FibroHealth Symposium 2026: Fibrobesity to Health Dimensions - Advancing Multidisciplinary Health Science

The symposium will bring together researchers and clinicians to discuss key findings and future directions in fibrosis and obesity research, as well as the complex multidimensional nature of human health. The event will mark the conclusion of the Fibrobesity Research Programme, celebrating its accomplishments over the past six years, and will inaugurate a new research programme, Health Dimensions, which is a co-organizer of the event. To highlight the connection between the two profiling research programmes, the event theme is "Fibrobesity to Health Dimensions: Advancing Multidisciplinary Health Science."

FibroHealth Symposium 2026 Preliminary Programme

Time: 1.-3.12.2026

Location: Leena Palotie Hall, Kontinkangas Campus/Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu

Address: Aapistie 5, 90220 Oulu, Finland

Registration: TBA

1.12.2026

17.00–19.00 Evening reception at the Oulu Art Museum + Registration

2.12.2026

8.15–9.00 Morning coffee & registration

8.50–9.00 Opening Remarks: Prof. Reetta Hinttala, University of Oulu, Finland, Leader of the Fibrobesity Research Programme

Session 1

9.00–9.15 Fibrobesity Key Recruit: Associate Prof. Eija Pirinen, University of Oulu, Finland

9.15–9.45 Docent Sini Heinonen, University of Helsinki, Finland. Title: "Adipose tissue mitochondria in obesity and weight loss"

9.45–10.15 MD, Arya M. Sharma, University of Alberta, Canada. Preliminary title: Etiology and management of obesity

10.15–10.45 Rapid Oral Presentations (3x10min, selected from abstracts)

10.45–11.15 Coffee break & Posters (30 min)

Session 2

11.15–11.30 Fibrobesity Key Recruit: Associate Prof. Daniela Ungureanu, University of Oulu, Finland

11.30–12.00 Prof. Ville Hietakangas, University of Helsinki, Finland. Preliminary title: "Metabolic gene regulation - from molecular mechanism to physiological outcomes"

12.00–12.30 Prof. Kaisa Lehti, Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU, Norway. Preliminary title: Effect of adipose tissue on cancer therapy

12.30–13.30 Lunch & Posters (1 h)

Session 3

13.30–13.45 Fibrobesity Key Recruit: Assistant Prof. Renata Prunskaite-Hyyryläinen, University of Oulu, Finland

13.45–14.15 Prof. Dr. Dagmar Wachten, University of Bonn, University Hospital, Institute of Innate Immunity, Germany. Preliminary title: "Primary cilia dysfunction in the adipose tissue and beyond"

14.15–14.45 Prof. Donald Gullberg, University of Bergen, Norway. Preliminary title: "Novel models to study integrin alpha11 in fibrosis"

14.45–15.15 Coffee break & Posters (30 min)

Session 4

15.15–15.30 Fibrobesity Key Recruit: Prof. Ali Mobasheri, University of Oulu, Finland.

15.30–16.00 Prof. Chunyi Wen, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong. Preliminary title: Vascular Endothelium in Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis and Management

16.00–16.30 Prof. Dr. Morten Karsdal, CEO and Head of R&D, Nordic Bioscience, Denmark. Preliminary title: Biochemical markers of fibrosis

16.30–16.45 Closing Remarks, Prof. Reetta Hinttala, University of Oulu, Finland, Leader of the Fibrobesity Research Programme

18.30–23.00 Symposium Dinner at the restaurant Veranta

3.12.2026

08.30–09.15 Morning Coffee

09.15-09.30 Opening Remarks, Prof. Eero Kajantie, University of Oulu, Finland, the Leader of the Health Dimensions Research Programme

Session 5

09.30–10.00 Dr. Vincent Prévot, Ph.D, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition Centre, University of Lille, France. Title: "Tanycytes: Bloodhounds of the Metabolic Brain and Guardians of Healthy Aging"

10.00–10.30 Speaker TBA

10.30–11.00 Coffee break (30 min)

Session 6

11.00–11.30 Prof. Mark Ferro, University of Waterloo, Canada. Preliminary Title: "Burden of childhood physical-mental multimorbidity: evidence from Canada"

11.30–12.00 Prof. Kari Anne Evensen, Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU, Norway. Preliminary title: "Motor skills and physical fitness as mediators of lifelong health"

12.00–12.15 Closing Remarks, Prof. Eero Kajantie, University of Oulu, Finland, the Leader of the Health Dimensions Research Programme