Call for Proposals for “Symposia by Special Interest Groups”

Dear Members of the Physiological Society of Japan(PSJ),
We are pleased to announce that we are inviting proposals for a ‘Symposium by Special Interest Groups’ to be held on the afternoon of the day before the 103rd Annual Meeting. The outline and guidelines are as follows.
There have been instances where groups of physiologists with shared interests have organised symposia at international conferences and similar events. To date, several groups have organised informal social gatherings during the evenings of annual meeting in the form of ‘Group Dinners’ (GDs). These Group Dinners are highly valuable opportunities for networking. However, given the time constraints, their utility as a forum for presenting research has likely been somewhat limited. This initiative aims to promote the presentation of research and the exchange of views. Furthermore, we warmly welcome proposals not only from existing GD groups but also from new groups.
We are planning a gathering of around 50 people for the afternoon of the day before the 103rd Annual Meeting (Monday, 9 March 2026), lasting approximately three to four hours. As the timing overlaps with the Board meeting, we are particularly keen to encourage participation from mid-career and junior members. If you are involved in an existing discussion group, please consider applying after consulting with the group’s organisers.
As this is the inaugural symposium, it will be held outside the main annual meeting programme. Consequently, whilst details of the symposium will be included in the annual meeting programme, there is no need to register a presentation, and they will not be included in the proceedings.
PSJ will cover the costs of venue and facility hire, so there will be no expenses incurred. However, no staff support will be provided. Furthermore, PSJ will not provide any travel grants or similar financial assistance. Should you wish to organise a social gathering, please make your own arrangements within your group, including for evenings during the annual meeting.
On the afternoon of Monday 9 March, the day before the 103rd Annual Meeting, we have secured three rooms, each with a capacity of around 50 people. We are therefore inviting proposals for three symposia.
Please submit a proposal containing the information below by email to the Secretariat (psj＠imic.or.jp). The deadline is Tuesday 30 September (strictly observed). Should there be a large number of applicants, the selection will be made by the President, Vice-Presidents of PSJ and Congress Chairs.

Items to Be Included in the Proposal

1. Proposer (affiliation, position, name, email address)
2. Theme
3. Overview, purpose, significance, and, if applicable, relation to an existing Group Dinner (approximately 500 Japanese characters)
4. Proposed speakers (affiliation, position, name) (Although prior consent from the speakers is not required, please outline a feasible plan.)
5. Expected number of participants

We look forward to receiving your active proposals. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

Yoshihiro Kubo, MD & PhD
President of the Physiological Society of Japan