KAUST Research Conference:
Advancing Stem Cell Models of Human Embryogenesis
From Development to Reproduction (EmbryoCon26)
Welcome to KAUST and to the KAUST Research Conference on Advancing Stem Cell Models of Human Embryogenesis – From Development to Reproduction (EmbryoCon26).
It is a pleasure to host you on our campus by the Red Sea as we bring together researchers, clinicians, and industry partners who are pushing the boundaries of how we model early human development in vitro. Over two days, we will dive into blastoids, gastruloids, spatial and single-cell omics, advanced imaging, AI-driven analysis, and the clinical and ethical questions that come with these powerful new systems.
Beyond the science, this meeting is meant to feel like a community: plenty of time to meet collaborators, talk science over coffee, join focused discussions on IVF and reproductive medicine, explore bioethical perspectives, and support emerging scientists through talks, posters, and networking events. We will also share a social evening in historic Al-Balad in Jeddah, where you can wander its old streets and enjoy traditional Saudi food together with fellow attendees.
On behalf of the organizing committee, welcome to KAUST—looking forward to the conversations, ideas, and collaborations that will start here and continue long after the conference ends.
Mo Li, PhD
Chair, EmbryoCon26 Conference
Associate Professor of Bioscience
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE
In recent years, in vitro modeling of early human development has undergone a technological revolution. With the advent of stem cell-based embryo-like structures, such as human blastoids, extra-embryoids, gastruloids, amnioids, etc., researchers can now replicate and study the earliest stages of human development—from pre-implantation to post-implantation events—that were previously inaccessible due to ethical and technical constraints. These advances, combined with breakthroughs in multi-omics, imaging, and bioengineering, are transforming our understanding of human embryogenesis and its implications for reproductive health, congenital disorders, and regenerative medicine.
The KAUST Conference on Advancing Stem Cell Models of Human Embryogenesis: From Development to Reproduction aims to bring together leading international experts, emerging researchers, and interdisciplinary innovators to explore the frontiers of this rapidly evolving field. The conference is designed to establish KAUST as a hub for developmental biology and biomedical innovation, catalyze collaboration, and foster knowledge exchange.
CALL FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
Please submit your abstract by March 08, 2026 using this form
Conference Aim:
The conference has seven main objectives: :
- Present and discuss state-of-the-art technologies used to model and analyze human development in vitro.
- Integrate diverse perspectives from stem cell biology, fertility medicine, bioengineering, and computational biology.
- Facilitate exchange of innovative ideas between academicians and clinicians, ensuring relevance to IVF and fertility practices.
- Provide a forum where clinicians and embryologists share clinically relevant perspectives from working with patients with fertility disorders and challenges faced in IVF centers.
- Engage national and international bioethics experts and regulators in an ethical discourse on the use and implications of embryo-like structures, and how national and international frameworks are evolving.
- Feature Technology Talks from leading biotech and imaging companies, showcasing emerging tools and platforms driving the next generation of human embryo modeling.
- Provide opportunities for emerging researchers (e.g., students and postdocs) to share their work through presentations, with recognition for excellence through awards.
