Speakers
Confirmed Speakers & Experts
Prof. Albena Jordanova
Prof. Dr. Albena Yordanova is one of the world's leading scientists in molecular neurogenetics and the recipient of the prestigious 2025 Belgian Generet Award, worth €1 million, for her groundbreaking research on rare diseases. She is Professor of Molecular Neuroscience at the University of Antwerp and Principal Investigator at the Flemish Institute of Biotechnology (VIB), Belgium, where she leads the Molecular Neurogenomics Group. In Bulgaria, she is a member of the National Genetics Laboratory and a co-founder of the Center for Molecular Medicine at the Medical University of Sofia. Her research focuses on the discovery and characterization of genes responsible for inherited neurological disorders, as well as genetic studies in isolated and inbred populations.
Prof. Patrick Varga-Weisz
Prof. Patrick Varga-Weisz is an internationally recognized expert in epigenetics and chromatin biology, whose pioneering research has significantly advanced our understanding of how genome organization regulates gene expression, stem cell function, ageing, and host–microbiome interactions.
Prof. Varga-Weisz is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Essex, United Kingdom. Previously, he led a research group at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, where he made seminal contributions to the field of chromatin remodeling and epigenetic inheritance. His current research focuses on the molecular mechanisms by which chromatin dynamics and the gut microbiota influence gene regulation, tissue homeostasis, and disease.
Dr. Julien Thevenon
Dr. Julien Thevenon MD, is an internationally recognized expert in clinical genetics and rare developmental disorders, whose research has significantly contributed to the discovery of genetic causes underlying neurodevelopmental diseases and congenital anomalies.
Dr. Thevenon is an Inserm researcher at the Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB; Inserm/CNRS/Université Grenoble Alpes), a clinical geneticist at Grenoble Alpes University Hospital, France, and coordinator of a Centre of excellence for rare diseases with developmental abnormalities and malformation syndromes, within the AnDDI-Rare (French rare diseases network). He leads research activities in translational genomics, focusing on the identification and interpretation of disease-causing genetic variants and the integration of genomic data into clinical practice.
Dr. Seyit Kale
Dr. Seyit Kale is an internationally recognized computational biophysicist and epigenetics researcher whose work combines molecular modeling, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying chromatin organization, rare diseases, and gene regulation.
Dr. Kale is Principal Investigator and head of the Omics and Computational Biophysics Group at the Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Türkiye. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms that regulate chromatin structure and epigenetic inheritance, as well as the development of computational approaches for the design of therapeutic small molecules, peptides, and antibodies.
Prof. George A. Garinis
Prof. George A. Garinis is an internationally recognized expert in molecular genetics, genome stability, and the biology of ageing, whose pioneering research has provided important insights into the mechanisms linking DNA damage, genome maintenance, and human disease.
Prof. Garinis is Professor at the University of Crete and a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB–FORTH), Greece, where he leads a research group focused on gene regulation and epigenetics. His research explores how defects in DNA repair pathways and transcriptional regulation contribute to genome instability, premature ageing, developmental disorders, and age-related diseases.
Prof. Christophe Arnoult
Prof. Christophe Arnoult is an internationally recognized expert in reproductive biology, male infertility, and genetic diseases affecting human reproduction. His pioneering research has contributed significantly to the understanding of sperm development, fertilization mechanisms, and the molecular causes of inherited reproductive disorders.
Prof. Arnoult is Research Director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and leads research activities at the Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB) at the University of Grenoble, France. His work focuses on the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying human fertility, with particular emphasis on sperm function, ion channels involved in sperm motility, and the identification of genetic causes of male infertility.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irena Bradinova
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irena Bradinova is a recognized expert in medical genetics and clinical genomics, whose work has contributed significantly to the diagnosis, management, and prevention of hereditary diseases and rare genetic disorders.
Assoc. Prof. Bradinova is Head of the National Genetic Laboratory at the University Hospital for Obstetrics and Gynecology “Maichin Dom” in Sofia and Assistant Professor at the Medical University of Sofia. Her clinical and research activities focus on genetic counselling, molecular diagnosis, prenatal and newborn screening, and the interpretation of complex genetic findings in patients and families affected by inherited conditions.
Gogo Krastev
Mr. Gogo Krastev is an experienced leader in the biopharmaceutical industry with a strong focus on innovative medicines, rare diseases, and improving patient access to advanced therapies. Through his work in the pharmaceutical sector, he helps bridge scientific innovation and healthcare systems and supports the introduction of novel treatments for patients with unmet medical needs.
Mr. Krastev is Country Lead at GENESIS Pharma Bulgaria, where he is responsible for driving the company’s strategic activities and expanding access to innovative biopharmaceutical solutions in the Bulgarian healthcare environment. GENESIS Pharma specializes in the commercialization of innovative therapies, with a particular focus on rare and chronic diseases across multiple therapeutic areas, including neurology, genetic diseases, oncology, hematology, and other specialized fields.
Dr. Nikolay Vassev
Dr. Nikolay Vassev is an experienced healthcare and technology leader with a strong focus on the intersection of artificial intelligence, preventive medicine, and digital health innovation. His work is dedicated to leveraging emerging technologies to improve healthcare decision-making, enable personalized approaches, and address major challenges in disease prevention and management.
Dr. Vassev is Chief Operating Officer of Epix AI, a company developing AI-driven solutions at the intersection of healthcare, biotechnology, and data science. His professional background combines expertise in European healthcare policy, health systems, pharmaceutical innovation, and strategic development of technology-based healthcare solutions.
