ISPNE will be accepting submissions for the 2026 Annual Conference on March 1, 2026. Please note that the deadline for symposium proposals and the deadline to submit individual abstracts is May 1st, 2026. 

*Note: Abstract portal is listed below first. To access the symposium portal, scroll past the abstract open call.

 

ISPNE 2026 theme: Stress in Motion: From Signals to Society - Integrating Biological Processes, Sensors, and Living Systems

The 2026 ISPNE meeting highlights stress as a dynamic, multilevel process that connects biological foundations with modern technological approaches and the complexity of living systems. Under the theme “Stress in Motion: From Signals to Society,” research from molecules to behavior — spanning experimental, clinical, animal, and social domains — is invited to explore how stress is measured, understood, and modulated in an interconnected world. We explicitly welcome submissions addressing all topics that fall within the core mission of the International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology and its affiliated journals Psychoneuroendocrinology and Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology. This includes multidisciplinary research spanning endocrinology, neuroscience, immunology, psychology, psychiatry, and related fields; work that integrates biological, psychological, and social levels of analysis; and studies addressing stress, adaptation, and psychobiological processes across experimental, clinical, animal, and applied domains. Methodologically diverse approaches—from basic and translational research to systems-oriented and real-world studies—are equally encouraged, as are contributions that advance understanding of health, mental health, disease, intervention, and societal relevance.

 

We look forward to seeing you in Erlangen, Bavaria, Germany at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, September 2-5th!

 

Call for abstracts: Posters and Talks

ISPNE is pleased to invite abstract submissions for the ISPNE 2026 Conference in Erlangen, Germany on September 2–5, 2026 at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.

Important Dates

  • Deadline for abstract submission: May 01, 2026 by 11:59 in presenter’s time zone.

  • Notification for decision about abstract acceptance: on or about May 31, 2026.

  • Notification for award winners: on or about June 15, 2026

  • A second open call for abstract submissions takes place between May 01 and July 15, 2026 for late breaking submissions (posters only) with rolling decisions between June 1-July 31, 2026.

Abstract Submission Guidelines

  • Abstracts should be less than 1250 characters in length, including spaces (about 250 words).

  • Abstracts should contain essential background, new scientific information to be presented, and the possible significance of findings. ISPNE recommends dividing into four sections: Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusion.

  • To address scientific rigor, appropriate statistical analysis tests, effect sizes, and p values should be reported.

  • Do not use all-caps, bold, or italics.

  • Abstracts should contain plain text with no special formatting. Special characters (specifically Greek letters, greater than or equal to, and less than or equal to) must be spelled out. Please use lower-case 'p' for probabilities, e.g., p < .05.

  • Optional: A total of two tables and/or figures are allowed; figure captions count against word count.

  • Abstract length does not include title, authors’ names, affiliations, funding sources, and diversity statement.

  • The uploaded abstract can be in the following formats:.doc;.docx

Additional Guidelines for Sections

Authors names should include the full formal name of all authors. Do not solely use initials. Published name format preferred.

  • Authors are encouraged to identify the presenting author and, if accepted, which authors would like to be considered and are eligible for early career awards and LMIC travel awards.

  • At the time of abstract submission, the presenting author is asked to provide a brief bio (limited to 50 words) and headshot.

  • Authors should provide 3 keywords to aid in reviewer content match.

  • The Scientific Program Committee in recent years added diversity as a review criterion. We ask submitters to suggest ways that their submissions promote and reflect diversity in terms of excellence in scientific merit content as well as representation from authors from minoritized groups. ISPNE embraces an inclusive definition of diversity including but not limited to gender/sex, cultural or ethnic diversity, LMIC authors, disabilities, disadvantaged background. Diversity review criteria is limited to 50 words or less and does not count against abstract word counts.

Abstract Submission Notifications and Award Decisions

The Scientific Program Committee who evaluates abstract submissions are not provided with author information, bio/headshot, diversity statements, or award eligibility in order to ensure a fair and impartial review via single-blinded peer review.

Notification about decisions for abstract acceptance is sent on or about May 15, 2026 to permit sufficient time for travel decisions. Late breaking submissions will be accepted for rejected symposia entries; however, rejected individual abstracts will not be considered for late breaking submissions without extenuating circumstances (e.g., new data).

Decisions about Awards and Accolades

A select number of top-ranking abstracts submitted by early career scholar members will be considered for awards that provide an honorarium to offset travel costs to presenting authors. No separate application is needed.