AGENDA
13:00 – 14:00
14:00 – 14:10
14:10 – 14:20
14:20 – 15:05
Plenary Session 1: Stem Cell-Based Embryo Models
(Chair: TBC)
15:05-15:30
15:30-15:55
15:55 – 16:10
16:10-16:35
16:35-17:00
17:00-17:25
17:25 – 17:30
08:00 – 09:00
09:00 – 09:10
09:10 – 09:55
Plenary Session 2: Mechanisms of Embryo Development
(Chair: TBC)
09:55-10:20
10:20-10:45
10:45 – 11:00
11:00-11:25
11:25-11:50
11:50-12:15
12:15 – 13:15
13:15 – 14:30
Plenary Session 3: Challenges in Reproductive Medicine and Modeling Early Feto-Maternal Interactions
(Chair: TBC)
14:30 – 14:55
14:55-15:20
15:20 – 15:45
15:45 – 16:00
16:00 – 16:25
16:25-16:50
16:50 – 17:00
17:30 – 19:30
08:00 – 09:00
09:00 – 09:10
09:10 – 09:55
Plenary Session 4: Technological Frontiers in Embryo Research
(Chair: TBC)
09:55-10:20
10:20-10:45
10:45-11:10
11:10 – 12:10
12:10 – 13:40
Plenary Session : Bioethics and Islamic Perspectives on Embryo Research
(Chair: TBC)
13:40 – 14:05
14:05-14:30
14:30 – 15:00
15:00 – 15:30
16:15
SPEAKERS & ORGANIZERS
Biography:
Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte (born December 12, 1960) is a highly influential Spanish biochemist and developmental biologist, recognized for his groundbreaking work in regenerative medicine, stem cell research, and the biology of aging. His research has significantly advanced our understanding of embryonic development, cellular reprogramming, and the potential for tissue and organ regeneration.
Born in Hellín, Albacete, Spain, Dr. Izpisua Belmonte embarked on his scientific journey at the University of Valencia, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Pharmacy and Science, followed by a master's degree in Pharmacology. He then pursued his doctoral studies, obtaining a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Pharmacology from the University of Bologna, Italy, and the University of Valencia. Following his Ph.D., he undertook postdoctoral training at the prestigious European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
In 1993, Dr. Izpisua Belmonte joined the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, as a professor in the Gene Expression Laboratories, a position he held for nearly three decades. During his tenure, he also served as the Director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine in Barcelona from 2004 to 2014. In 2022, he transitioned to Altos Labs, a new life sciences company focused on cellular rejuvenation, where he holds the positions of Founding Scientist, Senior Vice President, and Director of the San Diego Institute of Science.
Groundbreaking Research and Contributions
Dr. Izpisua Belmonte's research has been instrumental in advancing the field of regenerative medicine. His work encompasses a wide range of areas, including:
- - Cellular Reprogramming and Rejuvenation: Building upon the Nobel Prize-winning work of Shinya Yamanaka, Dr. Izpisua Belmonte's lab demonstrated in 2016 that partial cellular reprogramming could reverse the signs of aging in mice, a discovery that opened new avenues for rejuvenation research. His work has shown that it is possible to "reset" the aging clock of cells, leading to organ regeneration and an increased health span in mammals.
- - Interspecies Chimerism: In a landmark and widely discussed study in 2021, his team successfully created the first human-monkey chimeric embryos, which were sustained for up to 20 days. This research on interspecies chimerism with mammalian pluripotent stem cells holds potential for generating human tissues and organs for transplantation.
- - Organoid Development: Dr. Izpisua Belmonte has been a pioneer in the development of methodologies for differentiating human stem cells into various cell types and organoids, such as mini-kidneys and hearts. This work was recognized as a "Breakthrough of the Year" by Science magazine in 2013.
- - Embryonic Development: His research has provided fundamental insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern the development of a complex organism from a single embryonic cell.
Recognition and Impact
Dr. Izpisua Belmonte's contributions have been widely recognized. He was named one of TIME magazine's "50 Most Influential People in Health Care" in 2018. His work has been featured as Science magazine's "Breakthrough of the Year" on two separate occasions: in 2008 for his work on reprogramming and in 2013 for the generation of organoids. In 2022, he was awarded the prestigious Ogawa-Yamanaka Stem Cell Prize for his innovative work in cellular rejuvenation. With over 50,000 citations, his extensive publications in top-tier journals like Nature, Science, and Cell underscore his profound impact on the scientific community.
Biography:
Prof. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz is a Bren Professor of Biology and Biological Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. Over the past 25 years, the Zernicka-Goetz Lab has pioneered key discoveries in early mammalian development, including the first studies of post-implantation human embryo development in vitro, insights into the origins of cell fate specification in mouse and human embryos, and the creation of the first stem cell-derived embryo models using multiple stem cell types. By uncovering fundamental principles that regulate cell identity, pluripotency, and self-organization, the lab continues to advance our understanding of embryo development with broad implications for fertility, regenerative medicine, and stem cell biology.
