15th Annual Course

15th Course on the BBB in CNS Drug Development

Principles, Transport Kinetics, Methods & Translation to humans


23-25th September 2026, Leiden, The Netherlands

Following the previously successful ones, the 15th Annual Course on the BBB in CNS Drug Development is organized in 2026 as a 3-day on site course! It has a new schedule and significantly updated and expanded content, covering both small drug molecules and biologics.

Below you can find all relevant information on the program, registration and payment possibilities

The Program


DAY I: Wednesday Sept 23rd
 
Basic aspects of the BBB and pharmacokinetic principles

09.00 – 09.30Welcome, introduction
09.30 – 10.00BBB morphology, anatomy, physiology and function
10.00 – 10.15Coffee and tea
10.15 – 11.00General pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) principles
11.00 – 11.30 Mechanism of BBB transport CNS distribution for small molecules
11:30 – 12.00Mechanism of BBB transport CNS distribution for large molecules
12.00 – 12.45Rate and extent of BBB transport and CNS distribution
12.45 – 13.30Lunch
Perspectives on methods and approaches for investigating BBB transport
and CNS distribution
13.30 – 13.45In situ methods (brain sampling techniques)
13.45 – 14.15In vivo monitoring methods (CSF & microdialysis)
14.15 – 14.30Critical examples of microdialysis findings
14.30 – 14.45In vivo monitoring methods (PET, CT, MRI, etc.)
14.45 – 15.00In vitro methods (cell cultures, monolayers)
15.00 – 15.15In vitro – in vivo (IVIV) extrapolation
15.15 – 15.30Coffee and tea
15.30 – 15.45Discussions on methods and approaches
Integration of methods for investigating BBB transport and CNS distribution
15.45 – 16.30Factors that influence unbound brain pharmacokinetics
16.30 – 17.00Exercise on BBB and intra-brain distribution with Berkeley Madonna
17.00 – 17.30Further discussions of Day I themes
18:00Dinner at the course hotel


DAY II: Thursday Sept 24th

Integration of methods and exercise, cont.
09.00 – 09.45The Combinatory Mapping Approach – Integration of methods
09.45 – 10.30Hands-on exercise: impact of variability in rate and/or extent of transport on
target site concentrations
10.30 – 11.00Coffee and tea
Approaches to improve CNS target site delivery
11.00 – 12.00Receptor-mediated transport of large molecules
12.00 – 12.15Cyclic peptides
12.15 – 12.45Nanocarriers
12.45 – 13.45Lunch
13.45 – 14.15Nasal CNS drug delivery
14.15 – 14.30Use of active transporters for efflux and influx (non-linearity)
14.30 – 15.00Invasive methods (mannitol infusion, injections,…)
15.00 – 15.30Focused ultra-sound and other invasive techniques
15.30 – 16.00Coffee and tea
16.00 – 16.15Uses of active transporters for efflux and influx
Perspectives on computational methods to investigate and predict
BBB transport and CNS distribution
16.15 – 16.45In silico methods and AI
18:00Dinner downtown


DAY III: Friday Sept 25th

Computational methods cont. 
09.00 – 10.00CNS PBPK model applications and improvements
10.00 – 10.30Coffee and tea
10.30 – 11.15Hands-on exercise CNS PBPK predictions (Shiny App)
Integration and translation of CNS drug delivery principles
11.15 – 11.45Sources of variability in CNS drug distribution
11.45 – 12.30Translational PK and PKPD relationships of CNS active drugs
12.30 – 12.45Transporters and their translation between species
12.45 – 13.45Lunch
13.45 – 14.45Overall perspectives
14.45 – 15.15Discussions on learning experience
15.15End of course

Evaluations from the previous BBB course

  • I found the course to be very valuable for my present work: Median 9.0 (scale 1-10)
  • I would very much like to recommend this course to colleagues: Median 9.0 (scale 1-10)

Location

The course will be held at hotel Leiden, close to the city center of Leiden, address Haagse Schouwweg 14, 2332 KG Leiden ( https://www.hotelleiden.nl/). Rooms can also be reserved at this hotel or at other Leiden hotels.

Leiden City Center can be reached from Schiphol International Airport Schiphol by train, which takes around 20 min.

Fee


The course fee includes course attendance, course material, lunches, dinners and coffee/tea during breaks. It does not include accommodation.


Early payment (before May 1st 2026)

PhD students*€ 1995,- (excl. VAT)
Academic€ 2195,- (excl. VAT)
Business€ 2395,- (excl. VAT)

Regular pricing:

PhD students*€ 2195,- (excl. VAT)
Academic€ 2395,- (excl. VAT)
Business€ 2595,- (excl. VAT)

For participants based in the Netherlands, please add VAT 21 %. Participants outside of the Netherlands do not need to pay VAT.

Registration Form

Please register by filling out the form below. A specified invoice can be made upon request. Registration is complete upon receiving the payment. A confirmation of payment and therewith registration will be sent by email.

    Name participant:

    Job title:

    Email:

    Affiliation:

    Date:

    Please tick the appropriate:

    Payment completed before or on May 1st 2026:

    PhD students: € 1995,-Academic: € 2195,-Business: € 2395,-

    Payment completed after June 1st 2026:

    PhD students: € 2195,-Academic: € 2395,-Business: € 2595,-

    PhD students should accompany a letter from their supervisor to ensure the status of PhD student:

    Payment information


    Payment should be done directly to bank account
    ING Bank (PO Box 2338, 3000 CH Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
    IBAN Account NL47 INGB 0651 4673 73
    BIC: INGBNL2A

    Please ask by email for an invoice, specify participant and funding unit

    Company Information

    In Focus, SbN Doormanlaan 8, 2243 AL Wassenaar, TheNetherlands
    VAT: NL 8159.63.567.B.01, C. of C. no: 272 830 74
    ING Bank (PO Box 2338, 3000 CH Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
    IBAN Account NL47 INGB 0651 4673 73
    BIC: INGBNL2A

    Cancellation policy

    In case of cancellation before May 1st 2026 payment will be restituted (-10% administration costs). In case of cancellation after May 1st 2026 there will be no restitution, but the participant may be exchanged for another participant.