Prof. Albena Jordanova
Prof. Dr. Albena Yordanova is one of the world's leading scientists in molecular neurogenetics and the recipient of the prestigious 2025 Belgian Generet Award, worth €1 million, for her groundbreaking research on rare diseases. She is Professor of Molecular Neuroscience at the University of Antwerp and Principal Investigator at the Flemish Institute of Biotechnology (VIB), Belgium, where she leads the Molecular Neurogenomics Group. In Bulgaria, she is a member of the National Genetics Laboratory and a co-founder of the Center for Molecular Medicine at the Medical University of Sofia. Her research focuses on the discovery and characterization of genes responsible for inherited neurological disorders, as well as genetic studies in isolated and inbred populations.
Prof. Patrick Varga-Weisz
Prof. Patrick Varga-Weisz is an internationally recognized expert in epigenetics and chromatin biology, whose pioneering research has significantly advanced our understanding of how genome organization regulates gene expression, stem cell function, ageing, and host–microbiome interactions.
Prof. Varga-Weisz is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Essex, United Kingdom. Previously, he led a research group at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, where he made seminal contributions to the field of chromatin remodeling and epigenetic inheritance. His current research focuses on the molecular mechanisms by which chromatin dynamics and the gut microbiota influence gene regulation, tissue homeostasis, and disease.
Dr. Julien Thevenon
Dr. Julien Thevenon MD, is an internationally recognized expert in clinical genetics and rare developmental disorders, whose research has significantly contributed to the discovery of genetic causes underlying neurodevelopmental diseases and congenital anomalies.
Dr. Thevenon is an Inserm researcher at the Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB; Inserm/CNRS/Université Grenoble Alpes), a clinical geneticist at Grenoble Alpes University Hospital, France, and coordinator of a Centre of excellence for rare diseases with developmental abnormalities and malformation syndromes, within the AnDDI-Rare (French rare diseases network). He leads research activities in translational genomics, focusing on the identification and interpretation of disease-causing genetic variants and the integration of genomic data into clinical practice.
Dr. Seyit Kale
Dr. Seyit Kale is an internationally recognized computational biophysicist and epigenetics researcher whose work combines molecular modeling, high-performance computing, and artificial intelligence to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying chromatin organization, rare diseases, and gene regulation.
Dr. Kale is Principal Investigator and head of the Omics and Computational Biophysics Group at the Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG), Türkiye. His research focuses on the molecular mechanisms that regulate chromatin structure and epigenetic inheritance, as well as the development of computational approaches for the design of therapeutic small molecules, peptides, and antibodies.
Prof. George A. Garinis
Prof. George A. Garinis is an internationally recognized expert in molecular genetics, genome stability, and the biology of ageing, whose pioneering research has provided important insights into the mechanisms linking DNA damage, genome maintenance, and human disease.
Prof. Garinis is Professor at the University of Crete and a Principal Investigator at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB–FORTH), Greece, where he leads a research group focused on gene regulation and epigenetics. His research explores how defects in DNA repair pathways and transcriptional regulation contribute to genome instability, premature ageing, developmental disorders, and age-related diseases.
Prof. Christophe Arnoult
Prof. Christophe Arnoult is an internationally recognized expert in reproductive biology, male infertility, and genetic diseases affecting human reproduction. His pioneering research has contributed significantly to the understanding of sperm development, fertilization mechanisms, and the molecular causes of inherited reproductive disorders.
Prof. Arnoult is Research Director at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and leads research activities at the Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB) at the University of Grenoble, France. His work focuses on the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying human fertility, with particular emphasis on sperm function, ion channels involved in sperm motility, and the identification of genetic causes of male infertility.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irena Bradinova
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irena Bradinova is a recognized expert in medical genetics and clinical genomics, whose work has contributed significantly to the diagnosis, management, and prevention of hereditary diseases and rare genetic disorders.
Assoc. Prof. Bradinova is Head of the National Genetic Laboratory at the University Hospital for Obstetrics and Gynecology “Maichin Dom” in Sofia and Assistant Professor at the Medical University of Sofia. Her clinical and research activities focus on genetic counselling, molecular diagnosis, prenatal and newborn screening, and the interpretation of complex genetic findings in patients and families affected by inherited conditions.
Gogo Krastev
Mr. Gogo Krastev is an experienced leader in the biopharmaceutical industry with a strong focus on innovative medicines, rare diseases, and improving patient access to advanced therapies. Through his work in the pharmaceutical sector, he helps bridge scientific innovation and healthcare systems and supports the introduction of novel treatments for patients with unmet medical needs.
Mr. Krastev is Country Lead at GENESIS Pharma Bulgaria, where he is responsible for driving the company’s strategic activities and expanding access to innovative biopharmaceutical solutions in the Bulgarian healthcare environment. GENESIS Pharma specializes in the commercialization of innovative therapies, with a particular focus on rare and chronic diseases across multiple therapeutic areas, including neurology, genetic diseases, oncology, hematology, and other specialized fields.
Dr. Nikolay Vassev
Dr. Nikolay Vassev is an experienced healthcare and technology leader with a strong focus on the intersection of artificial intelligence, preventive medicine, and digital health innovation. His work is dedicated to leveraging emerging technologies to improve healthcare decision-making, enable personalized approaches, and address major challenges in disease prevention and management.
Dr. Vassev is Chief Operating Officer of Epix AI, a company developing AI-driven solutions at the intersection of healthcare, biotechnology, and data science. His professional background combines expertise in European healthcare policy, health systems, pharmaceutical innovation, and strategic development of technology-based healthcare solutions.
Departments