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CCMIJU Caceres FETAL PLANET Symposium

1st International Symposium on Fetal Therapy and Surgery

From Training to Frontiers of Innovation

Abstract submissions until August 31st fetalplanet@gmail.com
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I International Symposium on Fetal Therapy and Surgery
«From Training to Frontiers of Innovation» (Fetal Planet)
October 22–23, 2026 | Cáceres, Spain

 

The future of fetal medicine is being written now—and you are invited to witness it firsthand. The I International Symposium on Fetal Therapy and Surgery brings together the world’s most visionary pioneers, innovators, and practitioners to explore the cutting edge of prenatal intervention, from the operating room to the frontiers of artificial intelligence, gene therapy, and precision medicine. Hosted at the renowned Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Center in the historic city of Cáceres, Spain, this landmark event brings together groundbreaking science and clinical excellence.

 

Why You Cannot Miss This Event:

This is not just another conference—it is a rare convergence of legends and leaders. Professor Michael R. Harrison, the father of fetal surgery from UCSF, San Francisco, will share five decades of transformative advances that have redefined what is possible before birth. Professor Kypros Nicolaides from King’s College London will present 25 years of pioneering work in fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO), a technique that has saved countless lives. Under the visionary direction of Dr. Jose L. Peiro (NYU Langone Health) and Dr. Francisco M. Sanchez-Margallo (CCMIJU), and in collaboration with elite institutions including King’s College London, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, and UNICAMP Brazil, this symposium promises to deliver insights that will shape the next generation of fetal care.

 

What Awaits You:

Over two intensive days, eight meticulously curated scientific blocks will take you from the fundamentals of fetal surgery training to the most audacious innovations on the horizon. Explore how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing prenatal diagnosis, enabling earlier detection and smarter decision-making. Delve into the promise of gene and cell therapy before birth, where interventions at the molecular level could prevent disease before a child takes their first breath. Discover strategies for preserving the amniotic environment, the delicate ecosystem that nurtures fetal development. Examine new indications for fetal surgery that are expanding the boundaries of what can be treated in utero. Engage with the latest evidence and techniques beyond the landmark MOMS trial for spina bifida repair, and learn how precision therapy for congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is tailoring interventions to individual patients. Finally, master the complexities of monochorionic twin management, where every decision can mean the difference between life and loss.

 

Objectives:

This symposium is designed to inspire, educate, and empower. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of the current state and future trajectory of fetal therapy and surgery. You will learn from the pioneers who invented these techniques and the innovators who are pushing them forward. You will leave equipped with practical knowledge, cutting-edge insights, and a network of colleagues who share your passion for transforming prenatal care. Whether you are a trainee eager to enter this field, a seasoned practitioner seeking the latest advances, or a researcher exploring new frontiers, this event will elevate your expertise and ignite your ambition.

 

Join the Global Community:

Fetal Planet is more than a symposium—it is a movement. By attending, you become part of an international community dedicated to giving every child the best possible start in life. You will connect with experts from across continents, exchange ideas with peers who are tackling the same challenges, and contribute to a dialogue that transcends borders and disciplines.

 

Practical Information:

Registration is accessible and straightforward: €200 for general attendees and €150 for trainees. If you are conducting innovative research, we invite you to submit an abstract by August 31, 2026, and share your work with the world’s leading fetal medicine specialists. For questions or further details, contact us at Fetalplanet@gmail.com.

 

This is Your Moment:

The field of fetal therapy is at an inflection point. The techniques pioneered decades ago are maturing into standard practice, while entirely new modalities—gene editing, AI-driven diagnostics, precision interventions—are emerging from the laboratory into clinical reality. The decisions made and the knowledge shared at this symposium will influence the care of unborn patients for years to come. Do not stand on the sidelines of history. Be there. Be inspired. Be part of the future.

 

Mark your calendar. Book your travel. Join us in Cáceres this October. The future of fetal medicine begins here.

I International Symposium on Fetal Therapy & Surgery

From Training to Frontiers of Innovation

Thursday, October 22nd

8:30 AM - Opening Address and Inauguration

  • Jose L. Peiro, MD, PhD. Director NYULH Advanced Fetal Care Center, New York, USA.
  • Francisco M. Sánchez-Margallo, DMV, PhD. Scientific director at CCMIJU, Caceres, Spain
  • Jason C. Fisher, MD. Director of surgical services at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital - NYU Langone, New York, USA.
  • Miguel Angel Morales, President of Caceres Provincial Council.

 

9 AM – 10:30 AM. BLOCK 1 – Becoming a Fetal Surgeon

Education, Training and Building a Fetal Therapy Program

How I became a Fetal Surgeon: personal journeys from leading centers / Training pathways worldwide: Europe, USA, Latin America / Simulation, animal models and stepwise competence acquisition / Building a Fetal Therapy Unit: team, infrastructure, and sustainability / Ethical responsibility, credentialing and learning curves.

  • Jose L. Peiro, MD, PhD - Educating /mentoring worldwide in fetal surgery – Crafting next generation of fetal surgeons.
  • Maria A. Barrial, MD - A new frontier. Bridging surgery expertise and MFM mastery
  • Laura Pires, DMV - Beyond the simulation. Raw reality of live tissue in animal models to optimize skills
  • Juan Sanchez Margallo, Eng, PhD - The preclinical edge. Where engineers meet the living tissue
  • Daniel Russo, MD - Building a Fetal Therapy Program: Team, infrastructure and sustainability.
  • Rogelio Cruz, MD - Structured formative courses for fetal therapy

 

10:30 AM - COFFEE BREAK

 

11:00 AM- 12:30 PM. BLOCK 2 – Artificial Intelligence in Prenatal Diagnosis & Therapy

From Imaging to Decision-Making

AI-assisted ultrasound and fetal MRI interpretation / Predictive models for outcomes (CDH, spina bifida, TTTS) / AI in surgical planning and simulation / Limitations, bias and clinical validation.

