Join us for on June 24th 09:00 - 12:30 CEST for a special public symposium of the Horizon Europe project ID-DarkMatter-NCD, bringing together leading international researchers to explore the hidden immune mechanisms that contribute to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis.
During this interactive online event, experts from across Europe will present the latest findings from the DarkMatter project, including:
- New insights into the causes and mechanisms of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
- Advances in immunology, immunogenetics, and disease prediction
- The role of infections, environmental factors, and immune responses in disease development
- Emerging approaches for identifying disease triggers and improving patient care
- Cross-disease perspectives that connect discoveries across multiple conditions
The symposium is open to researchers, healthcare professionals, patient representatives, students, policy makers, and anyone interested in the future of health research.
We look forward to welcoming you online and sharing the latest discoveries from the DarkMatter project.
Featured Speakers and Sessions
09:00 – Welcome and Introduction
- Gunilla Karlsson Hedestam (Karolinska Institutet, Sweden)
- Opening remarks
09:05 – Uncovering Dark Matter in Immune-Mediated Diseases
- Thomas Vogl (Medical University of Vienna, Austria)
- The DarkMatter Project: Vision, Strategy and Scientific Approach
09:15 – Decoding Rheumatoid Arthritis: Insights from DarkMatter
- Diane van der Woude (Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands)
09:35 – Autoreactive Immune Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications
- Vivianne Malmström (Karolinska Institutet, Sweden)
10:05 – Understanding Inflammatory Bowel Disease Through DarkMatter Research
- Rinse Weersma (University Medical Center Groningen, Netherlands)
10:25 – Immunogenetics in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: From Risk to Mechanism
- Martin Corcoran (Karolinska Institutet, Sweden)
11:05 – Multiple Sclerosis in Focus: New Insights from DarkMatter
- Anne-Katrin Pröbstel (University of Basel, Switzerland)
11:25 – Autoreactive Cells in Multiple Sclerosis: Pathogenic Drivers and Therapeutic Target
- Olivia Thomas (Karolinska Institutet, Sweden)
11:55 – HLA Fine-Mapping Across Autoimmune Diseases: New Signals from DarkMatter
- Lilla Magyar (Biological Research Centre, Hungary)
12:15 – Pulling It All Together: Cross-Disease Insights and the Months Ahead
- Thomas Vogl (Medical University of Vienna, Austria)
12:20 – Public Q&A and Open Discussion
Why Attend?
This symposium offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from leading European experts working at the forefront of autoimmune and inflammatory disease research. Discover how the DarkMatter project is uncovering hidden disease mechanisms and advancing our understanding of rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and related immune-mediated conditions.
👉 Register here & stay tuned for the full agenda and speaker announcements.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0DwY5WZhCMN-t6hkRrQpfIU8udWbS7Q8NHZJIgixAQ9b5rQ/viewform