By Laurine Jacob, Institute of Clinical Sciences.
Hello, I’m Laurine, a PhD student at the Institute of Clinical Sciences at Imperial College London. This year, I had the honour of chairing the 17th annual Young Embryologist Network (YEN) conference, which was hosted at the Francis Crick Institute and streamed online to a global audience.
YEN is a unique, free-to-attend conference that celebrates the work of early-career researchers in developmental biology. Bringing together PhD students, postdocs, and PIs, the event covers topics ranging from stem cells and organoids to IVF and chromatin dynamics.
This year’s conference was particularly special: not only did it welcome over 200 in-person attendees and around 100 online participants from 19 countries, but it also showcased exceptional presentations, posters, and thought-provoking keynote lectures that left us all feeling inspired.
The conference began with a series of short talks by PhD students and postdocs, chosen from over 80 submitted abstracts. Each talk offered a glimpse into different aspects of developmental biology, from the mechanics of morphogenesis to the molecular rules governing gene regulation. These sessions sparked lively discussions that continued during the lively poster sessions, where researchers exchanged ideas and feedback.
We also had the opportunity to hear about some incredible scientific research from three group leaders from across Europe. Peter Rugg-Gunn (Cambridge Stem Cell Institute) presented his laboratory’s research into modelling the development of early humans and trophoblasts using stem cells. Maud Borensztein (IGMM, Montpellier) delved into the mysteries of X chromosome reprogramming. The day concluded with the prestigious Sammy Lee Memorial Lecture, in which Nicolas Rivron (IMBA, Vienna) presented his pioneering work on ‘blastoids’, which are stem-cell-based models of early embryos. These models offer powerful new tools with which to study implantation and early development.
Equally inspiring were the two Scientific Perspectives talks, which focused on technology at the frontier of developmental biology. Simon Hanassab (Imperial College London) discussed how artificial intelligence is transforming IVF treatment, improving outcomes and reducing risk. Rob Tetley (Nikon Instruments) explored how cutting-edge microscopy is helping researchers to see embryos in entirely new ways.
A particular highlight was the scientific image competition, which was won by Théo Morel (Inserm, Paris) for his stunning 3D rendering of a mouse embryo’s arterial and nervous systems, a beautiful intersection of art and science.
Congratulations also to Jake Cornwall Scoones (Francis Crick Institute) for winning the Sammy Lee Medal for the best short talk. His work on designing synthetic gene regulatory elements (synCREs) in stem cells was technically impressive and demonstrated the future potential of synthetic biology in developmental systems.
It was an incredible privilege to chair YEN 2025. It gave me the opportunity to experience first-hand the openness and talent of our global early career researcher community. I was particularly proud of how inclusive and accessible the event was, thanks in part to the 15 travel grants that enabled researchers from across the UK and Europe to attend in person.
Events like YEN remind us that science is not just about data, it’s also about creativity and connection. I am extremely grateful to the wonderful team of volunteers, speakers and attendees who made the day such a success. Here’s to more open, collaborative and inspiring science in 2026 and beyond!
This event was made possible with the support of the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Community Fund at Imperial College London. Thank you for helping us bring the YEN community together!
Nicolas Rivron, the Sammy Lee Memorial speaker, presented his work on synthetic embryo models.
Jake Cornwall-Scoones was awarded the Sammy Lee Medal for the best short talk by Karen and Jonathan Lee.
Me and my co-chair Matyas Bubna-Litic giving the welcome address.