Biography:
Dr. Roser Vento-Tormo is a Group Leader at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, where she leads the Vento Lab using genomics and computational tools to decode how immune cells adapt to their tissue microenvironments in health and disease. Her research focuses on cell-cell communication and the tissue milieu, integrating single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, bioinformatics and functional assays to uncover how local signals rewire transcriptional circuits, particularly at the maternal-fetal interface and in early life development. She generated the first single-cell atlas of the human maternal-fetal interface, pioneered CellPhoneDB for mapping ligand-receptor interactions and has been recognised as a finalist for the Michelson Philanthropies & Science Prize for Immunology for her work on immune tolerance.
Biography:
Prof. Yanyi Huang is Professor of Analytical Chemistry at Peking University. He is the Principal Investigator in the Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center (BIOPIC), the Peking-Isinghua Center for Life Sciences at Peking University, and the Institute of Chemical Biology at Shenzhen Bay Laboratory. He received his BS and ScD degrees from Peking University, conducted postdoc research at Caltech and Stanford University, and started his independent career in 2006 at Peking University. He is Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He is working on technology development for integrative biology research, especially the new methods for genomic sequencing and large-scale microfluidics.
Biography:
Dr Ge Guo is an internationally recognized stem cell biologist whose research has uncovered the principles of human naïve pluripotency and pioneered stem cell models of human early embryo development. Her contributions include seminal papers in Cell, Cell Stem Cell, and Development, which have shaped global practices in human pluripotent stem cell research and stem cell–based embryo modelling. Since joining Exeter in 2020, she has built a productive independent research team at the Living Systems Institute. She has secured over £1.5M in UKRI research funding as PI. She was also awarded a BBSRC ALERT grant (£900K) for a state-of-the-art light-sheet microscopy system. She contributed as co-I to an MRC programme grant and three other BBSRC ALERT awards. Dr Guo is recognised as a leader in her field, as reflected in invited talks at Keystone, ISSCR, GRC, and Cold Spring Harbour international conferences. Her track record demonstrates original and excellent research with global visibility in the stem cell and human developmental biology fields.
Biography:
Prof. Jenny van Dongen is an associate professor at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Reproduction and Development Institute. She works with the Netherlands Twin Register, which holds one of the largest longitudinal data collections in twin families worldwide. Her current projects focus on epigenetic signatures of monozygotic twinning, ageing and environmental exposures. Dr. van Dongen led the international team that discovered that monozygotic (MZ) twins carry a stable DNA methylation signature in adult somatic tissues. This signature provides starting points for future functional studies aiming to reconstruct the precise molecular events leading to division of the zygote. She will present ongoing work, including large-scale studies to detect genetic variants associated the MZ twin DNA methylation signature.
Biography:
Prof. Yang Yu is the Director of the Clinical Stem Cell Research Center at Peking University Third Hospital, where he leads pioneering research in stem cell therapeutics, organoid drug screening, and translational regenerative medicine. His work focuses on developing stem cell–based drugs, advancing clinical applications of somatic cell and stem cell research, and promoting clinical trials that bridge laboratory innovation with patient care.
At the Reproductive Medicine Center of Peking University Third Hospital, Prof. Yu investigates the molecular mechanisms regulating oocyte maturation and granulosa cell function. His team was the first in the world to establish artificial human embryos derived from stem cells—a landmark achievement that has expanded understanding of early human development and reproductive medicine.
Previously, as a visiting scholar at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, he explored gene-editing strategies for disease treatment. Earlier in his career, he served at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, where he produced the first transgenic monkeys via lentiviral transfection and established human parthenogenetic embryonic stem cell lines.
