Meeting report of the 2nd Lugano ExoDay: extracellular vesicles as next-generation clinical biomarkers and therapeutic agents

The 2nd Lugano ExoDay was the second edition of a scientific initiative in southern Switzerland with a focus on innovations, guidelines, and pitfalls of extracellular vesicle (EV) research. This periodical meeting in Lugano intends to actively involve and bring into focus EV experts and scientists at the early career stage, driving interactions and promoting collaborations. The symposium was supported by the Swiss National Foundation (SNF) under the funding scheme of “Scientific Exchanges”, which is designed for researchers who want to host a highly relevant scientific event in Switzerland and invite experts from abroad. For the second year, the SNF grant was awarded to Istituto Cardiocentro Ticino-EOC Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, who led the organization of the symposium.

The 2nd Lugano ExoDay was a joint event with the first workshop of a pan-European consortium carrying out the MARVEL EU-funded project. The symposium benefited the consortium by disseminating the project’s concept, meeting with potential end-users or companies, and networking for future collaborations.

All participants had an in-depth overview of technical requirements and advances in isolation, characterization, and potential clinical application of EVs. Three keynote lectures of invited internationally renowned EV scientists were combined with eleven presentations of young scientists selected from the abstracts, plus a dedicated MARVEL talk giving an overview of the project. The program was framed by a poster session (displaying twelve posters), including an industrial exhibition. The best oral and poster presentations were awarded with prizes sponsored by Extracellular Vesicles and Circulating Nucleic Acids (EVCNA).

The 2nd Lugano ExoDay was one of the first in-person meetings in Switzerland since the start of the pandemic outbreak. All attendees showed a natural disposition toward interpersonal interaction, thus providing an enjoyable atmosphere. Thanks to all participants, the organizing team, and the supporting staff, the meeting offered a context for productive discussions. We report on the experts’ lectures and summarize the main scientific content in the following. Abstracts of oral and poster presentations are published in the present Special Issue.