PNIRS | Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society | 2026
| Day 1 – April 13, 2026 (Monday) | ||
| 08:00 - 15:00 | Mini-course 1 |
Advances in behavioral and cognitive analysis in models of neuropsychiatric diseases Dra. Aline Silva de Miranda – UFMG |
| 08:00 - 15:00 | Mini-course 2 |
Cell culture: focus on neurodegenerative diseases Dra. Vivian Vasconcelos Costa – UFMG |
| 08:00 - 15:00 | Mini-course 3 |
Lipid analysis as a tool to understand neuropsychiatric alterations Dr. George Eduardo Gabriel Kluck – UFMG |
| 15:00 - 16:00 | Registration | |
| 16:00 - 16:40 | Opening Cerimony |
Dra. Sandra Regina Goulart, Rector at UFMG Dr. Fernando Marcos Reis, Vice-Rector for Research at UFMG Dra. Isabela Pordeus, Vice-Rector for Graduate Studies at UFMG Dr. Bruno Otávio Soares Teixeira, Vice-Rector for Undergraduate Studies at UFMG (tbd), Representative from FAPEMIG Dra. Aline Silva de Miranda (UFMG), event coordinator Dra. Elisa Caetano-Silva (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA), PNIRS Representative for Ibero-America Dra. Ruth M Barrientos (The Ohio State University, OH, USA), PNIRS President |
| 16:40 - 17:00 | Introduction to PNIRS Ibero-America |
Dra. Elisa Caetano-Silva (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA) Dra. Ruth M Barrientos (The Ohio State University, OH, USA) |
| 17:00 - 18:00 | Keynote Lecture 1 |
Opioid-induced post-operative cognitive dysfunction in aging: Long-term effects on neuronal structure and function. Dra. Ruth Barrientos (The Ohio State University, OH, USA) |
| 18:30 - 20:30 | Opening Reception | |
| Day 2 – April 14, 2026 (Tuesday) | ||
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Thematic Session: Psychology / Neuropsychiatry Chair: Dra. Eliana Cristina de Brito Toscano (Federal University of Juiz de Fora - UFJF) |
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| 08:30 - 09:30 | Keynote Lecture 2 |
Peripheral biomarkers as a window to the bipolar brain Dr. Antônio Lúcio Teixeira (University of Texas, TX, USA) |
| 09:30 - 10:00 | Lecture 3 |
Be Translational! Biomarkers and Cellular Biology in Clinical Neuropsychiatry Dra. Erica Leandro Marciano Vieira (CAMH - University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada) |
| 10:00 - 10:30 | Lecture 4 |
Role of microglial/macrophage CD300f immune receptor in psychiatric conditions Dr. Hugo Pellufo (Universitat de Barcelona, Espanha / Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Uruguai) |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | Coffee Break | |
| 11:00 - 11:30 | Lecture 5 |
Neuro-Immune-endocrine Dysregulation and Chronic Infectious Diseases: Lessons from Chagas Disease Dra. Ana Rosa Perez (Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina) |
| 11:30 - 12:10 | Oral presentations – best abstracts | |
| 12:10 - 13:30 | Lunch break | |
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Thematic Session: Immunology Chair: Dra. Vivian Vasconcelos Costa (Federal University of Minas Gerais – UFMG) |
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| 13:30 - 14:30 | Keynote Lecture 3 |
Neuroimmunology of substance abuse Dr. Moisés Evandro Bauer (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul - PUCRS) |
| 14:30 - 15:10 | Oral presentations – best abstracts | |
| 15:10 - 15:40 | Lecture 7 |
Neuroimmunology of Traumatic Brain Injury Dr. Jonathan Godbout (The Ohio State University, OH, USA) |
| 15:40 - 16:10 | Coffee Break | |
| 16:10 - 16:40 | Lecture 8 |
Molecular cross-talk and Signal Specificity in hormone and cytokine communication networks Dr. Licio Velloso (University of Campinas – UNICAMP, Brazil) |
| 16:40 - 17:10 | Lecture 9 |
Dietary fiber and short-chain fatty acids: modulating age-related microglial cell dysfunction in the gut-brain axis Dra. Elisa Caetano-Silva (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA) |
| 17:10 - 18:10 | Poster session | |
| Day 3 – April 15, 2026 (Wednesday) | ||