Biography:
Prof. Susana Chuva de Sousa Lopes is Professor of Developmental Biology in the Department of Anatomy and Embryology at the Leiden University Medical Center. She is also a visiting professor at Ghent University Hospital, Belgium. She is immediate past coordinator of the special interest group “Stem Cells” in the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). She was awarded a VENI (2006) and a VICI (2019) research grant from NWO/ZonMW and an ERC consolidator (2016) research grant from the EC. She coordinates the ZonMW PSIDER consortium HipGametes and is PI in the international Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine reNEW. She has also received an Aspasia premium twice and the Snoo – van 't Hoogerhuijs Foundation prize twice.
Biography:
Prof. Sophie Petropoulos holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Functional Genomics of Reproduction and Development, is currently an Associate Professor at the Karolinska Institutet, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention, and Technology and the University of Montreal, Department of Medicine and Co-Director of The Research Center in Reproduction and Fertility in Quebec. Sophie has merged her expertise in the fields of physiology, developmental biology, epigenetics and single-cell genomics to gain an understanding of early preimplantation development. Her research focuses on early human development and infertility, using cutting edge molecular biology techniques applied to both in vitro and in vivo models. The overall goals of her research program are to determine fundamental mechanism(s) governing early human embryogenesis and to identify external insults which may negatively impact the offspring’s life-trajectories and ultimately manifest in disease/disorders later in life. Findings from her work can also broadly be applied to stem cell biology and toward the improvement of Assisted Reproduction.
Dr. Abdallah Adlan
Saudi NIH, Saudi Arabia
Biography:
Prof. Islam M. Saadeldin obtained his DVM and master, degrees from Zagazig University, Egypt, and PhD from Seoul National University, South Korea. Professor Saadeldin, a Senior Scientist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, is internationally recognized for pioneering work in reproductive biotechnology. Currently, his research focuses on CRISPR/Cas9-engineered extracellular vesicles and modeling endometrial organoids to support early embryo development, aiming to enhance implantation and pregnancy outcomes in cloned and transgenic animals. His prolific output includes over 200 publications, two edited books, and four patents. In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Dr. Saadeldin has received numerous prestigious accolades at both national and international levels. These include the Fuller Bazer SSR International Scientist Award (USA), the IETS Early Career Achievement Award (USA), the Egyptian State Prize (Egypt), Shoman Prize (Jordan), Almarai Prize (Saudi Arabia), Misr Elkheir Prize (Egypt), The Interstellar Initiative for Young Investigators (USA-Japan), and the Asian Universities Alliance Scholar Award (China).
Biography:
Prof. Guojun Sheng is a developmental biologist broadly interested in the relationship between form and function in biological systems. Trained in Drosophila developmental genetics (Ph.D., Rockefeller University, 1997) and vertebrate molecular embryology (Columbia University and University College London), he began his independent research at RIKEN CDB (now RIKEN BDR) and has continued at Kumamoto University since 2016. His work has advanced understanding of molecular regulation of gastrulation and mesoderm germ layer differentiation, contributing significantly to epithelial–mesenchymal transition and vertebrate development (noted in publications such as Nature Cell Biology, Development, PLOS Biology, and Genome Biology). Recognized for leadership and scholarly contributions including reviews in Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology (2020) and Science (2021), his current research focuses on the avian chorioallantoic membrane—an evolutionary prototype of the mammalian placenta—and on integrating in vivo and in vitro models of amniote development.
Prof. Nikolaus Rajewsky
Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), Max Delbrück Center, Germany
Biography:
Prof. Nikolaus Rajewsky is a globally recognized leader in Systems Biology, renowned for groundbreaking work on the role of RNA in regulating gene expression in health and disease. His research blends cutting-edge experimental biology, biochemistry, and data science, including machine learning. He has pioneered single-cell and spatial biology approaches, applying them to human tissues and advanced model systems to better understand, predict, and intercept disease trajectories.
In 2008 he founded and since then chaired/directs the "Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology" (MDC-BIMSB) as a strategic expansion of the MDC. He chaired the international recruitment of ~30 group leaders at BIMSB. MDC-BIMSB scientists use a combination of innovative experimental and computational approaches to understand and integrate different levels of gene regulation, ranging from DNA 3D conformation to cell-cell communication. Rajewsky and colleagues have built an interdisciplinary environment where these multi-scale insights are frequently translated into new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, often in collaboration with the Charité Hospital.
