First Network Meeting on 13–14 April 2026 in Tübingen
The inaugural limits2vision Network Meeting will take place on 13–14 April 2026 in Tübingen. This event will bring together leading scientists from Tübingen and Paris, alongside the newly enrolled PhD students, to forward vision research and further strengthen Franco-German collaboration. The two-day meeting will be followed by several days of specialized training dedicated to the PhD students.
This consortiu
m addresses the fundamental question of how the retina maintains high performance at the limits of its biological capacity. The scientific programme of the meeting will place particular emphasis on contributions from the early-career researchers, highlighting innovative approaches and emerging perspectives in the field.
Beyond the exchange of knowledge, the meeting aims to cultivate new synergies among participating research groups, stimulate collaborative projects, and reinforce long-term international partnerships.
The event will be hosted at the Institut Culturel Franco-Allemand (ICFA), a venue that reflects the strong Franco-German dimension of the initiative. Distinguished guests will include Dr. Rousseau, Research Attachée at the French Embassy in Berlin. Participants will also be welcomed by Dr. Vautravers, Director of the ICFA, who will highlight the institute’s role as a platform for dialogue and exchange supporting bilateral initiatives.
Download the Agenda of the meeting in the “Internal Area“
The 1st Network Meeting of the complete consortium with all PhD students will take place in April in Tübingen. This event will mark an important milestone for the young researchers, who will meet their respective French or German fellows for the first time, present the outlines of their individual research projects, and engage in the first series of workshops and training courses. Beyond the scientific program, this meeting will also foster early collaboration, strengthen the sense of belonging to the consortium, and lay the groundwork for future interdisciplinary exchanges.
At the heart of this international PhD program is the retina – a highly complex neural tissue in the eye responsible for processing visual information and transmitting it to the brain. With over 100 distinct cell types and one of the highest energy demands in the human body, the retina is a fascinating biological system – powerful yet vulnerable. The goal of limits2vision is to decipher the mechanisms that enable the retina to maintain its delicate balance between intense energy consumption and visual processing. “We are faced with the paradox that the human retina can function robustly for around 100 years yet degenerates rapidly in the presence of certain genetic mutations” explains Thomas Euler (University of Tübingen), spokesperson for the program. “Advancing our understanding of this balance provides a critical foundation for developing new therapies for retinal disorders, the majority of which are still incurable”.