4-7 November 2025
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY- CURRENT ASPECTS AND PROSPECTS
Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania, Romania
4-7 November 2025
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY- CURRENT ASPECTS AND PROSPECTS
Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania, Romania
4-7 November 2025
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY- CURRENT ASPECTS AND PROSPECTS
Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania, Romania
4-7 November 2025
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY- CURRENT ASPECTS AND PROSPECTS
Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania, Romania
Researchers all around the world together
Who are we?
Our journey began in November 2015 with the inaugural International Conference: Molecular Biology- Current Aspects and Prospects , held in the heart of Transylvania, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. If you'd like to explore the story behind our first conference, follow the link below.
Now, a decade later, we return stronger and more inspired than ever. Rebranded as the Science and Research Association, also known as ScienceOngoing, we are thrilled to present the second edition of this conference: ICMB 2025.
But this time, our vision goes beyond repeating history. While we aim to preserve some of the memorable aspects of our first event, ICMB 2025 is designed to be a springboard for the future. Our mission? To unite the brightest minds in molecular biology, from seasoned experts to passionate young researchers, fostering groundbreaking collaborations and driving advancements in the field.
Whether you’re a student or a researcher fueled by your love for molecular biology, ICMB 2025 is the place to be. Let’s come together in Cluj-Napoca to shape the future of science and innovation.
We can’t wait to meet you all this year in the vibrant city of Cluj-Napoca!
Main topics:
Molecular Biology (Current aspects and Prospects) on
- Microorganisms
- Plants
- Animals
Sub-topics:
- Stem cells and regenerative medicine
- Epigenetics and gene regulation
- Molecular pathways
- Cellular communication and microenvironments
- Cancer and developmental pathways
- Molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions
- Immunology across domains of life
- Antimicrobial strategies and resistance mechanisms
- Comparative genomics and evolutionary biology
- Cellular signaling and regulatory networks
- Synthetic biology and biotechnological application
Confirmed speakers
Microorganisms
Keynote Speakers
- -
Speakers
- Prof. Dr. Teresa Frisan, Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Assist. Prof. Dr. Roey Angel, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Prof. Dr. Horia Banciu, Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Dr. Bogdan Druga, Director of the Institute of Biological Research Cluj, Romania
- Dr. Oana Teodora Moldovan, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology (Romanian Academy), Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Prof. Dr. Marius Mihășan, Faculty of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Romania
Plants
Keynote Speakers
Speakers
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dorina Podar, Faculty of Biology and Geology, UBB, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Diana M. Buzas, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Tsukuba-Plant Innovation Research Center, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
- Prof. Dr. Carmen Socaciu, Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Animals
Keynote Speakers
Speakers
- Prof. Dr. Fulvio Mario Reggiori, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Prof. Dr. Manuela Banciu, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, UBB, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Prof. Dr. Patriciu-Andrei Achimaș-Cadariu, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy and Institute of Oncology "Prof dr. Ion Chiricuta" Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Dr. Gabriel Ichim, Centre for Cancer Research (CRCL), Lyon, France
- Dr. Ana-Maria Cujba, NovoSTAR postdoc @ Cambridge University, UK
- Dr. Vlad Cojocaru, STAR-UBB Institute, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Partners
Here are our partners who helped us gather and organize our conference. Thank you for your support!
Media Partners
Schedule details
Program
TUESDAY 04.11.2025
| Time | Session | Talk / Activity | Speaker | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08:00–09:30 | Registration | Reception for registration | AULA MAGNA, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 09:30–09:45 | Opening | ICMB2025 opening ceremony | AULA MAGNA, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| Session 1: Molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions | ||||
| 09:45–10:25 | Session 1 | Genotoxins at the Crossroads of Infection, Inflammation, and Cancer | Teresa Frisan | Zoom/ Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 10:25–10:55 | Session 1 | Genotypic-Phenotypic correlation of resistance mechanism in Salmonella Typhi clinical isolates | Punit Kaur | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 10:55–11:15 | Break | Coffee break | Foayer Aula Magna | |
| 11:15–12:05 | Session 1 | (Keynote) Towards an understanding of root microbiome assembly in model plants and crops: findings from studies using complex bacterial communities | Simona Radutoiu | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 12:10–13:00 | Break | Lunch | CLUB Hall | |
| 13:05–14:05 | Session 1 | Equal opportunities in academia (Non‑scientific talk) | Teresa Frisan | Zoom/ Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| Session 2: Stem cells and regenerative medicine | ||||
| 14:05–14:10 | Session 2 | Session introduction | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 14:10–14:40 | Session 2 | Human vascular cells in health and disease | Ana‑Maria Cujba | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 14:40–14:55 | Session 2 | Epigenetic Regulation and the Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Optic Nerve Regeneration | Antonia‑Ioana Balcu | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 14:55–15:35 | Session 2 | Molecular simulations shed light on key functions of biomolecules | Vlad Cojocaru | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 15:35–15:55 | Break | Coffee break | Foyer Aula Magna | |
| Session 3: Cellular signaling and regulatory networks | ||||
| 15:55–16:00 | Session 3 | Session introduction | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 16:00–16:20 | Session 3 | The impact of intestinal inflammation on nutritional status: A case study of Romanian pediatric patients | Ioana‑Maria Crasan | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 16:20–16:40 | Session 3 | Ionic liquids as switchers of plant secondary metabolism | Leonor Duarte Margalha | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 16:40–16:55 | Session 3 | Structural insights into small protein glycation | Darius Rus | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 16:55–17:25 | Session 3 | Seeing the impossible: How to win a Nobel Prize (short talk) | Tim Hunt | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 17:25–17:55 | Meet & Greet | Meet & Greet with Tim Hunt | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 17:45–19:00 | Break+Transfer | Transfer to festive Dinner | ||
| 19:00 – 21:00 | Festive Dinner | Participation is based on the registration list. List is CLOSED | Location will be sent by email | |
| 21:00-23.00 | Networking | |||
Note: Lunch, dinner (except Tuesday dinner), and poster sessions will take place at 1 Emmanuel de Martonne Street, in the CLUB Hall — same building as Auditorium Maximum.