His work has earned him global recognition, and a h-index of 92 with over 80,000 citations (“Highly cited researcher”, Clarivate). He delivered hundreds of invited lectures, including 19 keynotes in the past five years. He is an elected member of EMBO, the German National Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina), and the Berlin–Brandenburg Academy of Sciences. He has received the most prestigious German Research award, the “Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Award”.
Biography:
Prof. Serdar Coskun serves as the head, external director, and senior clinical scientist at the Section of Assisted Reproductive Technology, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh. He directs the daily operation of an assisted reproductive laboratory accredited by College of American Pathologist (CAP). The laboratory performs 1500+ cases of oocyte retrieval per year in addition to full andrology services and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Approximately 70% of the cases are ICSI with one third of them by using testicular or epidydimal sperm. His responsibilities include performing and supervising all andrology, embryology, micromanipulation and PGD procedures. He is actively involved in quality control, assurance and improvement for the best patient care and maintaining CAP accreditation. He is also leading the very active embryology, andrology and PGD training program.
Biography:
Fuchou Tang is a full professor at BIOPIC, School of Life Sciences, Peking University. His lab focuses on the epigenetic regulation of gene expression network during human early embryonic development, germline development and tumorigenesis. His lab pioneered the single cell sequencing field and has systematically developed a serial of single cell functional genomic sequencing technologies (scRRBS, 2013; scTrio-seq, 2016; scCOOL-seq, 2017; SCAN-seq, 2020; SMOOTH-seq, 2021; scNanoATAC-seq, 2023; scNanoHi-C, 2023; NanoStrand-seq, 2024; scNanoSeq-CUT&Tag, 2024; scNanoCOOL-seq, 2023). His H-index is 99 and his work has been cited for more than 30,000 times. He has been invited to give presentations at AGBT, ISSCR, ICHG, Gordon Conference, HCA. He is editorial board members of Science, Cell Research, Protein & Cell, Vita, Genome Medicine, Genome Biology.
Biography:
Dr Ahmed Abdelbaki is a postdoctoral researcher in the Niakan Lab at the University of Cambridge, where he studies human embryo development at the cellular and molecular levels, with a particular focus on how aneuploidy arises during early embryogenesis. His research combines developmental biology and advanced live-embryo imaging to uncover fundamental mechanisms that may inform reproductive health. Ahmed earned his bachelor's degree in biology followed by a master's degree at Georgia State University in Atlanta, and a PhD at the University of Cambridge, where he focused on understanding cell cycle dynamics in somatic cells.
Biography:
Prof. Saad Alhassan is a senior obstetrician-gynecologist and reproductive medicine specialist who currently serves on the Ministry of Health Infertility Practice Regulations Committee, where he contributes to licensing IVF units, sits on the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties evaluation committee for new consultants in both general obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive medicine, and is a member of the Residency Training Program in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC). Previously, he headed the Reproductive Medicine Unit, was a member of the Credential Committee for Medical Certification Evaluation at the Saudi Council for Health Specialties, chaired the Ministry of Health Infertility Practice Evaluations subcommittee, and served on the Residents’ Educational Committee in the KFSHRC Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. Over his career at KFSHRC, he has held several leadership roles including Deputy Chairman for Patient Affairs in OB/GYN, Acting Chairman of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department in Jeddah, Chairman of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Research Committee, and Director of both the Residency Training Program and the Reproductive Medicine Fellowship Program in Riyadh. He has also been extensively involved in national and international professional bodies, serving as Chair of the RCOG Representative Committee of Saudi Arabia for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and participating in multiple hospital and national committees such as operating room, medical records, laparoscopic equipment, and task forces on private practice regulations and current procedural terminology implementation, as well as a committee of the Ministry of Interior and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology; earlier in his career he lectured and coordinated postgraduate training in obstetrics and gynecology at the Maternity and Children’s Hospital in Dammam.
