ESAO CONGRESS 2026
Iasi, Romania
From Bench to Bedside and Back Again

    Albumin is the most abundant plasma protein, yet its full biological significance remains underappreciated. Beyond its classical roles in oncotic pressure maintenance and transport, albumin exhibits enzymatic activity, antimicrobial properties, and is central to transcytosis. The collective network of albumin-bound molecules – the "Albuminome" – represents a dynamic metabolic and diagnostic interface that changes with age and disease.

     This symposium bridges fundamental albumin science with translational applications in artificial organ support. We explore age-related alterations in albumin structure and function as early biomarkers of disease ("the canary in the mine"), examine the physiology and pathophysiology of albumin's transport system as the body's central logistics network, and review how albumin serves as both a therapeutic target and a mechanism of action in extracorporeal devices – including extracorporeal albumin dialysis (ECAD), plasmapheresis, hemo-/plasmaperfusion, and emerging hybrid technologies.

   By connecting albumin researchers with the artificial organs community, the ALBUNET Symposium aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, identify knowledge gaps, and stimulate novel research directions at this unique interface of molecular biology, physiology, and biomedical engineering.

• Gerd Klinkmann
• Jan Stange