Top-ranking abstracts of poster presentations will be considered for “data blitz” presentations which are formatted as 5 minute/5 slides flash talks. No separate application is needed. However, potential presenters should indicate consent to be considered for the data blitz format and, if selected, if they prefer to present during the blitz only or if an accompanying poster presentation is also of interest.

Psychoneuroendocrinology publishes an annual supplemental volume for ISPNE conference abstracts. Submitted abstracts are automatically sent for consideration by the ISPNE review committee to the supplement volume, but authors can indicate preference to opt-out of consideration for the supplemental issue. The PNEC supplemental issue abstracts are citable but do not count as a scientific publication. As abstracts are not indexed by PMC or Scopus, publishing an abstract does not preclude peer-reviewed publication.

 

 

Call for symposia submissions

ISPNE is pleased to invite symposia submissions for the ISPNE 2026 Conference in Erlangen, Germany on September 2–5, 2025 at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.

Important Dates

  • Deadline for symposium proposal: March 31, 2026 by 11:59 in presenter’s time zone.

  • Notification for decision about symposium proposals: on or about April 30, 2026.

Information about Symposia

Update wording to make clear that chair organizes and uploads abstracts for the entire symposium  // find out if memberclicks has a dedicated symposium functionality, ideally allowing individuals to register and submit // chair does not need to upload all smallish details, just authors, title, abstract

A symposium is a collection of scientific reports focused on a particular theme or subject. A symposium is scheduled for 75 minutes, typically including 15 minute presentations with sufficient time for Q&A and discussion. We also welcome proposals using innovative formats (debate style, hands-on demonstration or workshop) for which the same 75 minute format is available. A maximum of 5 speakers is allowed, with suggested formats being 4 speakers and a chair OR 3 speakers with a discussant and a chair.

The symposium chair is expected to organize, invite, and confirm participation and attendance with proposal speakers. When a symposium chair is notified that the symposium proposal is accepted, individual presenters are requested to make an abstract submission regarding their research presentation following ISPNE guidelines. Each presenter, including chairs and discussants, must register for the conference; there are no fee waivers for presenters.

The following content for symposium proposal submissions are encouraged, but not required:

  • Proposals that fit the 2026 theme 

  • Feature both human and animal model research 

  • Support diversity in science 

  • Include representation from multiple countries.

ISPNE supports diversity in science, embracing an inclusive definition of diversity including but not limited to gender/sex, cultural or ethnic diversity, LMIC authors, disabilities, disadvantaged background. For symposia proposals, chair(s) should consider the collective balance of presenters, at a minimum, in terms of sex/gender. ISPNE especially encourages symposium proposals that involve early career scholars submitting proposals together with senior investigators to gain experience in organizing and co-chairing sessions as well as presenting their work alongside senior researchers in their field. A suggested format is to include two senior researchers and one trainee in a panel of presentations.

Symposia Submission Guidelines

All symposium proposals should include:

  • Symposium Title

  • Name, email, affiliation and career level for chair(s), discussants, and/or presenting authors. The presenting author is generally the first author for forthcoming individual abstract submissions.

  • Substantive but succinct description of the topic and proposed talks (limit 4400 characters (including spaces), or about 700 words).

  • Do not use all-caps, bold, or italics.

  • Use plain text with no special formatting. Special characters (specifically Greek letters, greater than or equal to, and less than or equal to) must be spelled out.

  • Symposia proposal length does not include title, authors’ names, affiliations, and diversity statement.

  • The uploaded documents should be in the following formats: .doc; .docx; .txt; .pdf. File names should be the symposium chair's last name.

  • Optional: A graphical abstract of the symposium proposal is allowed; figure captions count against word count.

ISPNE supports diversity in science.

  • We ask symposium proposals to identify ways that their proposal promotes and reflects diversity in terms of excellence in scientific merit content as well as representation of speakers and presenters.

  • The Diversity in Science statement is likewise where symposium chairs can opt to identify how their proposal fits with recommended (but not required) submission content.

  • Diversity in career stage is recommended. Career stage is reported as part of the submission process, but chairs are further encouraged to describe how symposium submissions support career diversity.

  • Each diversity statement is limited to 950 characters (around 200 words) and does not count against symposium proposal character limits.

An ISPNE symposium proposal is an established pathway for potential authors to propose invited reviews into the society’s journal. Psychoneuroendocrinology does not typically publish review articles unless invited, systematic, or meta-analytic. At the time of submission, symposium chairs are asked to indicate if they intend or would like to consider submitting a review article (or similar article) based on the ISPNE symposium as part of an “ISPNE special collection” series.