MHB co-organizes international meeting of cell death researchers

Berlin, 10 October 2025

The Kaiserin Friedrich Haus in Berlin hosted the 31st conference of the European Cell Death Organization (ECDO) from 7 to 10 October 2025, with the Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB) and the Campus Academy as co-organizers. MHB president Prof. Hans-Uwe Simon, who chaired the ECDO from 2007 to 2009, was among the organizers and substantially involved in drafting the academic program. In this way, Brandenburg was prominently represented in the conference management and contributed to international networking among researchers in the field of cell death (apoptosis).

This year’s motto was “Classic meets modern: functional specificity and crosstalk of new and old types of cell death”. The focus was on classic and newly described forms of programmed cell death and their significance for the development and treatment of various illnesses. As a rule, programmed cell death (apoptosis) causes the disposal of old or damaged cells. Disturbance of such vital clearing activities may have fatal consequences: malfunctions of apoptosis are a typical feature in diseases like cancer, chronic inflammation and autoimmune disorders. The conference agenda comprised specialist lectures, poster presentations and discussion forums.

The European Cell Death Organization (ECDO) is a scientific association which emerged from the “European Working Group on Apoptosis” in 1994. With a membership of more than 200 scientists of international renown, it is dedicated to promoting cell death research in Europe and organizes international meetings on an annual basis, most recently in Luxemburg, Paris, Bonn and Dresden. ECDO meetings are important platforms for exchanging latest research findings and promoting debate between basic research and clinical application. The idea is to get a better understanding of cell death mechanisms and develop innovative therapeutic approaches.