Scope & Vision
Neurodegenerative diseases and dementia are a dramatic burden for our aging societies. While the age-associated demise of neurons leading to dementia has been intensively studied for decades, the individual causes of degeneration are not fully understood. Consequently, causative therapies or a cure are still missing.
Although dementia-associated diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Frontotemporal Dementia exhibit substantial heterogeneity at multiple levels – including genetics and affected brain regions – an increasing number of shared mechanistic pathways are being identified.
For instance, most Alzheimer’s disease cases are currently described as mixed pathologies, as they involve the deposition of several proteins that are found in various types of neurodegenerative disorders; examples are the deposition of amyloid beta, tau, alpha-synuclein, or TDP-43.
The Herrenhausen Conference “Rethinking Neurodegeneration – Challenging established paradigms and exploring new paths” aims to address these complexities from a broad and interdisciplinary perspective. It will provide an unbiased perspective on neurodegeneration, the multifactorial risk factors, and aging from the standpoint of molecular and cellular biology as well as human genetics, epidemiology, and clinical research.
It will bring together experts in neurodegeneration, dementia and aging research to present their perspectives, creating a unique opportunity for new and unprecedented synergies. Moreover, this conference aims to move beyond the beaten paths, encouraging broader perspectives and outside-the-box thinking, potentially driving a paradigm shift. Given that neurodegeneration and dementia are multifactorial and age-associated conditions, they need to be explored accordingly.
The conference also includes contributions from early career researchers and encourages young scientists to broaden their perspectives on long-standing medical challenges.
In many ways, “Rethinking Neurodegeneration – Challenging established paradigms and exploring new paths” reflects the spirit of the famous quote attributed to Max Planck:
Scientific Organizer
Christian Behl
Director of the Institute of Pathobiochemistry & Head of the Department of Preclinical Medicine
University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Founder, ni2n – Network for Interdisciplinarity and Innovation in Neurodegeneration Research
Christian Behl’s research explores the cellular mechanisms that determine how neurons cope with stress and resist degeneration, with a particular focus on autophagy, proteostasis and aging. Beyond his experimental work, he has a longstanding interest in how scientific paradigms shape the questions researchers ask – and which questions may be missed when a field becomes too narrowly focused.
This perspective also underlies his recent books examining the history and trajectory of Alzheimer’s disease research and the influence of dominant hypotheses on the development of the field. Rethinking Neurodegeneration takes this discussion beyond individual diseases, bringing together different disciplines and perspectives to ask which established concepts remain useful, which need to be reconsidered, and where genuinely new paths may emerge.
Meet the Scientific Committee
Speakers
Different perspectives are essential to rethinking neurodegeneration.
Meet the researchers exploring the structural, molecular, and clinical complexity of neurodegenerative disease – from fundamental mechanisms and the organization of the aging brain to epidemiology, patient care and new therapeutic approaches.
Travel Grants
We offer a total of 15 Travel Grants to support the participation of early career researchers.
Volkswagen Foundation Travel Grants
Please refer to the conference website for eligibility criteria and application requirements.
ni2n Travel Grants
Get in touch with us for eligibility criteria and further information.
Registration
Join us in Hanover for three days of interdisciplinary exchange and new perspectives on neurodegeneration and dementia research.
16–18 February 2027
Herrenhausen Palace · Hanover, Germany
Attendance is free, but prior registration required. The deadline is 1 November 2026.