image: Targeting Extracellular Vesicles 2026
Credit: Targeting Extracellular Vesicles
PORTO, Portugal - November 2026.
What if some of the most important messages in the human body are carried by particles far smaller than cells?
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny membrane-bound particles that can transport proteins, lipids and genetic material between cells. Their involvement in biological communication, inflammation and disease has attracted growing scientific attention.
But important questions remain. Which EVs carry meaningful biological signals? How do they influence distant organs? And what evidence is needed before their therapeutic potential can be translated into medicine?
These questions will be explored at the 3rd World Congress on Targeting Extracellular Vesicles, taking place on November 12–13, 2026, in Porto, Portugal.
From Mitochondria to the Microbiome
One of the central themes of the meeting is how extracellular vesicles may connect mitochondria, microorganisms, the immune system and the brain.
Scientists including Efrat Levy, Eva-Maria Krämer-Albers, Luc Boudreau and Bartosz Szczesny will discuss EV-related mitochondrial communication and its potential implications for neuroinflammation and neurodegenerative disorders.
Other presentations will explore microbial extracellular vesicles and host–microbiota interactions.
Leo Eberl and Sandra Morais Cardoso will examine bacterial vesicle biology and its relevance to host responses, including processes associated with Parkinson's disease.
When Biological Messages Contribute to Disease
EVs may also transmit signals associated with pathological processes.
Among the 16 selected short oral communications, Zsolt Bagi will present research investigating how circulating extracellular vesicles following cerebral ischemia can affect coronary microvascular function.
Emanuela Russo will discuss how large oncosomes, a population of extracellular vesicles associated with cancer cells, may contribute to tumour aggressiveness.
Other presentations will examine gut-derived vesicles, brain inflammation and the possible biological connections between distant tissues.
These investigations offer emerging mechanistic insights, but further research is required to establish their broader clinical significance.
Engineering EVs for Future Therapies
Scientists are also investigating whether extracellular vesicles can be modified to transport therapeutic molecules.
Pieter Vader, Dhanu Gupta and Elita Montanari will discuss approaches to EV engineering, tissue targeting and nucleic acid delivery.
Raghavan Pillai Raju will explore age-dependent plasma EV signals and their possible roles in inflammation and oxidative stress.
Lino Ferreira will address EV-based approaches to cellular senescence, while Bernd Giebel and Andreia M. Silva will examine challenges involving therapeutic development, manufacturing and clinical translation.
What Must We Demonstrate Next?
Despite considerable scientific progress, fundamental challenges remain.
Researchers need to establish which EV components are responsible for biological effects, improve reproducibility and characterisation, and demonstrate meaningful safety and efficacy in appropriate experimental and clinical settings.
The congress will conclude with a strategic discussion addressing a central question:
Where Should Extracellular Vesicle Science Go Next - and What Must We Demonstrate?
The discussion will involve invited speakers, Scientific Committee members and participants, with the objective of identifying research priorities for the coming years.