May 4-5-6, 2026
Venue:
Hotel Kazakhstan
Almaty, Dostyk Ave. 52/2
Almaty, Dostyk Ave. 52/2
ISPN Educational Course:
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Pediatric Neurosurgical Pathologies
Registration
Participation in the conference is paid.
55 000 KZT/100 USD
Payment offline at the place of registration
Registration
Organising Committee
MARAT PASHIMOV
Kazakhstan
Head of the Public Health Department of Almaty City
MARAT RABANDIYAROV
Kazakhstan
Director of Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
LUCA MASSIMI
Italy
A.Gemelli Hospital, Rome
ULRICH THOMALE
Germany
Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin
JEFFREY BLOUNT
United States
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Children’s of Alabama
NADIAH AHMAD FUAD
Malaysia
Hospital Tunku Azizah, Kuala Lumpur
AZAMAT ZHAILGANOV
Kazakhstan
Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
DANIYAR SABDENALIEV
Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
BAKHITZHAN Serikbayev
Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
ROZA TANTSAROVA
Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
GULNUR KASSENOVA
Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
ZHANDOS SHOLAKHOV
Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
GULMARAL SULEIMANOVA
Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
BERIKBOL MUSAEV
Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
KAIRAT ZHANAIDAROV
Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
NURZHAN ESENAMANOV
Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
Speakers
LUCA MASSIMI
Italy
A.Gemelli Hospital, Rome
Shlomi Constantini
Israel
Dana Children’s Hospital, Tel Aviv
ULRICH THOMALE
Germany
Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin
JEFFREY BLOUNT
United States
University of Alabama at Birmingham, Children’s of Alabama
OWASE JEELANI
United Kingdom
Great Ormond Street Hospital,
SERGEY GORELYSHEV
Russian Federation
Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute
MOHAMED EL BELTAGY
Egypt
Children’s Cancer Hospital,
ALEKSANDR KIM
Russian Federation
Almazov National Medical Research Centre, Saint-Petersburg
BO XIAO
China
Shanghai Children’s Medical Center
VADIM IVANOV
Russian Federation
Almazov Naonal Medical Research Centre, Saint-Petersburg
AZAMAT ZHAILGANOV
Kazakhstan
Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 2, Almaty
CHRISTIAN ELGER
Germany
Beta Neurology – Competence Center for Epilepsy, Beta Klinik, Bonn
LEILA DAIRBAYEVA
Kazakhstan
Center of Neurology, Epileptology and Rehabilitation, Astana
PABLO HERNÁIZ
Germany
Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin
AMIT RINGEL
Israel
Dana Children’s Hospital, Tel Aviv
RAIGUL NUSSUPOVA
Kazakhstan
CF UMC, Astana
THOMAS E. MERCHANT
United States
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
ARNE GRUEN
Germany
Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin
Anna Tietze
Germany
Charité Universitätsmedizin, Berlin
JASON CHENG-HSUAN CHIANG
United States
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
Program
May 04, 2026
ISPN Education Course
Almaty 2026
Almaty 2026
Day 1: May 04, 2026
Venue: Kazakhstan Hotel, Almaty
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Pediatric Neurosurgical Pathologies
07:00-08:30
Registration
08:30-09:15
Opening Ceremony & Welcome Address:
00:00-00:00
08:30-08:40
Minister of Health
00:00-00:00
08:40-08:50
The akim of the city of Almaty
00:00-00:00
08:50-09:55
Head of City Health Department of Almaty
00:00-00:00
08:55-09:00
Hospital Director
00:00-00:00
09:00-09:15
Shlomi Constantini/Jeffrey Blount
- ISPN activities & goals
- ISPN Library
- ISPN Library
Session 1:
POSTERIOR FOSSA TUMORS
Speakers
Moderators:
marat rabandiyarov, jeffrey blount
09:15-09:30
Neuroradiology aspects of pediatric brain tumors
anna tietze
09:30-09:45
How I Do It: Posterior Fossa Tumor
shlomi constantini
09:45-10:00
Cerebellar astrocytoma
aleksandr kim
10:00-10:15
Q&A
10:15-10:30
COFFEE BREAK
10:30-10:45
Surgical management considerations in medulloblastoma
sergey gorelyshev
10:45-11:00
Medulloblastoma: Modern Molecular Stratification and Adaptation of Treatment Protocols. Opportunities with Standard Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy
amit ringel
11:00-11:15
Long-Term Survival and Diagnostic Insights in Pediatric Medulloblastoma: The First Comprehensive National Study from Kazakhstan, Central Asia
raigul nussupova
11:15-11:35
Ependymomas and molecular genetics
shlomi constantini
11:35-11:50
Cerebellar mutism and posterior fossa syndrome
ulrich thomale
11:50-12:05
Neonatal tumors
aleksandr kim
12:05-12:20
Q&A
12:20-13:00
Interesting cases presentation
mohamed el beltagy
aleksandr kim
13:00-14:00
LUNCH
Session 2:
SUPRATENTORIAL MIDLINE TUMORS
Speakers
Moderators:
shlomi constantini, gabit makhambayev
14:00-14:15
Hemispheric tumors
luca massimi
14:15-14:30
Thalamic tumors
mohamed el beltagy
14:30-14:45
Surgical treatment of chiasmal gliomas
sergey gorelyshev
14:45-15:00
Oncological treatment of PLGG
amit ringel
15:00-15:30
COFFEE BREAK
15:30-15:45
The role of radiation therapy in low grade glioma
thomas merchant
15:45-16:00
Suprasellar tumors
owase jeelani
16:00-16:15
Current trends in the treatment of Pediatric Craniopharyngioma
shlomi constantini
16:15-16:30
The role of radiotherapy in the treatment of craniopharyngiomas
thomas merchant
16:30-16:45
Pineal region tumors
mohamed el beltagy
16:45-17:00
Q&A
17:00-18:00
Panel discussion on multidisciplinary team approach local and over regional
ulrich thomale
azamat zhailganov
shlomi constantini
pablo hernáiz
amit ringel
raigul nussupova
May 05, 2026
ISPN Education Course
Almaty 2026
Almaty 2026
Day 2: May 05, 2026
Venue: Kazakhstan Hotel, Almaty
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Pediatric Neurosurgical Pathologies
Session 3:
NEURO ONCOLOGY FOCUS SESSION: TRENDS IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF CNS TUMORS IN CHILDREN.
