14th Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference
2026-07-13 - 2026-07-17 | 14th Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference, Greece, Crete, Greece
Join us for the 14th Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference, set against the stunning backdrop of the Mirabello Bay Resort in Crete, Greece (Havania 721 00, Agios Nikolaos Crete, Greece). This year’s expanded meeting will take place from Monday, July 13 through Friday, July 17, 2026, offering more opportunities for collaboration, education, and connection.
About the Conference
By popular demand, the 2026 conference has been extended to include an additional day of programming. The event will begin with the IBBC and G2MH meetings on Monday, July 13, followed by the main conference sessions from Tuesday to Friday.
This retreat-style meeting offers a unique blend of academic engagement and community-building activities, all hosted onsite at the resort. Highlights include:

Welcome Reception – Tuesday (Grecian Cave Terrace)
Second Annual “22q Olympic Games” – Wednesday (Bahia Mar and Stone Theater)
Gala Dinner and Dancing – Thursday (Elia Terrasse)
Closing Ceremonies – Friday (Zeus Room)

About the Venue
Experience true Cretan hospitality at the luxurious Mirabello Bay Resort, nestled among the rolling hills of Lassithi and overlooking the tranquil waters of the Cretan Sea. Located just 2 km from the charming town of Agios Nikolaos and approximately 65 km from Heraklion Airport, the resort offers both peaceful seclusion and convenient access to the rest of the island.
Enjoy exceptional service, breathtaking views, and world-class amenities during your stay.
Call for Abstracts
The deadline to submit abstracts is February 22, 2026. Abstracts should be formatted as follows:

Maximum 300 words – not including the title, authors and affiliations. Include full first and last names of all authors.
Abstract text:

Type size: 12 point font
Margins: 1/2″
Text Alignment: Justified
Typeface: Times New Roman
Include the headings “Background”, “Methods”, “Results” and “Conclusions” in bold

Title:

Bold
Capitalize first word only
Left justified

Institution(s): Italics
Authors:

Underline the name of the presenting author
Include all co-authors and their affiliations
Please note – Submitting authors are expected to present at the meeting in person

13th Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference
2024-07-16 - 2024-07-18 | 13th Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference, Praia D'El Rey Marriott Golf & Beach Resort Avenida D. Inês de Castro n°1, Vale de Janelas Obidos, 2510-451, Portugal
The 13th Biennial International 22q11.2 Conference, a scientific retreat in its purist form, will kick-off in the early morning on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, and adjourn following our closing dinner on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
View the Meeting Program
Invited Speakers
Dr. Ralda Nehme
Director
Stem Cell Program
The Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT
The 22q11.2 region as it regulates presynaptic gene-products linked to schizophrenia
Prof. Dr. Randall J Platt
Professur Biologisches Engineering
ETH Zurich
Novel genetic tools for investigating brain and behavior in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
Prof. Beverly Emanuel
Professor of Pediatrics and Genetics and
Charles E.H. Upham Endowed Chair in Pediatric Medicine
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and
Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Looking Back to Move Forward – the Sweep of History Regarding the Chromosome 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome
Dr. Casey Gifford
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Genetics
Stanford University
Genetic Modifiers of Cardiac Development with an Emphasis on 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome
Dr. Irene Zohn
Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Physiology
George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Model organisms and Mechanisms of gene-environment interactions in structural birth defects
Dr. Stephen Scherer
Northbridge Chair in Paediatric Research and
Director of The Centre for Applied Genomics
The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
Peter Scambler Invited Lecture: Genetics of CNVs informing human disorders and the prospects for treatment
Dr. Joris Vermeesch
Professor of Cytogenetics and Genome Research
KU Leuven
Cell free DNA and the Promise of Novel Biomarkers
Dr. Michael Granato
Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology
Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
Mitochondrial proteins and neurodevelopment in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