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Thematic Session: Basic and Translational Neuroscience Chair: Dra. Elisa Caetano-Silva (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA) |
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| 08:30 - 09:30 | Keynote Lecture 4 |
Neuroendocrine Control of Cellular Interactions in the Thymus Dr. Wilson Savino (Instituto Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) |
| 09:30 - 10:00 | Lecture 11 |
A life course approach to unravelling the role of neuroinflammation in Dementia Dr. Diego Gomez-Nicola (University of Southampton, Reino Unido) |
| 10:00 - 10:30 | Lecture 12 |
Biomarkers in Neurodegenerative disorders: applicability in Daygnosis, staging, and treatment guidance. Dra. Natalia Pessoa Rocha (University of Texas, TX, USA) |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | Coffee Break | |
| 11:00 - 11:30 | Lecture 13 |
The impact of chronic inflammation on the brain: Investigations of asthma as a risk factor for dementia Dra. Melissa Rosenkranz (University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA) |
| 11:30 - 12:10 | Oral presentations – best abstracts | |
| 12:10 - 13:30 | Lunch break | |
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Thematic Session: Advancing Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) in Minas Gerais Chair: Dra. Aline Silva de Miranda (Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG, Brazil) |
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| 13:30 - 13:50 | Lecture 14 |
Neuropsychiatric and Neuromuscular Sequelae in Experimental Models of Post-Viral Syndromes Dra. Vivian Vasconcelos Costa (Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG, Brazil) |
| 13:50 - 14:10 | Lecture 15 |
Proteinopathies in temporal lobe epilepsy: a neuroimmune view Dra. Eliana Cristina de Brito Toscano (Federal University of Juiz de Fora - UFJF, Brazil) |
| 14:10 - 14:30 | Lecture 16 |
Neuro-Immune-Metabolic Mechanisms of Sepsis: Therapeutic Perspectives Dra. Daniela Caldeira Costa Calsavara (Federal University of Ouro Preto - UFOP, Brazil) |
| 14:30 - 14:50 | Lecture 17 |
Cardiotonic Steroids and Derivatives: Actions in the Nervous System and Therapeutic Perspectives Dra. Luciana Estefani Drumond de Carvalho (Federal University of São João Del Rei- UFSJ, Brazil) |
| 14:50 - 15:10 | Lecture 18 | To be defined |
| 15:10 - 15:30 | Lecture 19 |
Targeting the epichaperome to improve behavioral deficits in mouse models of synucleinopathies Dra. Aline Silva de Miranda (Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG, Brazil) |
| 15:30 - 16:00 | Round Table |
Strengthening psychoneuroimmunology in Minas Gerais through internationalization and regional collaboration Dra. Aline Silva de Miranda (Co-chair PNIRS Ibero-America, UFMG, Brazil) Dra. Vivian Vasconcelos Costa (UFMG, Brazil) Dra. Eliana Cristina de Brito Toscano (UFJF, Brazil) Dra. Daniela Caldeira Costa Calsavara (UFOP, Brazil) Dra. Luciana Estefani Drumond de Carvalho (UFSJ, Brazil) Guest, to be defined |
| 16:30 - 17:00 | Coffee Break | |
| 17:00 - 18:00 | Poster session | |
| Day 4 – April 16, 2026 (Thursday) | ||
| 08:30 - 09:30 | Keynote Lecture 5 |
Stress pathways to disease - Role of Inflammation Dr. Nicolas Rohleder (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Alemanha) |
| 09:30 - 10:10 | Oral presentations – best abstract | |
| 10:10 - 11:10 | Round Table |
Academic career development: challenges and opportunities for student exchange between Brazilian (Minas Gerais) and international universities Dra. Aline Silva de Miranda (Co-chair PNIRS Ibero-America, UFMG, Brazil) Dra. Elisa Caetano-Silva (Co-chair PNIRS Ibero-America, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA) Dra. Ruth M Barrientos (Co-chair PNIRS Ibero-America, The Ohio State University, OH, USA) Dra. Vivian Vasconcelos Costa (UFMG, Brazil) Dra. Eliana Cristina de Brito Toscano (UFJF, Brazil) Dr. Hugo Pellufo (Universitat de Barcelona, Espanha/Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Uruguai) |
| 11:10 - 12:00 | Award Ceremony and Closing Session | |