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HomeBGA 2026 - Amsterdam
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56th Annual Meeting of the Behavior Genetics Association


23 - 26 June 2026

Amsterdam, Netherlands

About the 2026 BGA Meeting


Get ready for BGA in Amsterdam! We are looking forward to seeing you and learning about your science. The 56th annual BGA meeting will be held at the Hotel Casa in Amsterdam. The 2026 meeting will bring together renowned researchers in the field of behavior genetics, including plenary sessions by local researchers. The meeting will include both formal presentations by faculty and trainees and multiple networking opporutnities. Please join the conversation about the meeting on social media.


Local Hosts


Karin Verweij, Margot van de Weijer and Laura Wesseldijk


Program Chair


Thalia Eley

Important BGA Event Dates


Welcome Reception, Evening of 23 June, Location: Hotel Casa



Poster Session, Evening of 24 June, Location: Hotel Casa


Closing Reception, Evening of 26 June, Location: De Kompaszaal

Address:

KNSM-Laan 311

019 LE Amsterdam oost

P: +3120 419 9596

E: info@kompaszaal.nl

Website: https://www.kompaszaal.nl/


Conference Site and Conference Program


Hotel Casa

Eerste Ringdijkstraat 4
1097 BC Amsterdam 
P: +3120 665 1171

E: info@hotelcasa.nl

Website: https://hotelcasa.nl/


HotelCasaAmsterdam


Programs will be posted TBA

Abstract Submission & Guidelines


Abstract submission is now open! You are welcome to submit a symposium, an oral presentation or a poster presentation.


Symposia:

For symposia, individual speaker abstracts need to be submitted to the "Oral and Poster Abstract” system. Once the symposium chair has submitted a proposal to the “Symposia abstract” system, individual speakers will be able to “attach” their abstract to the relevant symposium. Symposia abstract submission (symposium chairs only): https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/events/76614/symposia/create.


Oral and poster presentations:

Other abstracts for oral presentations and posters can be submitted via Oxford Abstracts (https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/stages/80641/submitter). There is a firm deadline of February 16, 2026 for abstract submissions.


Posters should be formatted to Portait A0 (84.1 cm x 118.9 cm or 33.1 inches x 46.8 inches)

Registration


Registration for BGA 2026 will open on March 15. (Link TBA)


Hotel & Accommodations


At the conference venue, 150 hotel rooms will be reserved for BGA 2026 attendees at a fixed discounted rate (75 double rooms and 75 twin rooms). Please use this link to book rooms with discount at the conference hotel: Conference Hotel Discount Link. More information about the rooms can be found here: https://hotelcasa.nl/rooms


Aside from the rooms available at the conference hotel, there are many additional accommodation options in and around Amsterdam. Below, we list several suggestions close to the venue. Please note that Amsterdam is a popular and relatively expensive destination, so we strongly recommend booking well in advance. If you are looking for more affordable options, consider staying in nearby cities or towns — the conference venue is easy to reach by public transport (see below for more information about public transport).


Budget Range


MEININGER Hotel Amsterdam Amstel (€70–€120 per night)

https://www.meininger-hotels.com

≈15–20 min walk / short metro ride to Hotel Casa


Stayokay Amsterdam Oost (€60–€100 per night)

https://www.stayokay.com

≈20–25 min walk / tram


Generator Amsterdam (€80–€130 per night)

https://staygenerator.com

≈15–18 min walk / tram



Mid Range


Volkshotel (€130–€180 per night)

https://www.volkshotel.nl

≈15–18 min walk / tram or metro


Hotel V Fizeaustraat (€90–€140 per night)

https://www.hotelv.com

≈10–12 min walk (800 m)


Hotel Jansen Amsterdam Bajeskwartier (€120–€220 per night)

https://hoteljansen.nl/

≈30 min walk / tram


Hotel Arena (€140–€200 per night)

https://www.hotelarena.nl

≈15–18 min walk / tram


The Social Hub (€150–€220 per night)

https://www.thesocialhub.co/

≈15 min walk


Van der Valk Hotel Amsterdam – Amstel (€140–€200 per night)

https://www.ruby-hotels.com

≈20 min metro or bus


Chasse Residency Hotel (€140–€315 per night)

https://chassehotel.com/residency/

≈10 min metro or bus


Ruby Emma Hotel Amsterdam (€170–€210 per night)

https://www.ruby-hotels.com

≈20–25 min walk / tram


Numa Oosterpark (€200-400 per night, but possibly to share apartments)

https://numastays.com/locations

≈15–18 min walk / tram



Upper Range


Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Maurits at the Park (€300+ per night)

https://www.pillowshotels.com

≈20 min walk / tram

Kimpton de Witt Amsterdam bi IHG (€400+ per night)

https://www.kimptondewitthotel.com/nl/

≈20-25 min walk / tram


Boutique hotel Oosteinde (€221–€290 per night)

https://hoteloosteinde.nl/

≈30 min walk / tram


Bob W Oosterpark (€240–€470 per night)