WEDNESDAY 05.11.2025
Note: Lunch, dinner (except Tuesday dinner), and poster sessions will take place at 1 Emmanuel de Martonne Street, in the CLUB Hall — same building as Auditorium Maximum.
| Time | Session | Talk / Activity | Speaker | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00–10:30 | SMART DIASPORA | Satoru, Bela, and the Futile Cycle | Tim Hunt | Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, 58–60 Teodor Mihali St., Victor Jinga Hall |
| 10:30–11:15 | Break | Coffee break and transfer | Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, 58–60 Teodor Mihali St. | |
| Session 4: Molecular pathways | ||||
| 11:15–11:20 | Session 4 | Session introduction | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 11:15–13:00 | Workshop | Career kickstart hours | CLUB Hall | |
| 11:20–12:00 | Session 4 | Integrative analysis of plant and microbial adaptation to mercury contamination: From native colonizers to rhizosphere functional resilience | Dorina Podar | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 12:00–12:15 | Session 4 | GBA1 Mutations in Parkinson’s Disease: From Cellular Pathways to Therapeutic Strategies | Alex‑Gabriel Beilic | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 12:15–12:30 | Session 4 | From Gene to Symptoms: Mutations Driving MELAS Pathogenesis | Alexandra Sochirca | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 12:30–13:30 | Break | Lunch | CLUB Hall | |
| 13:30–13:50 | Session 4 | Cellular Uptake and Anti‑Inflammatory Actions of Resveratrol in RPE Cells under Hyperglycemia‑Like Conditions | Roxana Pop | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 13:50–14:30 | Session 4 | The selective degradation of aggregates by autophagy | Fulvio Mario Reggiori | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 14:30–14:45 | Session 4 | The Role of Proteasome Inhibition in Overcoming Immunotherapy Resistance in Multiple Myeloma | Andrada Ioana Balmez | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| Session 5: Immunology across domains of life | ||||
| 14:45–14:50 | Session 5 | Session introduction | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 14:50–15:40 | Session 5 | (Keynote) Trained immunity: a memory for innate host defense | Mihai Netea | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 15:40–15:50 | Session 5 | Sponsor talk Zeiss: Seeing More with Less Light: The Power of ZEISS LSM 990 Lightfield Microscopy | Cicerone Tudor Business Developper/PASS EMEA, ZEISS Research Microscopy Solutions | Zoom/Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 15:50–16:05 | Session 5 | Beyond the Bloodstream: Comparative STR and NGS Chimerism Analysis of Peritoneal Fluid in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation | Rabia Tuana Lekesiz | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 16:05–16:25 | Break | Coffee break | CLUB Hall | |
| Session 6: Synthetic biology and biotechnological application | ||||
| 16:25–16:30 | Session 6 | Session introduction | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 16:30–17:10 | Session 6 | Shaping Evolution: Phytoplankton Adaptation as a Biotechnological Resource | Bogdan Druga | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 17:10–17:30 | Session 6 | CRISPR/Dcas9 Long‑Term Transcriptional Activation of Hepatic Apolipoprotein A‑I and Paraoxonase 1 to Improve HDL Function | Jessica Ciobanu | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 17:30–18:10 | Session 6 | Metabolomics in the context of personalized nutrition | Carmen Socaciu | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 18:10–18:30 | Session 6 | Bioconversion‑based strategy for enhancing 6‑hydroxy‑L‑nicotine production using recombinant Paenarthrobacter nicotinovorans strains | Tiberius Munteanu | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 18:30–18:50 | Flash Talks | Flash Talks | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 18:50–19:50 | Break | Dinner | CLUB Hall | |
| 19:50–21:30 | Poster session | Poster session & mingle | CLUB Hall | |
THURSDAY 06.11.2025
Note: Lunch, dinner (except Tuesday dinner), and poster sessions will take place at 1 Emmanuel de Martonne Street, in the CLUB Hall — same building as Auditorium Maximum.
