2026 Golden Helix Summer School, Syros Island, Greece

2026 Golden Helix Summer School – “Personalized Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics”

21-24 May 2026

We are pleased to announce the 2026 Golden Helix Summer School that will be held in the island of Syros, Greece, the capital of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean archipelago. The 2026 Golden Helix Summer School will be organized in May 2026 and the theme of the Summer School will be “Personalized Medicine and Innovative Therapeutics” and will revolve around the application of the most important disciplines of Genomic Medicine, such as Pharmacogenomics, Genome informatics, Microbiomics, Public Health Pharmacogenomics, and economic evaluation in genome-guided interventions.

Also, as with previous events, we have included in the scientific program of this 2026 Golden Helix Summer school a career development and interactive sessions and workshops, where members of the Faculty will engage into lively discussions with the summer school participants about issues related to career advancement and key topics related to the theme of this meeting, respectively.

Apart from the high quality scientific program, the 2026 Golden Helix Summer School offers an attractive social program that includes a visit to the Apollo Theater in Hermoupolis, the renowned townhall and a traditional farewell dinner, allowing participants to get to know each other in a very informal way.

We have made every effort to minimize the registration fees to encourage participation of researchers from lower-income countries.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to Syros, Greece next May and to a very fruitful and stimulating conference.

The 2026 Golden Helix Summer School Organizing Committee

Organized by:

Under the auspices of:

The venue of the 2026 Golden Helix Summer School is the Dolphin Bay Resort hotel, situated in an ideal location in the bay of Galissas, by the seaside. Galissas is the most popular touristic destination. Galissas is located in a protected bay on the west coast of the island, which together with Danakos, a small and quiet farming village, number around 500 inhabitants. Galissas beach is long, with shallow-waters, and lined with tamarisk trees and has been awarded the blue-flag by the EU. There are various water sport activities. Area landmarks are the hill and church of Agia Pakou, immediately adjacent to the Dolphin Bay hotel, the small harbor with a quaint stone pier, the beach of Armeos, the large cave of Agios Stefanos with the water springs, as well as the chapels of Agios Mamas and Agios Kyrikos, the oldest church in Syros.

About Syros

Syros is the administrative center of Cyclades islands and is just 80 nautical miles from Athens. In Syros, the unique historical path, cultural wealth and imposing natural environment nicely blend. The island harmoniously combines the cosmopolitan and the traditional, the medieval with the modern urban, the Cycladic with the neoclassic, and the catholic with the Greek Orthodox historical tradition.

In Syros, there are more than 20.000 inhabitants, constituting the largest island of the Cyclades. Ermoupolis is the capital of Syros and of the Cyclades islands, a city that fascinates the visitor from the first moment he enters the harbor, with its breathtaking two hills that dominate the city, with the Catholic church of Saint George and the Greek Orthodox church of Resurrection at the top of each hill, and the impressive neoclassical mansions, built around the big natural harbor of the east coast of the capital city.
Created during the 1821 Greek revolution, Ermoupolis developed quickly into a big trade centre between east and west. The name Ermoupolis was adopted in 1826, dedicated to the kerdoos Ermis (Hermes the profitable). As the time went by, industries, workshops and Neorion shipyards were created in the city, leading to the economic development of Ermoupolis and to a cultural blossoming. This is also reflected in the architecture of the city, where the style created, conforms with the beginning of romantic classicism and is strongly influenced by western models.

Organizing Committee

George P. PATRINOS, Athens, Greece

Christina MITROPOULOU, London, UK

The faculty and moderators of the 2026 Golden Helix Summer School will be announced shortly

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM

Wednesday 20 May 2026

13:00 – 20:00 Arrival and Registration

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Thursday 21 May 2026

11:00 – 14:30 Arrival and Registration

14:30 – 17:00 SESSION 1 – Moderator: George P. Patrinos

14:30 – 15:00 Welcome addresses

15:00 – 16:00 Keynote Lecture 1 Ron H. van Schaik

Clinical implementation of PGx: The Erasmus MC paradigm

16:00 – 17:00 Workshop I – George P. Patrinos – Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, & University of Patras Department of Pharmacy, Patras, Greece, Editor-In-Chief, The Pharmacogenomics Journal (Nature Publishing Group)

Compiling a scientific article: Practical and ethical implications from an author’s, reviewer’s and Editor-in-Chief’s perspective

17:00 – 19:30 Free time

19:30 – 21:00 Welcome cocktail – Networking

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Friday 22 May 2026

08:30 – 10:00 Breakfast 

10:00 – 12:30 SESSION 2 – Innovative Therapeutics

11:30 – 12:30 Keynote lecture 2       TBA

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch break

14:00 – 16:00 SESSION 3 – Genomics and polypharmacy

16:00 – 17:00  ORAL PRESENTATIONS

16:00 – 16:45 Oral presentations

16:45 – 17:00  Q&A session

17:00 – 19:30 Free time

19:30 – 21:00 Dinner

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Saturday 23 May 2026

08:30 – 10:00 Breakfast

10:00 – 12:30 SESSION 4 – Microbiomics

12:30 – 14:00 Lunch break

14:00 – 15:30 Workshop II – Microbiomics

14:00 – 14:30

14:30 – 15:30

15:40   Departure for Ermoupolis walking guided tour

16:00 – 18:00 Ermoupolis walking guided tour

18:00 – 19:30 Free time in Ermoupolis 

19:30   Return to the Conference venue

20:30 – 00:00 Farewell Party

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Sunday 24 May 2026

08:30 – 10:00 Breakfast

10:00 – 10:30 Best abstract presentations

10:30 – 11:15 Workshop III  

Career development session: Building a career in genomic medicine

11:15 – 12:15  Keynote lecture 3: TBA

12:15 – 12:30 Summer school conclusions

Meeting adjourns

We thank the following academic, charitable and corporate entities for generously supporting this event.

Grand sponsor

Gold sponsors

Sponsors

Communication sponsors

Registration options

Conference venue (all-inclusive #)	Εarly bird *	Regular **
Single room	795	990
Double room (per person)	675	840

*: Until March 1st, 2026
**: From March 1st, 2026 and onsite

#: Access to scientific sessions and conference activities, accommodation in the conference venue for 3 nights and all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, welcome reception and farewell traditional party)

Cancellation policy:
50% refund until April 1st, 2026
No refund after that date

Registration options

Conference venue (all-inclusive #)	Εarly bird *	Regular **
Single room	795	990
Double room (per person)	675	840

*: Until March 1st, 2026
**: From March 1st, 2026 and onsite

#: Access to scientific sessions and conference activities, accommodation in the conference venue for 3 nights and all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner, welcome reception and farewell traditional party)

Cancellation policy:
50% refund until April 1st, 2026
No refund after that date