Tracers, University of Geneva, Switzerland

	Extending SSM/PCA to multiclass classification of parkinsonian syndromes Urban Simončič Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

	Personalized network-based FDG-PET approach to differential diagnosis in neurodegenerative disorders Tomaž Rus Department of Neurology and Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia

15:00	Poster Session & Coffee \| Poster exhibition area, 15:00—16:00

16:00	Plenary talk \| Hall I, 16:00—16:45 Maintaining brain health across the lifespan David Bartres Faz Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Spain

16:45	ICGEB Symposium: Molecular mechanisms underlying ALS and FTD \| Hall II, 16:45—18:45 Chair: Boris Rogelj

	Identification of novel RGNEF modulators through high-throughput screening of an FDA/EMA approved drug library Emanuele Buratti International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Trieste, Italy

	FUS modulates the level of rRNA modifications and ribosome activity in health and disease Dorota Raczyńska A. Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland

	RNA mechanisms associated with C9orf72 mutation in ALS and FTD Boris Rogelj Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

	TDP-43 posttranslational modifications in stress Jerneja Nimac Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia Graduate School of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

	European Partnership for Brain Health (EP BrainHealth): advancing collaborative research, innovation and societal impact David Krivec Ministry of Health, Ljubljana, Slovenia

16:45	Symposium \| Hall I, 16:45—18:45 Advances in neuromodulation and neuroimaging in mental health Chair: Jurij Bon

	Neuromodulation and meditation: integrating insights to enhance well-being and the study of consciousness Kilian Abellaneda-Pérez Institut Guttmann, Barcelona, Spain

	Temporal dynamics of history biases in anti-NMDAR encephalitis and schizophrenia Indre Pileckyte Brain Circuits and Behavior Lab, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain

	Spontaneous and perturbation-based electroencephalographic markers of brain health Ruben Perellón-Alfonso Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Institut of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Spain Institut Guttmann, Barcelona, Spain

	Emulation of emotions in patients with depression and healthy controls Aleš Oblak University Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, Slovenia

	Changes in microRNA expression after TMS treatment of depression Marko Saje University Psychiatric Clinic Ljubljana, Slovenia

20:00	Social Event \| Slamič Café, 20:00—23:00

Friday, 19 September 2025


9:30	Coffee by the Posters \| Poster exhibition area, 9:30—10:00

10:00	Symposium \| Hall I, 10:00—12:00 ALS beyond motor neurons: respiratory, cognitive, and clinical perspectives Chair: Blaž Koritnik

	Epidemiology of ALS, what's new? Andrea Calvo Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Italy

	Phenotypic and cognitive determinants of social cognition in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a population-based study Francesca Palumbo Department of Neuroscience, University of Torino, Italy

	lnfluence of upper and lower motor neuron damage pattern on respiratory impairment and survival in patients with ALS Martin Kavčič Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

	Predicting cognitive function in ALS: the role of respiratory and laboratory measures Ana Kuder Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

	Diaphragm ultrasound: functional assessment in ALS patients Gregor Omejec Institute of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia

12:00	Lunch \| Poster exhibition area, 12:00—13:00

13:00	Educational Workshop: Artificial intelligence in neuroscience \| Hall I, 13:00—15:15

	Trends and challenges in artificial intelligence Marko Robnik Šikonja Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

	Artificial intelligence in neurobiology Žiga Špiclin Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

	Artificial intelligence and neuromuscular system Aleš Holobar Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Maribor, Slovenia

15:15	Poster Session & Coffee \| Poster exhibition area, 15:15—16:15

16:15	Educational Workshop: Artificial intelligence in neuroscience \| Hall I, 16:15—17:45

	Artificial intelligence in brain imaging Blaž Škrlj Department of Knowledge Technologies, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

	Artificial intelligence in clinical neurology Dejan Georgiev Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia

17:45	Best Poster Award & SNC’25 Closing \| Hall I, 17:45—18:00

Poster presentations

Thursday, 18 September 2025


15:00	Posters: Cellular Neuroscience A
CEL-01	Interplay of γ-enolase and cathepsin X in M1/M2 polarized microglia Anja Suhadolc Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
CEL-03	The role of tenascin-C in the structural plasticity of perineuronal nets in the hippocampus Ana Jakovljević Center for Laser Microscopy, Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry "Jean Giaja", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Serbia
CEL-05	High extracellular K⁺ triggers metabolic and morphological changes in brain cells Nina Vardjan Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Celica Biomedical, Ljubljana, Slovenia
CEL-07	L-lactate and GPR27 agonists modulate citrate production in 3T3 cells and astrocytes Ena Sanjković Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology – Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica Biomedical, Ljubljana, Slovenia

15:00	Posters: Clinical Neuroscience A
CLI-01	Coexisting subdural hematoma in cerebral amyloid angiopathy: a case series Lara Straus Department of Vascular Neurology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Slovenia
CLI-03	The miRNA 216b-5p acts as a tumor-suppressor by manipulating cell cycle progression in glioblastoma cells Alexandra Lang Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
CLI-05	Does personalized TMS offer superior therapeutic outcomes compared to conventional TMS protocols in depression? Albert Calsina-Latorre Faculty of Education, Psychology and Social Work, University of Lleida, Spain Institut Guttmann, Institut Universitari de Neurorehabilitació adscrit a la UAB, Badalona, Spain Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain Fundació Institut d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain

15:00	Posters: Cognitive Neuroscience A
COG-01	CT-optimal touch modulations on somatosensory-motor integration and proprioception and the role of vision Maria Casado-Palacios Italian Institute of Technology, Genoa, Italy
COG-03	High evening smartphone use drives sleep debt and lower morning affect in athletes Liza Rozman Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal

15:00	Posters: Computational Neuroscience A
COM-01	Exploring electroencephalographic (EEG) models of brain activity using automated modelling techniques Nina Omejc Department of Knowledge Technologies, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia

15:00	Posters: Molecular Neuroscience A
MOL-01	Evaluation of nociception in a model of Parkinson’s disease for the study of non-motor symptoms in TRPV4-/- animals Leonardo Gomes Pereira Federal University of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
MOL-03	Novel proteins involved in the FUS-mediated biogenesis of sdRNAs in human cells Patrycja Świergiel Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland Center of Advanced Technologies, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan, Poland
MOL-05	Role of the FUS in rRNA modifications and ribosome activity in ALS model Anna Bieluszewska Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
MOL-07	TDP-43 posttranslational modifications in stress Jerneja Nimac Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia Graduate School of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
MOL-09	Study of the interaction between phenylalanine-tRNA synthetase (FARS) and C9orf72 antisense RNA transcripts containing C₄G₂ hexanucleotide repeats Tomaž Žagar Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
MOL-11	Non-genetic amino acid substitutions in proteins associated with the neurodegenerative diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia Jure Pohleven Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

15:00	Posters: Other A
OTH-01	"Mind and mouth": preparation of tailored educational materials on oral health for older adults with cognitive decline Lenča Belehar Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
OTH-03	Too much of a good fat? Lasting behavioural impact of a maternal plant-based high-fat diet on emotional and exploratory behaviour in adult female offspring Emilija Đurić Institute of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia
OTH-05	Comprehensive treatment of children and adolescents with special health care needs and disability (SEND) Tina Bregant Centre for Education, Rehabilitation, and Training - CIRIUS Kamnik, Slovenia

15:00	Posters: Systems Neuroscience A
SYS-01	Differential effects of R- and S-ketamine in Wistar-Kyoto rats: implications for treatment-resistant depression Kristian Elersič Brain Research Laboratory, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Mind and Brain Lab, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

Friday, 19 September 2025


15:15	Posters: Cellular Neuroscience B
CEL-02	Neuroprotective role of γ-enolase in cellular models of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease Selena Horvat Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
CEL-04	Astrocytes as primary responders to neuromodulatory octopaminergic calcium signals in the Drosophila brain Urška Černe Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology – Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica Biomedical, Ljubljana, Slovenia
CEL-06	Regulation of second messenger dynamics and mechanosensitivity in 3T3 cells and astrocytes by the orphan receptor GPR27 Danaja Kuhanec Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology – Molecular Cell Physiology, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia Laboratory of Cell Engineering, Celica Biomedical, Ljubljana, Slovenia

15:15	Posters: Clinical Neuroscience B
CLI-02	Individual differences in global brain connectivity changes after rTMS for depression: an exploratory study Jana Verdnik Mind & Brain Lab, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
CLI-04	The psychological situation of family caregivers of relatives with dementia Maria Costa Neves Universidade Europeia, Lisboa, Portugal
CLI-06	Twins with dystonic diparesis: is it CP or is it CTNNB1 mutation? Tina Bregant Centre for Education, Rehabilitation, and Training - CIRIUS Kamnik, Slovenia

15:15	Posters: Cognitive Neuroscience B
COG-02	Emotion regulation strategies in healthy young adults: a multimodal psychophysiological investigation Lara Oblak Mind & Brain Lab, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
COG-04	Subclinical anxiety is associated with reduced self-distancing and enhanced guilt-related connectivity between anterior temporal and subgenual cingulate cortex Michal Rafal Zareba Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic and Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Jaume I University, Castellon de la Plana, Spain

15:15	Posters: Molecular Neuroscience B
MOL-02	Heightened risk of tau pathology onset following SARS-CoV-2 infection Vincenzo Iannone Institute of Neuroscience, Italian National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy
MOL-04	NTRK3 as a mediator of neuronal differentiation in sonic hedgehog pathway-activated medulloblastoma Lea Erjavc Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
MOL-06	Small RNAs regulate TDP-43 aggregation Klementina Polanec Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
MOL-08	ORF1p nuclear import mechanism revealed: a step toward understanding LINE-1 in neurons Vera Župunski Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
MOL-10	Highly sensitive detection of cytoplasmic antisense C9orf72 repeat RNA via RNA–RNA proximity ligation assay Vukan Milovanović Department of Biotechnology, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School (MPS), Ljubljana, Slovenia
MOL-12	Interplay between LINE-1 and Y RNAs: interaction and retrotransposition Ana Marija Kodra Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

15:15	Posters: Other B
OTH-02	Salicylic acid surface modification reduces TiO₂ nanoparticle-induced lipid peroxidation in rat brain tissue Katarina Bobić Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences - National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Serbia
OTH-04	Bridging the generational communication gap through digital and cognitive interventions for active ageing Vesna Logonder Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia
OTH-06	Getting ETHAI-cal: a framework for responsible AI in healthcare Anja Dremelj Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

15:15	Posters: Systems Neuroscience B
SYS-02	Anhedonia in rat model of treatment-resistant depression: insights from ultrasonic vocalizations and related behavioral measures Anamarija Banjac Brain Research Lab, Institute of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
SYS-04	The role of the medial prefrontal cortex in a short- and long-term spatial memory task in mice Chiara Nina Roth Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria