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Tools & Technologies

Spatial omics (2nd edition)

22-24 June 2026, Bruges, BE
Final deadline: 8 June
Conferences-CampaignImage-Spatial Omics26 V2

Spatial omics (2nd edition)

Spatial omics (2nd edition)

A VIB Tools and Technologies conference

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Spatial omics is a rapidly growing field that enables researchers to study spatial patterns of gene and protein expression within tissues. By revealing how cells interact in their native environment, these technologies help map disease progression, immune infiltration and treatment responses.

At this second edition leading scientists from academia and industry will highlight the latest advances in spatially resolved molecular biology. This year’s program is structured around two tracks.

  • The Unimodal Track will spotlight innovations in single-modality spatial technologies, such as spatial transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics.
  • The Multimodal Track will explore integrative strategies that combine multiple spatial omics modalities.

Sessions will cover computational methods, methodological advances and biological applications, offering insights into how these technologies are being optimized and deployed to uncover spatial patterns in tissues and drive new discoveries in complex biological systems.

Abstracts & travel grants
Submit your abstract for a poster presentation before the deadline of 27 April 2026. The best presentation will receive the SpatialOmics26 Poster Prize.
We offer four travel grants to international junior scientists, which will reimburse travel costs up to €400. The deadline to participate is 30 March 2026.

Host city Bruges
One of Europe’s best-preserved cities. The conference venue is within walking distance of the historic city center which has been designated a UNESCO world heritage site.

Spatial omics summer school
The week before the Spatial omics conference, we are hosting the Spatial omics summer school, taking place 15–19 June 2026 in Bruges.
This summer school offers a comprehensive journey into the world of spatially resolved targeted transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics—perfect for those looking to deepen their knowledge and sharpen their skills before the conference.
More information about the summer school can be found here.

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Confirmed speakers

Ron Heeren
Heeren Ron - VIB Training & Conferences - Speaker picture
Ron Heeren

Ron Heeren

Maastricht University & M4i, The Maastricht MultiModal Molecular Imaging Institute, NL
Min Mo
Mo Min - VIB Training & Conferences - Speaker picture
Min Mo

Min Mo

Senior Staff Field Application Scientist at Stellaromics Inc., US

Program

Day 1 - Monday, 22 June, 2026

13:40
14:10
Registration & welcome coffee
14:10
14:20
Welcome
14:20
14:25
VIB Technologies intro
14:20
14:25

Sofie Coelus

VIB Technologies, BE
14:25
18:00
Session 1: Uni-modal - methodological
14:25
14:55
Spatial omics using ambient mass spectrometry imaging
14:55
15:15
Relentless innovation where it counts: from high-throughput genomics to direct tissue sequencing 
Company speaker
15:15
15:45
Imaging, single cells and translational life sciences: Spatial across the ‘Omics’

Ron Heeren

Maastricht University & M4i, The Maastricht MultiModal Molecular Imaging Institute, NL
Academic speaker
15:45
16:00
Intrabody-guided synapse proteomics defines pyramidal neuron input architecture

Dan Dascenco

VIB - KU Leuven Center for Brain and Disease Research, BE; Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, BE
Selected from abstracts
16:00
16:35
Coffee break
16:35
16:50
Direct In Situ Detection of Oncogenic Mutations in FFPE Tissue for Clinical Pathology Workflows

Hower Lee

Haga Bioscience AB, SE
Selected from abstracts
16:50
17:10
From Pixel to Proteome: AI-Guided Spatial Profiling of Pancreatic Cancer at Scale
Company speaker
17:10
17:40
Expanding the Spatial Proteomics Toolbox: Multiplexed Peptide Imaging by MALDI MS/MS in Clinical Tissues
17:40
18:00
The Future of Biology: Introducing Atera
18:30
19:30
Reception at Bruges City Hall

Free of charge, but registration is mandatory.