| Time | Session | Talk / Activity | Speaker | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Session 7A: Cellular communication and microenvironments | ||||
| 09:00–09:05 | Session 7A | Session introduction | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 09:05–09:55 | Session 7A | (Keynote) Heavy metal tolerance and hyperaccumulation in plants | Ute Kramer | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 09:55–10:15 | Session 7A | Ground truth: designing a soil mock community | Andreea Mihaela Mlesnita | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 10:00-12:00 | Workshop | Exploring OmicSoft Suite: Accessing and Analyzing Curated Omics Data Through OPI | Senior Bioinformatician Andrei Alexsson | CLUB Hall |
| 10:15–10:55 | Session 7A | Partnering with the tumor microenvironment in melanoma treatment | Manuela Banciu | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 10:55–11:20 | Break | Coffee break | CLUB Hall | |
| 11:20–12:00 | Session 7A | With a little help from my friends: the biogeochemical role of the millipede gut microbiome | Roey Angel | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 12:00–12:20 | Flash Talks | Flash talks | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 12:20–13:20 | Break | Lunch | CLUB Hall | |
| Session 7B: Cellular communication and microenvironments | ||||
| 13:20–14:00 | Session 7B | What is hidden behind the unseen | Oana Moldovan | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 14:00–14:20 | Session 7B | Glucosinolate distribution across two Brassicaceae plant species and their impact on bacterial communities in roots | Andra-Octavia Roman | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 14:20–15:00 | Session 7B | Ten sustainability lessons from studying the hypersaline permanently stratified lakes | Horia Banciu | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 15:00–15:30 | Break | Coffee break | CLUB Hall | |
| Session 8: Epigenetics and gene regulation | ||||
| 15:30–15:35 | Session 8 | Session introduction | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 15:35–15:55 | Session 8 | (Bio Zyme SRL/Zymo Research): Every Sample Has A Story – DNA/RNA Shield™ for reliable Sample Collection & Nucleic Acid Preservation | Ms. Anneli Kadel, Research Associate | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 15:55–16:25 | Session 8 | Expanding the functional repertoire: alternative splicing in the MATH-BTB family of proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana | Dunja Leljak-Levanic | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 16:25 – 16:45 | Session 8 | Filara BioMed talk | TBA | |
| 16:45–17:25 | Session 8 | Beyond a DNA-centric world: lessons from the garden | Diana Buzas | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 17:25 – 17:40 | Session 8 | (‘Dan Voiculescu’ Foundation): Cellular Longevity and Functional Mapping of the Human Body: The Longevity Map Model | Coman Andreea Delia | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 17:40 – 18:00 | Session 8 | InLAB- Science for Community (presentation by Science and Research Association) + hands-on session | ||
| 18:00–19:00 | Break | Dinner | CLUB Hall | |
| 19:10–20:30 | Poster Session | Poster session & mingle | CLUB Hall | |
| 20:30– | Network activity | PUB Quizz | CLEO, 35, Clinicilor Str. | |
FRIDAY 07.11.2025
Note: Lunch, dinner (except Tuesday dinner), and poster sessions will take place at 1 Emmanuel de Martonne Street, in the CLUB Hall — same building as Auditorium Maximum.
| Time | Session | Talk / Activity | Speaker | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Session 9: Cancer and developmental pathways | ||||
| 09:00–09:05 | Session 9 | Session introduction | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 09:05–09:45 | Session 9 | Apoptosis Gone Wrong: How Failing to Die Fuels Cancer Persistence | Gabriel Ichim | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 09:45–10:00 | Session 9 | Therapeutic Potential Of Xenorhodopsin: Inward Proton Pump As Antitumor Remedy | Anastasiia Balanutsa | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 10:00–10:20 | Session 9 | Fibrillarin-dependent 2′-O-methylation modulates RPS28 ribosome incorporation and oncogenic translation | Paula Groza | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 10:20–10:40 | Session 9 | TBA | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 10:40–11:00 | Break | Coffee break | ||
| 11:00–11:30 | Session 9 | 3DP-Jmol: Bridging Structural Bioinformatics and Physical Models for Teaching and Outreach | Marius Mihasan | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 11:30–12:30 | Workshop | A Practical Introduction to 3DP-Jmol and 3D Printing | Marius Mihasan | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor |
| 12:30–13:00 | Closing | Closing Ceremony | Augustin Maior Hall, Faculty of Physics, 1 Mihail Kogălniceanu St. — 2nd floor | |
| 15:00–17:00 | Visit | Visit to Herbarium | ||
Get in touch with us
Sponsors
In case you would like to sponsor our conference, we offer several packages depending on the amount you are willing to provide. Depending on the package we can offer you various opportunities to promote your company and your products during our conference.
Please, do not hesitate to contact us for any queries or if you want to discuss a personalised offer. Our email: icmb2025@stiinta-cercetare.ro.
Please, take into consideration that a limited number of sponsors will be allowed to bring their own products. They will be selected on ”first come, first served” principle.
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Why attend ICMB 2025
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