History of the International Podocyte Conference

“The Podocyte Conference is where the global community comes together, from North America to Europe to Southeast Asia and Japan. It's where we share our latest findings, foster collaborations, and nurture the next generation of researchers. This is how we've transformed podocyte research from a neglected area to a central focus in medical science, leading to significant investments and groundbreaking discoveries.”

Matthias KretzlerWarner-Lambert/Parke-Davis Professor of Internal Medicine/Nephrology & Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan; International Podocyte Conference Participant since 1999

🐙 THE OCTOPUS 🐙

The octopus has been a recurring symbol and mascot for the International Podocyte Conference since its early days, due to its resemblance to the podocyte cell with its tentacle-like foot processes.

THE TRADITION BEGINS

On his way to the first meeting in Freiburg, Germany in 1999, Matthias Kretzler bought an octopus stuffed animal from a toy shop, intending it as a gift for the conference hosts. During dinner, the group took a picture with the octopus on Roger Wiggins’ head, in the playful spirit of the meeting.
A STAR IS HATCHED

The octopus stuffed animal began traveling from meeting to meeting, symbolizing the continuity and spirit of the conference. Eventually it was even joined by additional baby “podopods.”
GRAPHIC IDENTITY

At the 2010 meeting in Bristol the octopus was incorporated into the conference logo for the first time, to be followed by multiple variations in the ensuing years.
THE HANDOFF

There's a tradition of "handing off" the octopus at each meeting to the next host, to be safeguarded as an honorary lab member until it makes its triumphant reappearance at the next meeting.

Tobias Huber and Thomas Benzing with the octopus at the 2014 meeting they hosted in Freiburg.

2016 (Haifa) hosts Suheir Assady and Karl Skorecki with 2018 (Montreal) hosts Elena Torban and Andrey Cybulsky, the original octopus...

...and the newest additions to the family.

The "octopus family handoff" from 2023 host University of Pennsylvania to 2025 host UKE Hamburg: Sybille Köhler, Tobias Huber, Larry Holzman, Thomas Benzing

2025 host Tobias Huber presents the octopus to the University of Michigan team (pictured: Laura Mariani, Viji Nair, Heather Ascani) in anticipation of the 2027 meeting.
INTO THE FUTURE...
As the conference has evolved to incorporate additional aspects of glomerular biology and disease states beyond strictly podocytopathies, the official imagery has evolved as well to incorporate the whole glomerulus. Despite these changes, the octopus remains an important part of the conference's history and tradition, representing its grassroots origins, playful spirit and the close-knit community of podocyte researchers. 🐙