Day 2 - Tuesday, 23 June, 2026

08:30
09:00
Welcome coffee
09:00
12:10
Session 2: Uni-modal - applications
09:00
09:30
Single cell and spatial profiling of shoot stem cells identifies novel conserved meristem regulators
09:30
09:50
Multidimensional understanding of cancer – Initial Feedback from Illumina Spatial Solution
Company speaker
09:50
10:20
Spatial expression profiling in complex tissues – a view on tools and technologies
10:20
10:25
True Single-Cell Multiomics: Scalable RNA and DNA Co-Sequencing with Semi-Permeable Capsules

Robbert Weren

Atrandi Biosciences, NL
Sponsored talk
10:25
11:00
Coffee break
11:00
11:20
Goodbye, flat biology! Pioneering 3D spatial transcriptomics
11:20
11:50
Mass spectrometry imaging of metabolites to improve diagnosis and treatment options for patients
11:50
12:05
Spatial N-terminomics without antibodies

Bjoern Wendik

StrataOmics Biosciences GmbH, Kirchzarten, DE
Selected from abstracts
12:05
12:10
The Protein Layer for Spatial Omics: Imaging Mass Cytometry

Ruth Allen

Field Application Scientist Standard Biotools, UK
Sponsored talk
12:10
13:15
Lunch
13:15
14:15
Poster session 1
14:15
17:15
Session 3: Uni-modal - Computational
14:15
14:45
Beyond benchmarking - consensus guided approaches to identify cellular organisation in spatial transcriptomics data

Naveed Ishaque

Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, DE
Academic speaker
14:45
15:15
Functional pathology - exploring tissue with spatial omics and AI
15:15
15:30
DeepSpaceDB for Xenium: interactive analysis of large-scale single-cell spatial transcriptomics

Alexis Vandenbon

Kyoto University, JP
Selected from abstracts
15:30
15:35
Sponsored talk - Miltenyi Biotec
Sponsored talk
15:35
16:10
Coffee break
16:10
16:25
VelOT: Geometry-Driven RNA Velocity via Optimal Transport and Flow Matching

Lucas Rincón de la Rosa

Paris Brain Institute, FR
Selected from abstracts
16:25
16:45
3D pathology reveals hidden biology
Company speaker
16:45
17:15
Combining human and artificial intelligence for next generation pathology
Academic speaker
18:00
18:30
Social activity

Included in the conference dinner ticket.

19:00
22:00
Conference dinner

Additional fee

Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan (Walplein 26, 8000 Brugge)

Day 3 - Wednesday, 24 June, 2026

08:30
09:00
Welcome coffee
09:00
12:15
Session 4: Multi-model - computational
09:00
09:30
Knowledge-based machine learning to find disease mechanisms from spatial multi-omics data
09:30
09:50
Building the world model of biology
09:50
10:20
Generative machine learning to model cellular perturbations 
10:20
10:35
InSituPy: a framework for histology-guided, multi-sample analysis of single-cell spatial omics data

Johannes Wirth

Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, DE
Selected from abstracts
10:35
11:10
Coffee break
11:10
11:30
Beyond data generation: AI-driven spatial biology analysis at scale with Weave
11:30
12:00
Measuring, modeling, and reprogramming tissue organization
12:00
12:15
PLA2G2D+ and SPP1+ macrophages tailor niche architecture in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Angela Sanzo-Machuca

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unit, Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, Institut d’Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelo, ES; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, ES
Selected from abstracts
12:15
13:20
Lunch
13:20
14:20
Poster session 2
14:20
15:45
Session 5: Multi-modal - methodological
14:20
14:50
Imaging the host microbe interface with genome-scale microscopy
14:50
15:10
The next dimension of discovery: advancing spatial biology in 3D

Min Mo

Senior Staff Field Application Scientist at Stellaromics Inc., US
Company speaker
15:10
15:30
Spatial biology adds sorting via SLACS technology
Company speaker
15:30
15:45
Maximizing biological information from unique samples: A multimodal spatial framework applied to brain development

Elise Liu

Paris brain institute, FR
Selected from abstracts
15:45
16:15
Coffee break
16:15
17:30
Session 6: Multi-modal - applications
16:15
16:30
Redefining Fibroinflammatory Niches in Human Chronic Liver Disease via Spatial Multiomics

Jacky Tam

University of Edinburgh, GB
Selected from abstracts
16:30
17:00
Compartment-resolved omics of axonal and synaptic vulnerability in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)
17:00
17:30
Unmasking aggressive prostate cancer through spatial omics
17:30
17:45
Closing

Organizing committee

Abstracts

Poster information
The format for your poster should be: A0 (841 x 1189 mm / 33.1 x 46.8 in), portrait orientation. All accepted poster submissions will have a chance to win the SpatialOmics26 Poster Prize!

The full list of abstracts will be available on 08-06-2026 until 24-09-2026
This list will only be available for registered attendees of the event.

Attendees

The full list of attendees will be available on 08-06-2026 until 24-09-2026
This list will only be available for registered attendees of the event.