  • Martin Chavez, MD – AI in maternal-fetal ultrasounds. Smarter workflows and better outcomes.
  • Amine Bouachba, MD – AI on fetal MRI volumetry and fetal weight prediction
  • Francisco Sanchez Margallo, DMV, PhD - AI in surgical planning and simulation
  • Yves Ville, MD – Use and misuse of AI

 

12:30 PM - KEYNOTE Address (virtual) – Innovating for Life

Half century of advances in fetal surgery by discovery.

  • Prof. Michael R. Harrison (San Francisco, USA)

 

13:30 PM – 2:30 PM LUNCH

 

2:00 PM-3:30 PM - BLOCK 3 – Gene and Cell Therapy in the Fetal Era

Treating Disease Before Birth

Rationale for fetal gene therapy: immune tolerance and timing / In utero stem cell therapy: current indications and trials / Viral and non-viral vectors: safety and targeting / Future clinical applications

  • Augusto Zani, MD - Exosomes for fetal therapy
  • Paolo de Coppi, MD, PhD – Cell therapy and tissue engineering for surgical congenital malformations

3:30 PM - COFFEE BREAK

 

4 PM- 5:30 PM - BLOCK 4 – Preserving the Amniotic Environment

Preventing Prematurity after Fetal Surgery

Mechanisms of membrane rupture after fetoscopy / Novel stitching and sealing devices / Bioengineered membranes / Synthetic amniotic fluid strategies / Postoperative strategies to prolong gestation

  • Braxton Forde, MD – Perclose to close the amniotic membranes in fetoscopy
  • Yannick Devaud, Eng, PhD – AmnioSnare percutaneous stitcher to suture-close the amniotic membranes in fetoscopy
  • Selena Shirkin, PhD - (virtual) Auto expandable uterine trocars for fetoscopy
  • Braxton Forde, MD - AmnioWell, a synthetic amniotic fluid to preserve amniotic membranes.

DINNER All Together

 

Friday, October 23rd

9 AM- 11 AM. BLOCK 5 – New techniques and Emerging Indications in Fetal Surgery

Expanding the Boundaries

Gastroschisis / Giant Omphalocele / Hydrocephalus / Encephalocele / Vein of Galen / Fetal Cardiac surgery / Others

  • Fernando Ferrer, MD, PhD / Jose L. Peiro, MD, PhD - Fetal biosafety profile of prenatal Botox in sheep model.
  • Jezid Miranda, MD – Technical details of human fetal abdominal intramuscular Botox injections.
  • Cristobal Abello, MD – Prenatal Botox for giant omphalocele
  • Miguel Parra, MD – Two steps’ prenatal surgery for gastroschisis
  • Renato Ximenes, MD – Fetoscopic repair of encephalocele
  • Jose L. Peiro, MD, PhD – Prenatal endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) for fetal hydrocephalus
  • Marcio L. Miranda, MD – Fetoscopic vesicostomy for low urinary obstruction
  • Rodrigo Ruano, MD – Fetal cystoscopy for LUTO
  • Rogelio Cruz, MD – FETI and flexible fetoscopy

11:00 AM - COFFEE BREAK

 

11:30 AM – 13:00 PM - BLOCK 6 – The Latest in Twin Fetal Therapy

Advanced Management of Monochorionic Twins

TTTS laser therapy / TAPS and selective FGR / TRAP sequence / Future perspectives

  • Ives Ville, MD – Monochorionic twins in the last 30 years
  • Rogelio Cruz, MD - New educative tools for Selective fetoscopic laser photocoagulation training
  • Martin Chavez, MD - AI simulators for fetoscopic Laser surgery training
  • Martin Chavez, MD - Microwaves for TRAP

13 PM - KEYNOTE Lecture (virtual) – Reflections after 25 years of FETO.

Prof. Kypros Nicolaides (London, UK)

13:30 PM – 2:30 PM LUNCH

 

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM - BLOCK 7 – The Latest in Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH)

Precision Fetal Therapy

Risk stratification (BOLD-MRI) / FETO techniques and outcomes / Balloon strategies and complications / Smart balloon / Emerging biomarkers / Long-term outcomes

  • Fernando Ferrer, MD, PhD – Prenatal MRI BOLD – for fetal CDH risk’s stratification.
  • Emrah Aydin, MD, PhD – Pulmonary vascular branching in CDH
  • Fernando Vuletin, MD – FETO Balloon in GI track
  • Marcio L. Miranda, MD – Rescuing the long-tail balloon for FETO
  • Maria A. Barrial, MD - Non-responders to FETO
  • Augusto Zani, MD, PhD - Antenatal neuroprotection for the CDH fetal brain.

4:00 PM – 6.:00 PM - BLOCK 8 – The Latest in Prenatal Spina Bifida

Beyond the MOMS Trial
New criteria / Fetoscopic vs open repair / Neurodevelopmental outcomes / Novel materials and techniques / Robotics / Future directions

  • Marc Oria, PhD (virtual) - Smart polymeric patch for fetoscopic spina bifida repair
  • Diana Farmer, MD – (virtual) Stem-cells for prenatal spina bifida.
  • Tim VanMieghen, MD – (virtual) Da Vinci robot for fetoscopic spina bifida repair
  • Jose L. Peiro, MD, PhD - New robotic platforms for fetoscopic spina bifida repair

FINAL REMARKS and CLOSURE of the Symposium

 

Programa preliminar sujeto a cambios. Los horarios y el orden de las intervenciones pueden sufrir modificaciones. Los ponentes listados a continuación se encuentran totalmente confirmados

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