Understanding biological events at the molecular level requires visualization in a native context. Advancing the detailed imaging of these processes in situ necessitates the integration of several methodologies that are still under development, including cryoET, cryo-volume EM, high-resolution fluorescence microscopy, multi-scale omics and the interpretation of results with computational approaches. While promising to provide unprecedented insights into cellular functions, this integration is challenging.
The newly established Center of Excellence for Structural Cell Biology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is dedicated to advanced structural cell biology investigations, and this symposium is focused on facilitating conversations in this space.
Speakers represent multiple viewpoints and areas of expertise from institutions around the world.
Please join us in person in Memphis or virtually on April 7-8.
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Tuesday, April 7
Time Event/Session 9:00 - 9:10 am
Welcome
James Downing9:10 - 9:25 am
Intro
Georgios Skiniotis9:25 - 10:25 am Keynote
Steve Harrison10:25 - 10:45 am Coffee break Session 1 - Multimodal, Multiscale Imaging: From Tissue to Atoms 10:45 - 10:55 am Opening remarks
Babis Kalodimos10:55 - 11:20 am Peijun Zhang 11:20 - 11:45 am Philipp Erdmann 11:45 am - 12:10 pm Kirk Czymmek 12:10-12:35 pm Elizabeth Hillman 12:35 - 1:25 pm Lunch Session 2 - Biological Discoveries through In Situ Structural Cell Biology 1:25 - 1:50 pm Stefan Raunser 1:50 - 2:15 pm Elizabeth Wright 2:15 - 2:40 pm Debnath Ghosal (virtual) 2:40 - 3:05 pm Robert Nwokonko 3:05 - 3:30 pm Danielle Grotjahn 3:30 - 4:00 pm Coffee break Session 3 - Emerging Imaging Modalities 4:00 - 4:25 pm Alex de Marco 4:25 - 4:50 pm Anat Akiva 4:50 - 5:15 pm Sanja Sviben 5:15 - 5:40 pm Roland Fleck 5:40 - 5:50 Closing remarks
Madan Babu6:00 - 8:00 Evening Reception
(by invitation only)Wednesday, April 8
Time Event/Session 9:00 - 9:10 am Welcome
Paul Taylor9:10 - 9:50 am Keynote Lecture
Harald Hess9:50 - 10:25 am Coffee break and tours Session 4 - Methods and Tools 10:25-10:45 Oda Schioetz 10:45 – 11:10 am Pete Dahlberg 11:10 - 11:35 am Sven Klumpe 11:35 am - 12:00 pm Michael Elbaum 12:00 – 12:25 pm Jae Yang 12:25 - 1:30 pm Lunch Session 5 - Industry Developments 1:30 - 1:45 pm Ron Kelley 1:45 - 2:00 pm Katherine Lau Session 6 - Computational Innovations 2:00 - 2:25 pm Dimitry Tegunov 2:25 - 2:50 pm Hong Zhou 2:50 - 3:15 pm Kai Zhang 3:15 - 3:40 pm Qiangjun Zhou 3:40 - 4:00 pm Coffee break Session 7 - Blueprints for Structural Cell Biology 4:00 - 4:25 pm Qiang Guo 4:25 - 4:50 pm Grant Jensen 4:50 - 5:15 pm David Agard 5:15 - 5:30 pm Closing remarks
Georgios Skiniotis5:45 - 8:00 pm Evening Reception
Beale Street Landing
All symposium participants invited -
Confirmed speakers
David Agard
University of California, San FranciscoAnat Akiva
Radboud University Medical CenterMadan Babu
St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalKirk J. Czymmek
Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterPeter Dahlberg
Stanford UniversityAlex De Marco
New York Structural Biology CenterMichael Elbaum
Weizmann Institute of SciencePhilipp S. Erdmann
Human TechnopoleRoland Fleck
King’s CollegeDebnath Ghosal
University of MelbourneDanielle Grotjahn
Scripps Research InstituteQiang Guo
Peking UniversityStephen C. Harrison
Harvard Medical SchoolHarald Hess
HHMI Janelia Research CampusElizabeth M.C. Hillman
St. Jude Children's Research HospitalGrant Jensen
Brigham Young UniversityBabis Kalodimos
St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalRon Kelley
Thermo Fisher ScientificSven Klumpe
Research Institute of Molecular PathologyKatherine Lau
DelmicHolger Mueller
University of California, BerkeleyRobert Nwokonko
St. Jude Children's Research HospitalJuergen Plitzko
Max PIanck Institute of BiochemistryStefan Raunser
Max Planck Institute of Molecular PhysiologyOda Schioetz
Max Planck Institute of BiochemistryGeorgios Skiniotis
St. Jude Children's Research HospitalSanja Sviben
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Dimitry Tegunov
GenentechElizabeth R. Wright
University of Wisconsin-MadisonJae Yang
St. Jude Children’s Research HospitalKai (Jack) Zhang
University of Science and Technology of ChinaPeijun Zhang
University of OxfordHong Zhou
University of California, Los AngelesQiangjun Zhou
Vanderbilt University -
Register to Attend
Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with speakers, network with colleagues, present their research, and experience the one-of-a-kind creative atmosphere on the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital campus in Memphis, TN.
Registration is free and required for all participants.
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Hotel and Travel Accommodations
Hotel
A room block is available at Central Station Hotel in downtown Memphis from April 6 - 9. These rooms are available at $159 per night. If you wish to book one of these limited rooms, please follow this link:
The deadline to book these rooms is Friday, March 13, 2026. Please let Meredith Serna (meredith.serna@stjude.org) know that you have booked a room and we will arrange transportation for you to and from campus at this hotel only.
Travel Accommodations
Airport
Memphis International Airport (MEM) is the closest airport, located about 15 minutes from downtown.
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Airport Transportation
- Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) readily available
- Traditional taxis and shuttles also available at the airport