International Symposium on Epigenetic Inheritance 2026
LSU Vet Med is hosting the 2026 Epigenetic Inheritance Symposium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, from July 15-17.
This inaugural symposium, supported by the LSU Provost’s Fund, establishes a North American sister meeting to the biennial series founded in 2017 by Isabelle Mansuy at ETH Zurich. Held in alternating years, the Baton Rouge meeting is designed to complement the Zurich symposium and strengthen continuity across the international epigenetic inheritance community.
The Baton Rouge symposium builds directly on this foundation, with the objective of increasing the frequency and accessibility of scientific exchange in North America while maintaining strong transatlantic integration. Beyond presenting new data, the meeting aims to refine theoretical frameworks, consolidate core mechanistic concepts, and accelerate maturation of the field.
The program will integrate molecular, cellular, behavioral, and evolutionary perspectives on how environmental exposures and life experiences shape phenotypes across generations.
This structure positions the LSU symposium as a sustained institutional platform for advancing rigor, conceptual clarity, and global collaboration in transgenerational biology.
Key themes include
- Germline mechanisms of epigenetic transmission
- RNA-mediated and chromatin-based inheritance pathways
Parental diet, metabolism, and behavioral reprogramming in offspring - Developmental plasticity and multi-generational stability
- Evolutionary consequences of non-genetic inheritance
- Epigenetic variation in human health and disease
Organizing Committee
Sonia de Assis, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Oncology, Georgetown University Medical Center
Chris Axelrod, Ph.D., Director, Integrated Physiology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Isabelle Mansuy, Ph.D., Professor of Neuroepigenetics, ETH Zurich & University of Zurich
Alexander Murashov, MD, Ph.D. — Chair, Professor and Department Head, Comparative Biomedical Sciences, LSU School of Veterinary Medicine
Upasna Sharma, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz
Michael Skinner, Ph.D., Founding Director, Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University
Program
| Tuesday, July 14 | Arrival | |
|---|---|---|
| 17:30 - 20:30 | Welcome reception and registration | |
| Wednesday, July 15 | ||
| 6:00 | Breakfast buffet at Cook Hotel | |
| 8:00 - 9:00 | Registration | |
| 9:00 - 9:10 | Introduction | |
| 9:10 - 9:50 | Plenary Lecture: Understanding the "sperm RNA code" and epigenetic inheritance with emerging tools | Qi Chen |
| 9:50 - 10:20 | Sperm RNA-mediated intergenerational epigenetic inheritance. | Upasna Sharma |
| 10:20 - 10:50 | Coffee break | |
| 10:50 - 11:20 | Transgenerational Inheritance of Epigenetic Memory in Mammals | Yuta Takahashi |
| 11:20 - 11:50 | Epigenetic Programming in Sperm: Mechanisms of Fertility and Disease Transmission | Sarah Kimmins |
| 11:50 - 12:10 | 2 Early Career Talks (10 min) | |
| 12:10 - 13:40 | Lunch break | |
| 13:40 - 14:20 | Plenary Lecture: Environmental toxins impact on germline epigenetics | Michael Skinner |
| 14:20 - 14:50 | Sperm RNAs, placentation and fetal growth | Sonia de Assis |
| 14:50 - 15:20 | The Key Role of Placental miRNA in the Crosstalk Driving Fetal Fat Accrual | Perrie O'Tierney-Ginn |
| 15:20 - 15:40 | 2 Flash Talks | |
| 15:40 - 17:10 | Coffee and Poster Session | |
| 18:00 - 21:00 | Dinner | |
| Thursday, July 16 | ||
| 8:30 - 8:55 | Registration | |
| 8:55 - 9:00 | Provost Welcome | |
| 9:00 - 9:50 | Keynote Lecture: How life experiences can influence us and our descendants: An epigenetic perspective | Isabelle Mansuy |
| 9:50 - 10:20 | The Intergenerational Impact of Paternal Pre-Conceptional Health | Raffaele Teperino |
| 10:20 - 10:50 | Coffee break | |
| 10:50 - 11:30 | LBRN Lecture: Role of Ribosome Heterogeneity in Epigenetic Inheritance | Eric Greer |
| 11:30 - 12:00 | Investigating the Metabolic Initiation of Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance | Patrick Allard |
| 12:00 - 13:30 | Lunch break and vendor show | |
| 13:30 - 14:00 | Paternal Epigenetic Inheritance as a Determinant of Metabolic Disease Susceptibility | Valérie Grandjean |
| 14:00 - 14:30 | Effects of maltreatment during infancy on RNA signatures in rhesus macaques – lessons from EVs | Brian Dias |
| 14:30 - 16:00 | Coffee and Poster Session II | |
| 16:00 - 16:30 | How epigenetic processes enhance natural selection by exposing hidden genetic variation | Benjamin Oldroyd |
| 16:30 - 17:10 | Plenary Lecture (online): Nongenetic inheritance in evolution and everyday life | Russell Bonduriansky |
| 18:00 - 21:00 | Dinner | |
| Friday, July 17 | ||
| 6:00 | Breakfast buffet at Cook Hotel | |
| 9:00 - 9:30 | Diet, Sperm, and Epigenetic Transmission: Mechanisms of Paternal Influence | Anita Ost |
| 9:30 - 10:00 | Intergenerational regulation of brain energy metabolism driven by parental dietary and exercise exposures | Alexander Murashov |
| 10:00 - 10:10 | Flash Talks (10 min) | |
| 10:10 - 10:30 | Coffee beak | |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | The sins of the fathers: Intergenerational effects of paternal stimulants | Chris Pierce |
| 11:00 - 11:30 | Inter- and Transgenerational Consequences of Adolescent Opioid Exposure on Reward and Addiction Vulnerability | Fair Vassoler |
| 11:30 - 12:00 | Paternal drinking and the epigenetic influences on offspring mitochondrial function, placental health, structural birth defects, and age-related disease | Michael Golding |
| 12:00 - 12:45 | Lunch break | |
| 12:45 - 13:45 | Strategic Roundtable: Toward Mechanistic Resolution of Transgenerational Inheritance | |
