Dear friends of Vesalius,

You are warmly invited to the 5th Vesalius Continuum Conference, a special lustrum edition of this international academic meeting dedicated to the history and future of anatomical knowledge.

The very first conference was held on the island of Zakynthos in 2014, where Andreas Vesalius, the father of modern anatomy, is buried since 1564. This year, the conference returns to its international spirit as it takes place in Antwerp, Belgium, while Zakynthos will once again be honoured and acknowledged in front of a global audience.

The conference will explore the long-term development of anatomical education, focusing on how anatomical knowledge has been created, performed, and communicated within its material, philosophical, ethical, and cultural contexts.

PROGRAMME: Read the Programme HERE

VENUES
Thursday 7 May 2026:
Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp
Address: Mutsaertstraat 31, Antwerp

Friday 8 May 2026:

Stadscampus University of Antwerp

Building: Grauwzusters Convention Center

Address: Lange Sint-Annastraat 7, Antwerp

Saturday 9 May 2026 (Optional):

Address: Lambotte Museum, Heilige Geeststraat 21, Antwerp

Adjacent to the Museum Plantin-Moretus and the Vrijdagmarkt, in the historic centre of Antwerp.

SPEAKERS

– Roberta Ballestriero, Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia, Italy
– Christine Beese, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany
– Wendy Birch, University College London, UK
– Joanna Cameron, Medical Artists’ Association of Great Britain, UK
– Louis Caron, Santa Barbara University, California, USA
– Eleanor Crook, London, UK
– Eleonora Del Riccio, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
– Theo Dirix, Vlamingen in de Wereld, Belgium
– Nicole Falconi Müller, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany
– Sarah Gluschitz, St. George’s University, Grenada, West Indies
– Monique Kornell, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA*
– Alison Klairmont Lingo, Berkeley University, California, USA
– Marie Krüger, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany
– Daniella Zaidman-Mauer, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
– Dániel Margócsy, University of Cambridge, UK*
– Vivian Nutton, University College London, UK*
– Kevin Petti, San Diego Miramar College & San Diego State University, California, USA
– Tom Quisenaerts, University of Antwerp, Belgium
– Gitte Samoy, University of Antwerp, Belgium
– Guido Sold, Wesel, Germany
– Jacqueline Vons, University of Tours, France*
– Beatrijs Wolters van der Wey, Kunsthistorisch Instituut Antwerpen, Belgium
* Keynote Speakers

SPECIAL FEATURES

Poster session and artwork exhibition on the theme “Theaters of Anatomy”

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (2026)

Robrecht (Bob) Van Hee (BE)
Francis Van Glabbeek (BE)
Marc De Roeck (BE)
Pascale Pollier (BE/UK)
Guido Sold (DE)
Ann Van de Velde (BE)
Joachim De Block (BE)