Dr. Arun Pandian Chandrasekaran
KAUST, Saudi Arabia
Biography:
Masatsugu Ema is a Professor in the Department of Stem Cells and Human Disease Models at the Research Center of Animal Life Science, Shiga University of Medical Science, and a Principal Investigator at the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (ASHBi), Kyoto University. His laboratory focuses on developing genetic modification techniques for cynomolgus monkeys, establishing and analyzing non-human primate models of human disease, elucidating mechanisms that maintain the undifferentiated state of pluripotent stem cells, and investigating angiogenesis. He previously served as Associate Professor and Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Embryology at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Tsukuba, and as a JST-PRESTO Researcher, following postdoctoral fellowships at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, and at Tohoku University as a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science fellow.
Dr. Rob Anderson
KAUST, Saudi Arabia
Biography:
Dr. Shorooq Shwgi Banjar is a Consultant in Allergy and Clinical Immunology as well as Internal Medicine at King Abdulaziz University Hospital and Myclinic in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She serves as the Head of the Allergy and Immunology Division and holds the position of Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at King Abdulaziz University. Dr. Banjar is triple-board certified, holding diplomates from the American Board of Allergy and Immunology, the American Board of Internal Medicine, and fellowships from the Royal College of Physicians of Canada (FRCPC) in both specialties.
Her clinical and research expertise focuses on reproductive immunology, having completed fellowships in both Allergy/Clinical Immunology and Reproductive Immunology at McGill University in Montreal. Dr. Banjar has published research on the use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) for recurrent pregnancy loss and implantation failure and is an active speaker at national and international forums on allergy and fertility. In addition to her clinical roles, she holds leadership positions in academic assessment, chairing the Internal Medicine Exams Committee and serving on the clinical exams committee at her institution.
Biography:
Dr. Wael Jamal is the head of the Infertility and IVF Unit and Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology, and Infertility at Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital (Al-Mohammadiyah), Jeddah. He is also an affiliated Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, and the Chair of the Special Interest Group of Genetics at the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS).
Dr. Jamal holds the royal collage of Canada Board and fellowship Certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology, and Infertility, in addition to American Board certification in obstetrics and gynecology. He earned his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah Saudi Arabia.
Prior to joining Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital, Dr. Jamal did his OBGYN residency at McGill University and his fellowship training in university of Montreal then worked for nearly 20 years as a consultant and Director of the Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) Program at OVO Fertility, the academic medical center affiliated with the University of Montreal, as well as at Dr. Georges-L. Dumont University Hospital in Moncton, Saint Mary’s Hospital and Sacré-Cœur Hospital in Montreal, Canada.
He has also been involved as a professor and tutor in the reproductive endocrinology and infertility fellowship training program of University of Montreal at OVO fertility center
Dr. Jamal has Co-authored more than 40 peer-reviewed research publications in leading scientific journals. He has also served as a principal and co-investigator in several international clinical trials focusing on in vitro fertilization (IVF), sperm DNA fragmentation, surgical sperm; Growth hormone utilization in IVF; luteal phase support; recurrent immune implantation failure, and recurrent pregnancy loss.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
To help you prepare for your upcoming visit, we encourage you to review the key information and travel advice below.
Before travelling, please check the latest travel guidelines from your country’s embassy and consult your primary care provider about vaccinations or other health preparations.
King Abdullah University of Science & Technology
4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Thuwal 23955-6900
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
We cannot accept responsibility for visa applications. If a delegate is unable to attend due to visa issues, our usual cancellation policy will apply. We recommend obtaining travel insurance for the duration of your visit.
GCC citizens
Do not need a visa. Passport must be valid for at least six months after your planned entry date.
eVisa
Available to many countries in Europe, North America, Oceania, and parts of Asia.
