Serendipity Workshop + UQ–UTokyo Joint Symposium + ASPIRE/EXPLORER Joint Conference

Hosted by

This event is proudly hosted by Serendipity Lab, an interdisciplinary research consortium dedicated to serendipity-driven biological science and innovation, the UQ-UTokyo Global Partnership Program, Japan Science and Technology Agency's ASPIRE Program, and European Commission's EXPLORER Program.

Scope

This event brings together researchers and innovators across disciplines to explore new frontiers in biological science and technology through open collaboration, curiosity-driven inquiry, and creative serendipity. In alignment with the mission of Serendipity Lab, the event fosters an environment where unexpected discoveries emerge through the fusion of diverse fields such as photonics, microfluidics, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence.

Registration & Contact

Register through this webpage by October 10, 2025. Registration is free of charge. For inquiries, please contact the Serendipity Lab at goda@chem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp.

Speakers

Rachel Won

Editor in Chief
Nature Reviews Electrical Engineering

Nicolai Siegel

Professor
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

YongKeun Park

Professor
Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology

Shi-Wei Chu

Vice President & Professor
National Taiwan University

Yoav Shechtman

Associate Professor
Israel Institute of Technology

Dan Yuan

Lecturer
University of Queensland

Ruirui Qiao

Group Leader
University of Queensland

Petra Paie

Associate Professor
Politecnico di Milano

Tomoaki Watamura

Lecturer
University of Tokyo

Walker Peterson

Assistant Professor
University of Tokyo

Tianben Ding

Assistant Professor
University of Tokyo

Program

Time	Session
9:00–9:30 AM	Opening – Keisuke Goda: "How serendipity shapes science"
9:30–10:00 AM	Keynote Speech – YongKeun Park: "Holotomography and virtual staining: interference of 3D fluorescence and H&E images from label-free samples" (Chair: Walker Peterson)
10:00–10:30 AM	Keynote Speech – Yoav Shechtman: "Deep learning and wavefront shaping in localization microscopy" (Chair: Walker Peterson)
11:30–11:45 AM	Break + Poster Preparation
11:45–12:15 PM	Special Tutorial – Rachel Won: "A career in science publishing & how to get published in Nature journals" (Chair: Petra Paie)
12:15–12:20 PM	Break + Poster Preparation
12:20–1:40 PM	Poster Session + Lunch (Bento boxes will be distributed to all participants)
1:40–1:45 PM	Break
1:45–2:00 PM	Invited Speech – Dan Yuan: "Viscoelastic fluids-based microfluidic devices and applications" (Chair: Iris Zhou)
2:00–2:15 PM	Invited Speech – Tomoaki Watamura: "Capsule-deformation and force-estimation in flow confined by complex geometries" (Chair: Iris Zhou)
2:15–2:30 PM	Invited Speech – Ruirui Qiao: "Droplet-engineered organoid models for precision drug screening: a surfactant-enabled microfluidic approach" (Chair: Iris Zhou)
2:30–2:45 PM	Invited Speech – Walker Peterson or Tianben Ding: "Super exosomes" (Chair: Iris Zhou)
2:45–3:00 PM	Invited Speech – Petra Paie: "Integrated microscopy enabled by laser micromachining" (Chair: Iris Zhou)
3:00–3:15 PM	Break
3:15–3:45 PM	Keynote Speech – Shi-Wei Chu: "Optical microscopy for neuroscience and nanoscience" (Chair: Fabio Lisi)
3:45–4:15 PM	Keynote Speech – Nicolai Siegel: "Decoding cellular variation in pathogens: from high-resolution scRNA-seq to semipermeable capsules" (Chair: Fabio Lisi)
4:15–4:25 PM	Poster Award Announcement
4:25–4:30 PM	Closing – Dan Yuan
4:30–5:00 PM	Free Time
5:00–6:30 PM	Lab Tours + Free Discussion
6:30–7:00 PM	Transportation to Banquet
7:00–9:00 PM	Banquet

Venue

The event will take place at Fukutake Hall, located on the Hongo Campus of the University of Tokyo. For access and details, please refer to the official venue website.

Access Map

Fukutake Hall is accessible from multiple gates of the University of Tokyo's Hongo Campus. Please refer to the map below for directions:

Lodging

For participants visiting from outside Tokyo, we recommend staying at hotels near the University of Tokyo's Hongo Campus. One convenient option is the Tokyo Dome Hotel, located within walking distance from the venue.

The Tokyo Dome Hotel offers comfortable accommodations with stunning city views, excellent dining options, and direct access to public transportation. Its proximity to the Hongo Campus and its amenities make it an ideal choice for symposium attendees.