FAQs

The Structure-Based Drug Design Summit is an industry-focused meeting dedicated to the practical application of structural biology, AI-enabled modelling and integrative computational approaches across early drug discovery. 

Now in its 3rd year, the summit brings together structural biologists, medicinal chemists, computational scientists and discovery leaders who are using high-resolution structural insight to guide target selection, optimize compounds and reduce risk earlier in the pipeline. 

Taking place in Boston, this specialist forum provides a highly technical environment to explore how cryo-EM, integrative structural biology and validated AI workflows are being applied to tackle complex targets and accelerate structure-enabled drug discovery. 

The summit is designed for professionals responsible for generating, interpreting and applying structural insight within drug discovery programs. 

Attendees typically include: 

• Structural Biology Scientists & Group Leaders 

• Computational Chemists & Molecular Modelling Experts 

• Medicinal Chemists & Drug Design Scientists 

• Cryo-EM & Structural Biology Platform Leads 

• Protein Engineering & Biophysics Scientists 

• AI / Machine Learning Scientists in Drug Discovery 

• Discovery Biology & Target Discovery Leaders 

This is a must-attend meeting for teams translating structural insight into confident drug discovery decisions. 

The summit focuses on how structural biology, computational modelling and AI-driven tools are being integrated into modern drug discovery workflows. 

Rather than focusing purely on structure generation, the meeting explores how structural insight is used to: 

• Guide target selection and compound prioritization 

• Improve confidence in binding modes and mechanisms of action 

• Address challenges such as conformational heterogeneity and complex protein systems 

• Integrate AI prediction with experimental validation 

• Accelerate discovery across small molecules, biologics and emerging modalities 

The 2026 agenda addresses the most pressing challenges facing structure-based drug discovery teams, including: 

• Integrating AI-driven modelling with experimental structural biology 

• Advances in cryo-EM and integrative structural techniques 

• Resolving dynamic and multi-protein complexes 

• Fragment-based discovery and cryptic binding site identification 

• Structure-guided design for induced proximity and complex modalities 

• Improving construct optimization, protein expression and structural success rates 

• Data collaboration strategies and AI training datasets for structural biology 

Unlike broader drug discovery or AI-focused meetings, this summit is exclusively focused on how structural insight is applied to guide discovery decisions. 

Rather than covering drug discovery at a high level, the program dives into: 

• How structures are generated and validated 

• How structural data is interpreted in the context of discovery programs 

• Where AI predictions align, or fail, when compared with experimental data 

• How structural biology integrates with medicinal chemistry and computational modelling 

• How teams translate structural insight into actionable design strategies 

This depth enables more technical discussions, more relevant networking and greater practical value for structural biology and drug discovery teams.  

The summit is designed to encourage meaningful interaction between attendees through dedicated networking sessions, poster presentations, roundtable discussions and our drinks reception on Day One. These opportunities allow participants to exchange ideas, explore collaborations and build relationships within the structural biology and drug discovery community. 

The summit attracts scientists and discovery leaders from global pharmaceutical companies, emerging biotech organisations, academic research institutions and technology providers working in structural biology and computational drug design. Previous attendees have included teams specialising in cryo-EM, molecular modelling, protein engineering, medicinal chemistry and AI-enabled drug discovery. 

Structure-based drug design (SBDD) enables scientists to understand how drugs interact with biological targets at the molecular level. By combining structural biology techniques such as cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography and NMR with computational modelling and AI-driven predictions, discovery teams can design and optimise drug compounds more efficiently. This approach helps reduce risk earlier in development by improving confidence in target selection, binding mechanisms and compound prioritization. 

Attending a structure-based drug design conference provides a unique opportunity to learn how leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are applying structural biology and AI-driven modelling in real discovery programs. By engaging with peers facing similar scientific challenges, attendees can gain practical insights, explore new technologies and build collaborations that accelerate their drug discovery efforts. 

Group discounts of up to 20% are available when you attend with three or more colleagues. 

View full registration details here. 

For enquiries regarding registration, speaking opportunities or press, please contact: 

info@hansonwade.com 

For sponsorship and partnership enquiries, please contact: 

sponsor@hansonwade.com