Speakers
Moderators:
pablo hernáiz, amit ringel, raigul nussupova, thomas e. merchant
08:00-08:30
Modern Classification and Molecular Tools in Pediatric Brain Tumor Pathology
jason chiang
08:30-08:45
Pediatric Gliomas: From Low-Grade to Diffuse Midline Gliomas.
BRAF and H3K27-Altered Tumors - Available Diagnostics and Therapeutic Implications
pablo hernáiz
08:45-09:00
Embryonal CNS Tumors: Current Data and Real-World Clinical Strategies.
When Treatment Intensification Is Feasible and When It Is Not
amit ringel
09:00-09:15
Intracranial Germ Cell Tumors: Treatment Standards and Long-Term Outcomes. Protocols Accessible in Most Oncology Centres
pablo hernáiz
09:15-09:30
Protons, photons transition: Relevance for Kazakhstan
thomas merchant
09:30-09:45
Long-Term Follow-Up (Survivorship) of Children Treated for CNS Tumors: International Experience and Local Implementation
amit ringel
09:45-10:00
Supportive Care in Pediatric Neuro-Oncology: Infectious Complications, Neurocognitive, and Endocrine Sequelae
pablo hernáiz
10:00-10:15
Q&A
10:15-10:30
COFFEE BREAK
10:30-11:30
Round table: Multidisciplinary Team in Pediatric Neuro-Oncology:
Building an Effective Model in a Single-Centre Setting
11:30-12:00
Case discussion
jeffrey blount
thomas merchant
12:00-12:20
Chiari malformation and syringomyelia treatment options
luca massimi
12:20-12:40
Rhizotomy: technique, results, and complications; Indications and technique tips. Expected results and complications avoidance
bo xiao
12:40-13:00
Q&A
13:00-14:00
LUNCH
Session 4:
HYDROCEPHALUS
Speakers
Moderators:
luca massimi, gulmaral suleimanova, sergey gorelyshev
14:00-14:15
Modern concepts in CSF circulation
sergey gorelyshev
14:15-14:30
Neuroimaging in hydrocephalus
anna tietze
14:30-14:45
How I do it - Video on VP shunt: tips and tricks
shlomi constantini
14:45-15:00
Shunt technology (adjustable, antigravitational, flow-regulated)
ulrich thomale
15:00-15:15
How I do it - Ventriculoatrial shunt
azamat zhailganov
15:15-15:30
How I do it - Temporizing methods – EVD, SGVS, VAD in post-haemorrhagic hydrocephalus
ulrich thomale
15:30-15:45
Endoscopic management of multiloculated hydrocephalus
luca massimi
15:45-16:00
Q&A
16:00-16:30
COFFEE BREAK
16:30-17:30
Case discussion
ulrich thomale
azamat zhailganov
17:30-00:00
GALA DINNER
May 06, 2026
ISPN Education Course
Almaty 2026
Almaty 2026
Day 3: May 06, 2026
Venue: Kazakhstan Hotel, Almaty
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Pediatric Neurosurgical Pathologies
Session 5:
CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS
Speakers
Moderators:
ulrich thomale, azamat zhailganov
08:00-08:15
Overview of Controversies in single suture synostosis
shlomi constantini
08:15-08:30
Surgical management of scaphocephaly including endoscopic
vadim ivanov
08:30-08:45
Surgical management of trigonocephaly including endoscopic
luca massimi
08:45-09:00
Surgical management of plagiocephaly including endoscopic
ulrich thomale
09:00-09:20
Multimodal surgeries for syndromic craniosynostosis
owase jeelani
09:20-09:50
Q&A
09:50-10:00
COFFEE BREAK
Session 6:
DYSRAPHISM
Speakers
Moderators:
owase jeelani, aleksandr kim
10:00-10:15
Radiological aspects in spinal dysraphism (open and closed)
anna tietze
10:15-10:30
Classification of spinal dysraphism and lumbar stigmata
shlomi constantini
10:30-10:45
Open neural tube defects (including folic acid fortification)
jeffrey blount
10:45-11:00
Spinal Lipomas - types and management
luca massimi
11:00-11:15
Split cord malformation and other spinal dysraphism
jeffrey blount
11:15-11:45
Q&A and Case discussion
jeffrey blount
Session 7:
EPILEPSY
Speakers
Moderators:
jeffrey blount, christian elger, leila dairbayeva
11:45-12:00
Mapping Pediatric Epilepsy: A Statistical Profile and Clinical Realities in Kazakhstan
leila dairbayeva
12:00-12:15
Neuroradiology of Epileptic foci
anna tietze
12:15-12:30
Principles of epilepsy surgery in children
indicaon, patient selecon, ming, decision making algorithms
shlomi constantini
12:30-12:45
Neurology perspective on epilepsy surgery
christian elger
12:45-13:00
Hemispherotomy
azamat zhailganov
13:00-13:15
Other epilepsy surgeries
jeffrey blount
13:15-13:30
Epilepsy surgery with limited technology
ulrich thomale
13:30-13:50
How to build an epilepsy centre?
christian elger
13:50-14:20
Q&A
14:20-14:30
Closing & Feedback
