ChemBioStruct26

ChemBioStruct26 is the First Joint Integrated Chemical Structural Biology meeting, organised as a joint effort of the BioMacroMolecular Section of the Italian Crystallography Association (BMM-AIC) and the Division of Chemistry of Biological Systems of the Italian Chemical Society (DCSB-SCI). The meeting will be held in Rome on October 26–27^th, 2026.

The idea of ChemBioStruct26 stems from the desire to highlight the complementary expertise of national associations such as AIC and SCI, by creating a space for dialogue, exchange, and professional growth for PhD students and post-docs. ChemBioStruct26 aims to offer a stimulating and friendly environment where scientists working on all aspects of macromolecular structure and biological chemistry can present and discuss their latest results. The program will include invited lectures from leading experts as well as short talks and poster sessions selected from submitted abstracts.

Emphasis will be placed on the participation of PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career researchers. This meeting offers a valuable opportunity for young scientists to present their research, exchange ideas, and receive feedback in a relaxed and informal setting. As always, it will encourage scientific dialogue and collaboration between early-career and senior researchers, enriching the scientific outlook of all participants

ChemBioStruct26 – Schedule and Scientific Program
MONDAY, OCT 26th 2026
13:00 Participant registration and accommodation check-in. Appetizers & light lunch
14:30 Welcome by Rita Berisio (Coordinator of BMM-AIC)
AFTERNOON SESSION I
Molecular tools for probing protein and oligonucleotide structure and dynamics in biology

14:40 Invited speaker: Massimo Degano. Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy. Title: Bridging crystallography and chemistry towards a dual-action ClpP-targeted multiple myeloma therapy

4 oral presentations to be selected from abstracts

16:30 Coffee Break
AFTERNOON SESSION II
Chemical interrogation of interactions shaping molecules. From metals and carbohydrates to metabolites and protein partners
17:00 Invited speaker: Rachel Hevey. University of Basel, Switzerland. Title: Using structural information to improve the drug-like properties and target selectivity of carbohydrate-based therapeutics
4 oral presentations to be selected from abstracts
18:50 Posters flash presentations

TUESDAY, OCT 27th 2026

MORNING SESSION I

Precision chemistry: antibodies, chemical probes and beyond as next generation therapeutics

9:00 Invited speaker: Johannes Huebner. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU), Germany. Title: Monoclonal Antibodies and Beyond: Novel Anti-Infective Strategies Targeting Bacterial Surface Structures of multidrug-resistant pathogens

4 oral presentations to be selected from abstracts

10:50 Coffee Break

MORNING SESSION II

Integrating Chemical Biology and Structural Analysis to Accelerate Drug and Vaccine Discovery

11:20 Invited speaker: Maria Grazia Pizza. Imperial College London, UK. Title: Shaping Immunity: Structural Vaccinology for Next-Generation Vaccine Antigens.

11:50 Invited speaker: Juan Hermoso. Instituto Química Física Blas Cabrera. CSIC Madrid, Spain. Title: From Antibiotic Sensing to Cell Envelope Protection: Structural Biology of Bacterial Resistance Mechanisms

3 oral presentations to be selected from abstracts

13:20 Conclusions and Announcement of AIC, SCI and Elsevier Young Researcher Awards