We’re proud to share that our postdoctoral fellow Sebastian Kreimendahl presented his research at the 2nd Membrane Contact Sites Conference, held November 4–7, 2026, at Devossion By Live Aqua in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
The conference brought together a stellar international lineup of researchers studying how organelles communicate through membrane contact sites (MCS) — specialized zones where organelles come into close apposition to exchange molecules, coordinate metabolism, and integrate signaling without fusing together. Our own PI, Lena Pernas, was among the confirmed invited speakers, presenting on mitochondria-microbe contact sites as a new frontier in host-pathogen conflict.
Sebastian’s talk, titled “Molecular Mimicry Enables Toxoplasma-Mitochondria Contact Sites,” presented his work uncovering how Toxoplasma gondii exploits molecular mimicry to establish contact sites with host mitochondria, contributing to the meeting’s broader themes on MCS components, regulators, and their roles in organelle function during infection. Sharing this work alongside leading voices in the field was a great opportunity for Sebastian to engage with the international MCS research community and exchange ideas that will help shape the next steps of his research.
It was a wonderful few days of science, discussion, and connection by the Caribbean coast, and we’re excited to see where these new ideas and collaborations lead.
Congratulations to Sebastian on a successful presentation!