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For three days this March, the Palm Beach County Convention Center transformed into a global epicenter for brain science. Hundreds of neuroscientists from around the world gathered for Sunposium 2026, the flagship conference hosted by Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI).

This year’s Sunposium featured a packed agenda that focused on one of science’s greatest challenges: understanding the neural circuits in health and disease.

Decoding the Language of Neural Circuits

Modern neuroscience research is increasingly centered on neural circuits—the complex, interconnected networks of nerve cells (neurons) that process sensory information, form thoughts and memories, and dictate behavior. View the 2026 program.

“Sunposium celebrates the latest neuroscience findings and highlights advances that address the most complex issues in our field,” says Dr. David Fitzpatrick, MPFI CEO and Scientific Director. “By uncovering how these networks function in a healthy brain, neuroscientists are informing the essential roadmap that will inform treatments for neurological disorders that arise when the circuits fail, from autism to Alzheimer’s disease.”

Multidisciplinary Meeting of Minds

The 2026 program featured a "who’s who" of international researchers representing prestigious institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, University of California Berkeley and Max Planck Institutes across Germany.

Key themes of the 2026 conference included:

• Neural Dynamics and Plasticity: How the brain rewires itself during learning.
• Neuroenergetics: Exploring the molecular "fuel" that powers brain activity—a burgeoning field led by MPFI’s own researchers.
• Neural Network Development Across Species: Comparing how brain networks form and mature in different organisms to understand evolution and principles of development.
• Advanced Neurotechnology: Showcasing sophisticated biosensors, such as the latest voltage indicators, to record and influence brain activity in real-time.

Peter Gruss Young Investigator Award Presentation

In the finale session of day two, Dr. Xin Jin, Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Scripps Research, was presented with the Peter Gruss Young Investigator Award. Dr. Jin earned this prestigious award for her innovative experimental approaches and breakthrough discoveries on the genetic mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders.

The Peter Gruss Young Investigator Award recognizes young neuroscience investigators who have made significant contributions through collaboration, creativity, and curiosity-driven‑ research.

Empowering the Next Generation

A hallmark of Sunposium is its commitment to the future of the field. Along with the traditional poster presentations, this year’s conference integrated a robust "short talk" program. Several speakers were selected from submitted abstracts to present exciting, often unpublished findings alongside Nobel laureates and industry leaders.

Signature sponsors ThorLabs and Zeiss shared the latest in mobile photonics and microscopy in the exhibitor fair.

Beyond the lectures, Sunposium creates an informal forum for spontaneous brainstorming that can only happen when likeminded, discovery-driven professionals gather. As the sun sets on another successful Sunposium, the impact of the research shared in West Palm Beach will ripple through labs worldwide.

This conference was made possible by the support of sponsors and exhibitors Thorlabs, ZEISS microscopy, Toptica, Spark Lasers, Edmund Optics Worldwide, Coherent, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Florida Atlantic University and MetaCell.

For more information about MPFI or Sunposium, email Katie Edwards, AVP of Public Engagement.