Neuroscience of Vitality and Aging Conference in Boston

For the first time, the Neuroscience of Vitality and Aging (NOVA) Conference is bringing together leaders from across neuroscience, biotechnology, policy, and investment to examine one of the most urgent questions in medicine today: how to preserve brain health across the lifespan and accelerate progress against neurodegenerative disease.

Hosted by the Aging Initiative, a nonprofit focused on building the aging research ecosystem in New England, NOVA is a one-day interdisciplinary conference designed to connect foundational brain-aging science with clinical translation and real-world implementation. While breakthroughs in neuroscience and longevity research have accelerated in recent years, meaningful collaboration between researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and industry leaders often happens in fragmented spaces. NOVA was built to bring those conversations together in a single forum.

The conference will take place on April 25, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM in Boston, MA (register for location). Attendance requires registration approval due to limited capacity.

Why This Matters

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s represent some of the fastest-growing global health challenges. Despite decades of research, meaningful therapeutic advances have been slow, even as neurotechnology, regenerative medicine, and computational neuroscience are rapidly evolving.

Critical conversations about brain aging remain siloed across academia, clinical practice, venture investment, and public policy. NOVA creates a space for these communities to interact directly, helping translate scientific discovery into interventions that reach patients. By convening participants across sectors and career stages, NOVA highlights brain aging as a modifiable biological process, not simply a late-life condition.

At a glance

• Event: Neuroscience of Vitality and Aging (NOVA) Conference
• Date: April 25, 2026
• Time: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Location: Boston, MA (register for location)
• Format: One-day conference with panels, workshops, and flash talks
• Attendance: Registration approval required
• Host: Aging Initiative

Contact: nova@aging-initiative.org

What the conference will cover

NOVA is organized around key themes shaping the future of brain aging research and care:

1) Development of new tools

Panels and sessions will highlight advances in neuroengineering, imaging, computational approaches, and brain–computer interface technologies that are transforming how scientists study and modulate brain function.

Key speakers: Ed Boyden (MIT McGovern Institute), Leigh Hochberg (Mass General Brigham)

2) Investment, policy, and economics

Experts will examine how funding, regulatory frameworks, and policy decisions shape innovation, therapeutic development, and the broader brain-aging ecosystem.

Key speakers: Alex Colville (Age1), Audrey Medeiros (Massachusetts Life Sciences Center)

3) Clinical progress and patient experience

Clinicians and industry leaders will discuss emerging therapeutics, clinical trials, diagnostics, and strategies to improve care for patients with neurodegenerative conditions, including perspectives from caregivers and advocates.

Key speakers: Merit Cudkowicz (MGB Neuroscience Institute), Christian Howell (Cognito Therapeutics)

4) Academic research and translational science

Researchers from academia will present findings in regenerative medicine, neural repair, and the biology of brain aging, emphasizing how foundational science informs translational strategies.

Key speakers: Mark Tomishima (BlueRock Therapeutics), Jean Hébert (ARPA-H)

Who should attend

NOVA is designed for a broad spectrum of participants:

• Neuroscience and biomedical researchers
• Clinicians and healthcare professionals
• Biotech entrepreneurs and investors
• Policymakers and health policy students
• Trainees and early-career scientists
• Patient advocates and caregivers

By bringing together diverse participants, NOVA creates conversations that rarely happen within a single discipline.

Highlights

• Opening Keynote: Joanne Smikle (American Brain Foundation) on why brain aging matters and keeping patients at the center of research.
• Flash Talks: Rapid-fire presentations from startup founders innovating in brain-aging therapeutics.
• Early-Career Workshop: Practical guidance for navigating careers in neuroscience, biotech, and aging research.
• Panel Diversity: From clinical translation and regenerative medicine to investment and neurotechnology, panels span science, policy, and industry.

About the Aging Initiative

The Aging Initiative is a nonprofit organization in Boston dedicated to strengthening the aging research ecosystem and supporting collaboration across academia, industry, and policy.

Through programming, partnerships, and events like NOVA, the organization works to accelerate progress in aging biology and ensure that scientific advances translate into meaningful improvements in healthspan and quality of life.

NOVA represents the Initiative’s flagship gathering for the neuroscience community—bringing together leading experts and emerging voices at a moment when breakthroughs in brain aging research are rapidly reshaping the field.