On 14 April 2026, CRC1744 officially marked the beginning of its first funding period with a full-day kick-off meeting, bringing together project leaders, young investigators, and distinguished international guests. The day opened with a remarkable keynote by Bruno Weber (University of Zurich), who presented recent advances in imaging the dynamics and plasticity of cerebral blood flow and metabolism. This was complemented by a scientific talk by Jonas Neher (DZNE), highlighting vascular and glial networks in models of neurovascular amyloidosis. The new Integrated Research Training Group (IRTG) BrainVasc, introduced by Nikolaus Plesnila, outlined the planned structured and interdisciplinary training programme for doctoral researchers within CRC1744.

Following lunch, Anne Joutel (Inserm, Paris) shared compelling new data on the diversity of brain mural cells using integrative single-cell and multimodal imaging approaches, stimulating a lively discussion. Additional talks by CRC investigators, including Ali Ertürk, Simon Jacob, and Corinne Benakis, covered neuroinflammation, brain–immune interactions, and functional recovery after stroke in the afternoon sessions.

The day concluded with interactive working groups on Equity & Diversity, the IRTG programme, and the planned CRC seminar series, resulting in concrete plans for future activities.

The meeting set a strong foundation for collaboration within CRC1744 in the years ahead.