By plane
Fly into King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah Book a cab in advance to KAUST campus (1-hour drive) or your hotel using one of the below preferred taxi companies:
- Email: HancoTransport@kaust.edu.sa, Tel: 012 808 5647
- Email: saptco.taxi@kaust.edu.sa, Tel: 012 808 5616
By car
Use the KAUST Visitor Center Parking with prior approval
Without car access, use Visitor Centre (Gate 1).
*Note that Uber does not operate within KAUST campus, but can drop you off at the entrance gate.
Delegates are responsible for booking and paying for their accommodation. Recommended hotels:
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
On-campus; 5-min walk to Building 19
King Abdullah Economic City
Outside KAUST; 30-min drive (Bus shuttle service will be provided at fixed times)
King Abdullah Economic City
Outside KAUST; 30-min drive (Bus shuttle service will be provided at fixed times)
- Dress code: Conservative. Business or business casual. No abaya/headscarf required.
- Language: Arabic (official); English widely spoken.
- Weather: Around 35°C. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a light jumper for indoors.
- Currency: Saudi Riyal (SAR). Credit cards widely accepted. ATMs available.
- Power sockets: Type G & C, 230V / 60Hz. Bring a universal adapter.
- Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi across KAUST campus.
- Water: Safe to drink from fountains. Tap water not recommended.
- Alcohol: Strictly prohibited.
More travel info: Visit Saudi
- Keep valuables out of sight
- Use reliable transport
- Travel with others, especially at night
- Stay alert in crowded public areas
- Shield your PIN when using ATMs
Emergency services: If you are within the KAUST campus and are in need of emergency services, call 911. For a full list of emergency numbers, visit this link HERE.
PARTNERS & SPONSORS
Partner
The Center of Excellence for Smart Health (KCSH) aims to be a leader in the development and deployment of smart-health technologies and knowledge to address national priorities in Health and Wellness. To achieve this vision, the KCSH drives multidisciplinary collaboration between world-class KAUST scientists and national and international partners to transform basic discoveries into practical solutions.
The KCSH goal is to establish solution-oriented research programs to develop innovative smart technologies and drive their integration into the healthcare delivery system of Saudi Arabia and the region. The KCSH uses KAUST’s globally recognized academic excellence to develop smart technologies to improve health, extend lifespan and mitigate emerging communicable diseases. Through these research and development activities, enabled by world-leading faculty and bioinnovation platforms, the KCSH establishes training and education programs that will produce the next generation of Saudi scientists and health sector leaders.
Join KAUST’s EmbryoCon26 and position your organization at the forefront of human developmental biology, IVF and reproductive medicine research. This first-of-its-kind conference in Saudi Arabia brings together top-tier international researchers, clinicians, and industry leaders, offering sponsors and exhibitors unparalleled opportunities to showcase cutting-edge products and services to a highly specialized audience.
Explore our tailored sponsorship packages and exhibitor opportunities by reviewing our Sponsorship Prospectus. For inquiries, contact us at embryocon@kaust.edu.sa
KAUST Centers of Excellence
KAUST Launches Four Pioneering Centers of Excellence to Address Key National and International Priorities
KAUST CORE LABS
KAUST hosts a wide range of sophisticated instruments and world-class facilities that students can access, including the Prototyping and Product Development Core Lab, and laboratories involving robotics and embedded systems, sensors, intelligent autonomous systems and biotechnology. Specific labs will be identified based on the curriculum and individual projects.
ABOUT KAUST
Established in 2009, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is a graduate research university dedicated to addressing major scientific and technological challenges. It is recognized globally for excellence, ranked #1 worldwide in citations per faculty, #1 in Saudi Arabia and #1 in the Times Higher Education Arab University Rankings for both 2023 and 2024, and #4 in Western Asia according to Nature Index 2022. With a community representing over 120 nationalities, KAUST fosters international collaboration and advances research in health, environment, energy, and digital technologies, serving as a leading global center of knowledge. The university is ranked #112 globally, has achieved 17 years of excellence, and maintains Top-20 supercomputing performance.
CONTACT US
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Thuwal 23955-6900
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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