Key Dates

Abstract Deadline: 2nd April 2025 12:00 (Japan Time)
Early Registration Deadline: 21st April 2025 12:00 (Japan Time)
Late Registration Deadline: 21st May 2025 12:00 (Japan Time)

Fees & Payments

We follow the registration categories of the previous conference as below. In short, the basic package is equivalent to a typical registration fee, the standard package additionally includes the banquet ticket and sightseeing tours, and the full package comprises also a half-day excursion, extra souvenirs and a printed copy of the Symposium Proceedings.

SYMPOSIUM PACKAGES (conference fees):

There are also three types of fees depending on the type of participant you are (regular, student or accompanying person; registration for children under 10 years is free), and two types of fees depending on the time of registration (early  or late  ) – all fees are given in Japanese Yen (¥10,000 ≈ 60 USD / EUR)

Optional Pre-conference Tutorials

As a new initiative at this year’s conference, we are offering three optional paid tutorial sessions on the weekend before the symposium. The purpose of the tutorials programme is to enhance knowledge and provide hands-on training in current topics relevant to tardigrade research. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. The following topics are available:

1. Tardigrade culture: tips and tricks (Lecturer: Takekazu Kunieda)

Date: 6/22 10:00-12:00

Pricing: Regular: ¥10,000  Student: ¥5,000

Maximum participants: 12

This hands-on session is designed to help researchers master the culturing of tardigrades for advanced research applications. Participants will learn essential tips and tricks for maintaining a clean and efficient culturing environment, as well as preparing age-specific populations suitable for DIPA-CRISPR experiments.

Topics Covered:

• Culturing methods using agar-based media
• Preparing suitable rotifers as a food source for carnivorous and omnivorous tardigrades
• Efficient egg collection and surface sterilization techniques for reducing contamination
• Methods for preparing age-specific tardigrade populations for DIPA-CRISPR experiments
• Best practices for desiccation and rehydration

2. Utilizing tardigrade genomic resources (Lecturer: Yuki Yoshida)

Date: 6/21 14:00-16:00

Pricing: Regular: ¥10,000  Student: ¥5,000

Maximum participants: 12

In this tutorial, participants will use web-based tools to analyze tardigrade genomic data sequences. The session is designed to cover, but is not limited to, the following topics:

• Analyzing the conservation and expression of CAHS genes using data from public databases
• Identifying orthologous genes across multiple genome assemblies of the same species
• Screening published expression data and annotating potential anhydrobiosis genes through differential gene expression analysis

3. An introduction to TardiVec, including hands-on training (Lecturer: Sae Tanaka)

6/22 14:00-16:00

Pricing: Regular: ¥15,000  Student: ¥8,000

Maximum participants: 6

This session will provide an introduction to the TardiVec system, a novel gene delivery tool in tardigrades, with hands-on techniques. Participants will learn how to effectively deliver DNA plasmids into tardigrade cells for a variety of research applications.

• Introduction to the TardiVec System
• DNA Plasmid Preparation
• Microinjection Techniques
• Electroporation for Enhanced Gene Delivery

Abstract Guidelines

Please submit the abstract via the abstract submission form linked above. One registered participant can present a single presentation (either oral or poster). If you absolutely need to present multiple presentations, please consult the organizers.

Please use the template linked here to prepare the abstract.

While we will do our utmost to ensure that the presentation slots are filled as requested, but in the event of a high number of submissions, we may have to accept some oral presentations as poster presentations only.

• total word limit (i.e. including title, author names(s), author affiliations, abstract body, and keywords): 400 words
• page format: A4 (1pg maximum)
• page margins: 2 cm on all sides
• language: English (GB/UK)
• font: Times New Roman
• paragraph formatting:
  • line spacing = 1.0,
  • spacing after paragraph = 6 pt
  • title: font size 14, bold [Ctrl+b], centred, 150 characters maximum including spaces
•  authors:
  •  full first names and surnames,
  •  font size 12, Small Caps [Ctrl+Shift+k],
  •  affiliations indicated by numbers in superscript immediately after the surname (i.e. with no spaces),
  •  authors must be separated with commas, except for the last two authors, which must be separated with an “&” character
  • underline the author who will present the talk / poster at the Symposium (this isn’t always the first or the last author),
• author affiliations:
  • starting with a number in superscript, with no space between the number and the first word of the affiliation,
  • font size 10, italics [Ctrl+i], centred
  • each affiliation must be provided in a new line
  • please do not provide email addresses or ORCID numbers here
  • please keep your affiliation(s) as short as possible (i.e. main institution name and country name),
• abstract body:
  • font size 12, regular font (but occasional use of italics and bold font is allowed if required), text justified
  • divided into four parts: Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions
  • each of these parts constitutes a separate paragraph and each starts in bold font and ends with a colon (also in bold),
•  keywords, listed alphabetically and without a full stop after the last keyword (there is no limit on the number of keywords, but they must fit within the total limit of 400 words per abstract),
• do not provide references (abbreviated taxonomic authorities, i.e. with the first authors followed by an italicised “et al.” should be provided in small caps in the text, but without listing the references)
• Insert blank lines with font size set to 12 between: the title and authors, affiliations and abstract, abstract and keywords
• please do not leave a blank line below the last line of text (i.e. the last keyword must be in the last line of your file).

Travel Grants

Who can apply?

Eligible are current BSc, MSc and PhD Students up to 30 years old, as well as PostDocs up to 35 years old (evidence of status and age is required) who register for the Symposium with an abstract for an oral or a poster presentation.

What is the deadline for applications?

Same as the Abstract Submission Deadline i.e. the 2nd of April 2025, noon, Japan Time.

How to apply?

Applications, which include your abstract, a short letter of motivation, a budget report (listing your travel and accommodation expenses), and a letter of support from your supervisor or PI are to be uploaded at the time of Abstract Submission.

What if I’m not awarded a Travel Grant and I cannot come to Tsuruoka – will I get my registration fee back?

Yes. Decisions on Travel Grants will be made by 9th April 2025, i.e. ten days before the Early Registration Deadline, so you can apply for the Travel Grant without registration, and decide on the early registration after receiving the results. We can also safely cancel your registration, if you wish, and recover your registration fee (minus bank transfer/credit card charges).

How will the reimbursement be processed?

Funds, depending on the awarded amount, will be provided as a reimbursement of registration fees and/or documented travel and/or accommodation expenses directly related to the Symposium. Please note that only economy fares may be reimbursed.

How will the ranking list be constructed?

Applications will be evaluated by a panel appointed by the Symposium Chair. The ranking list will be based on the quality of the submitted abstract(s), motivation letter, budget description, and support letter. However, all else being equal, first-time participants and young scientists professionally based in countries not mentioned in the following list will be given preference: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America.