Link

≈20 min walk


Award Nomination Information


Travel awards BGA 2026


To be eligible for the 2026 Travel awards, the following rules apply:


  • Be an associate member of BGA or be in the process of applying for membership (i.e., an application for associate membership must be submitted on or before March 29, 2026). NOTE: Travel awards are intended to support predoctoral associate members. In rare instances (e.g. recent graduation), a postdoctoral applicant may be considered, however, in general, postdoctoral members are encouraged to apply for regular membership upon graduation.
  • Submit an abstract by February 16, 2026.
  • Agree to attend substantially all of the BGA meeting if funds are awarded.
  • Submit a C.V. and include a copy of the abstract with the application materials.
  • Submit a letter of endorsement from the associate member’s adviser/sponsor which addresses (a) the applicant’s orientation toward a career that incorporates behavioral genetics; (b) the applicant’s financial need for the award; and (c) how residual costs of attending the conference will be covered. Endorsement letter may be included with the other materials or emailed separately by the adviser/sponsor.
  • Present a poster or oral paper (as first author) at the meeting.
  • Applications for the Travel awards should be send to the Secretary (behaviorgeneticsassociation@gmail.com) before March 1, 2026
  • Decisions on funding will be made by the President-Elect (program chair)


The deadline to apply for a travel award is March 1st, 2026





Early Career Awards BGA 2026


The Behavior Genetics Association presents the Early Career Award at its annual meeting for outstanding scientific accomplishments by a member who is early in their career. To be eligible for the Award, individuals must be current members in good standing of the Behavior Genetics Association, and must be within seven years full-time equivalent of receiving their terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., M.D.). Please note any career disruptions or time out-of-role in the nomination letter. Nominations for the Early Career Award can be made by any member of BGA and we encourage self-nominations. 


To nominate someone/apply for the Award, please email a brief letter explaining why the individual should receive the award, along with a copy of the nominee’s CV, to the BGA Secretary, behaviorgeneticsassociation@gmail.com before March 1, 2026. The final decision will be made by the Association’s Award Committee, which is composed of the three immediate past Presidents, and the award will be presented at the banquet at the annual BGA meeting in Atlanta. Questions may be directed to: behaviorgeneticsassociation@gmail.com.


The deadline to apply for the early career award is March 1st, 2026.


Practical tips

- June is peak tourist season in Amsterdam — book your accommodation as early as possible and, where available, choose flexible cancellation options.


- The venue is close to Amsterdam Amstel station. Hotels near major stations (Amsterdam Centraal, Sloterdijk, Zuid, and Amstel) are often more convenient and faster for reaching the venue than hotels in the historic city centre. The venue is also easy to reach by train from nearby cities and towns (for example, Utrecht is about 20 minutes away).


- Amsterdam is compact, but public transport and walking are usually more efficient than taxis. If you stay in Amsterdam North (‘Noord’), the free ferry from Amsterdam Centraal provides a fast and convenient connection.


- When comparing prices, check what is included in the rate — VAT and the Amsterdam tourist tax are not always included in the initial quoted price.



Getting around


Bus/tram/metro

Public transport in Amsterdam is very good — frequent, reliable, and well connected across the city and surrounding areas. For travel directions within Amsterdam and throughout the Netherlands, you can use the journey planner at https://9292.nl/en/. It provides up-to-date routes and schedules for all major public transport options. The closest train station is Amstel station, which is a 10 minute walk from the venue.


In most cases, you can check in and out simply using your contactless bank card or mobile wallet. Alternatively, you can purchase and use an OV-chipkaart (public transport card on which you deposit money and use to check-in and -out of public transport). You can check in and out using a foreign contactless debit card or credit card from Maestro, V PAY, Mastercard or Visa. Just not with debit cards from Vivid, Paysafe or Revolut's digital debit card. For more information, see: https://www.ns.nl/en/service-and-contact/your-card/faq-about-travelling-with-debit-card

 

Cycling

You can also rent a bike if you would like to get around in Amsterdam. There are many dedicated cycle paths throughout the city. Helmets are typically not included with bike rentals. Please be aware that cycling in Amsterdam can be busy and sometimes chaotic; if you are not used to riding in a high-traffic city environment, it is not recommended to try it here for the first time.

 

Taxis

You can take taxis in the city, but they are generally quite expensive. More affordable alternatives include ride-hailing services such as Uber and Bolt, which can be booked easily through their apps. If someone approaches you on the street offering a taxi ride that you did not request, this is usually not an official licensed taxi but an illegal service — we advise you not to use these.

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