| 13:45 - 14:05 | Coffee break | |
| 14:05 - 15:05 | Strategic Forum: Building the Next Phase of the Field | |
| 15:05 - 16:05 | Coffee and Poster Session III | |
| 16:05 - 16:20 | Awards and Closing | |
| 18:00 - 21:00 | Dinner and live music at the LSU Faculty Club | |
| Saturday, July 18 | Departure |
Speakers
| Speaker | Affiliation | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Patrick Allard | Institute for Society & Genetics at UCLA - USA |  |
| Russell Bonduriansky | UNSW - Sydney, Australia |  |
| Qui Chen | University of Utah - USA |  |
| Sonia de Assis | Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University - USA |  |
| Brian Dias | USC Keck School of Medicine and Children's Hospital - Los Angeles, USA |  |
| Michael Golding | Texas A&M University - USA |  |
| Valérie Grandjean | Université Cote d'Azur/Inserm (C3M) - France |  |
| Eric Greer | Washington University in St. Louis, Washington University Medicine - USA |  |
| Sarah Kimmins | Université de Montréal (and CRCHUM) - Canada | |
| Isabelle Mansuy | University of Zurich and ETH - Zurich, Switzerland |  |
| Eric Miska | University of Cambridge - UK |  |
| Alexander Murashov | Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine - USA |  |
| Benjamin Oldroyd | The University of Sydney - Australia |  |
| Anita Ost | Linköping University - Sweden |  |
| Perrie O'Tierney Ginn | Mother+Baby Institute and Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, both at Tufts University - USA |  |
| Chris Pierce | Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School - USA |  |
| Upasna Sharma | University of California, Santa Cruz - USA |  |
| Mike Skinner | Washington State University - USA |  |
| Yuta Takahashi | Kumamoto University - Japan |  |
| Raffaele Teperino | Helmholtz Munich - Germany |  |
| Fair Vassoler | Tufts University - USA |  |
Presentation Guidelines
Poster Presentation Guidelines
Posters should be printed in A0 format:
- 33.11 x 46.81 inches
- 841 x 1189 mm
Poster should clearly outline the title, authors, affiliations, background, results, and conclusions.
Short Talk Guidelines
Oral presentations will be 5 minutes in length with 5 additional minutes for question/answer (5+5 format).
Oral presenters should clearly highlight the background/significance, rationale, outcome measures, conclusions, and any relevant acknowledgments. Should presenters run over on time, time will be taken away from the question/answer period.
Presentations should be saved as a Microsoft powerpoint file (.ppt) in widescreen format (16:9 ratio). Presentations will be transferred to a local device on the day of presentation.
Registration
The registration fee includes admission to all scientific sessions, coffee breaks and refreshments, and meals (lunch and dinner). Breakfast is provided by the Lod Cook Hotel.
Note that the registration does not cover lodging and travel accommodations. Information on accomodations is under Lodging on this page.
Please direct any questions to gstale1@lsu.edu.
Please complete the form below to submit your registration information. You will then need to click on the Submit Payment for Registration button to submit your payment.
Hotel Information
Overlooking scenic University Lake on the campus of LSU, The Cook Hotel and Conference Center at LSU is a unique boutique hotel in Baton Rouge. We invite you to discover a destination that sets the standard for personalized hospitality. Arriving at the hotel, you are greeted by Spanish Colonial Revival-style architecture framing a charming, elegant lobby featuring marble floors, curated original artwork by renowned Louisiana artists, and warm lighting. Wander outside to explore courtyards dotted with sugar kettle foundations, lush palms, and native Louisiana landscaping. With immaculate, spacious accommodations, breakfast and lunch offerings, and a lively cocktail bar, The Cook Hotel is the ideal business and social hub moments from the top attractions, dining, and nightlife in Baton Rouge.
Travel Information
Air Transportation
Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) is the preferred destination for air travel as it is located 15-20 minutes by car from The Cook Hotel and Conference Center. Participants may also fly into the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), which is ~70 minutes bar car from The Cook Hotel and Conference Center.
Ground Transportation
Upon arrival to Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) or Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), attendees will travel to the Cook Hotel and Conference Center at LSU using any of the provided transportation systems listed below.
Uber/Lyft: Rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft are widely available in the Baton Rouge area and may provide the cheapest means of ground transportation depending on the time of arrival and business of the airport.
Car Rental Services: The BTR airport offers several car rental services available near the baggage claim. Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National offer cars for rental. If you plan to explore the city outside of The Cook Hotel and Conference Center area, a rental car may be useful as public services are limited in the area.
Tiger Airport Shuttle: Also available for transportation from MSY. They offer transportation directly from the airport to the hotel and operate 24/7, but you will need to call ahead to make travel reservations in advance (225)-333-8167 and have flight information available.
Events
The Symposium includes a welcome reception and a closing dinner.
Welcome Reception
Wednesday, July 15 at 18:00
Closing Dinner and Live Music
Friday, July 17 at 18:00 at the LSU Faculty Club