Host
Organized by: Christian Freund and Nevan Krogan
Event Overview
The Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Freie Universität Berlin (FUB) are pleased to present the joint symposium, Molecular Mechanisms of Neuropsychological Disorders, taking place on September 14, 2026, at Freie Universität Berlin.
Bringing together researchers from across disciplines and institutions, the symposium will explore the molecular mechanisms of neuropsychological and neurodevelopmental disorders, with a particular focus on autism. Through presentations and discussion, participants will share research findings and identify opportunities for future collaboration.
Rooted in a shared commitment to quantitative and collaborative research, the QBI–FUB partnership seeks to accelerate breakthroughs in biomedicine by fostering connections between scientists and advancing fundamental research in the biological sciences.
Agenda
Please note that the following schedule is in Berlin time (CEST), and agenda details are subject to change.
SESSION ONE | Clinical Context & Pharmacology
9:00 AM – Welcome & Opening Remarks by Christian Freund & Nevan Krogan
9:15 AM – Matthew State, UCSF | Clinical Autism – Setting the Stage
9:35 AM – Kevan Shokat, UCSF | Targeting K-Ras Beyond Oncology
9:55 AM – Break
SESSION TWO | Brain Development
10:20 AM – Tom Nowakowski, UCSF | Dissecting Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Human Brain Development and Psychiatric Disorders
10:40 AM – Amparo Acker-Palmer, Frankfurt University | Building the Brain: How Blood Vessels Shape Neural Development
11:00 AM – Thomas Soellner, Heidelberg University | Molecular Mechanisms of Neuronal Exocytosis and Associated Disorders
11:20 AM – Noa Lipstein, FMP Berlin | Presynaptic Mechanisms in Neurodevelopmental and Neurovegetative Disorders
11:40 AM – Lunch Break
SESSION THREE | Presynaptic & Structural Biology
1:00 PM – Christian Freund, FUB
1:20 PM – Stephan Sigrist, FUB
1:40 PM – James Fraser, UCSF | Statistical Structural Biology for New Neuropsychiatric Medicines
2:00 PM – Kliment Verba, UCSF
2:20 PM – Break
SESSION FOUR | Infection & Systems Biology
2:50 PM – Melanie Ott, Gladstone Institutes | Neuropsychiatric Sequelae of Viral Infections
3:10 PM – Rasika Vartak, UCSF | Psychiatric Cell mapping Initiative for Autism Spectrum Disorder
3:30 PM – Panel Discussion | From Genes to Circuits: Neurodevelopmental Mechanisms
4:30 PM – Closing Remarks & End of Day
History and Development of the QBI-FUB Partnership
The partnership between UCSF and Freie Universität Berlin (FUB), co-directed by Nevan Krogan and Christian Freund, began in 2019 with a joint symposium in FUB focused on advancing biomedical research through collaboration across quantitative biosciences, biochemistry, biophysics, and structural biology. Since then, it has evolved into a sustained transatlantic partnership supporting joint research, training, and scientific exchange. A second bilateral symposium in San Francisco in 2024 further strengthened ties between the institutions, bringing together leading researchers to align scientific priorities, expand collaborative networks, and formalize the relationship through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The partnership entered a new phase with Nevan Krogan’s appointment as an Einstein Visiting Fellow at Freie Universität Berlin, supported by the Einstein Foundation and developed in close collaboration with Christian Freund. The fellowship established a joint working group spanning both institutions, bringing together researchers and scientific leaders from UCSF and FUB. Their work focuses on integrative proteomic and structural approaches to autism and epilepsy, combining expertise in structural proteomics, mass spectrometry, cryo-electron microscopy, and AI-driven analysis to develop broadly applicable, technology-enabled research pipelines.
The September 2026 symposium represents the culmination of these efforts. It reflects a mature collaboration built on shared funding, personnel, research, and scientific vision, while providing a platform to define the next phase of joint discovery and innovation.