Conference Day Two - Thursday June 5, 2025
7:45 am Morning Refreshments & Networking
8:25 am Chairs Opening Remarks
Exploring the Cutting Edge of Structure-Based Drug Design: Translating Theory into Practice Through Industrial Applications of SBDD Unlocking Complex Targets
8:30 am Deciphering Ion Channel Opening with Structural Interrogation from TimeResolved Cryo-EM to Small Molecule Modulation
Synopsis
- Explore how time-resolved Cryo-EM enables visualization of ion channel conformational changes in real-time, shedding light on gating mechanisms and functional transitions
- Examine case studies on how ligand binding influences ion channel activity, stabilizing open or closed states and offering new opportunities for drug targeting
- Discuss strategies for working with challenging ion channel samples, optimizing data acquisition, and integrating multiple structural techniques to gain a comprehensive mechanistic understanding
9:00 am Session Reserved for JEOL USA
9:30 am Overcoming the Flexible Nature of mRNA: Structure-Based Approaches to Predicting & Targeting Flexible Proteins
Synopsis
- Address the challenge of predicting and designing drugs for flexible proteins, particularly those involved in mRNA translation
- Explore advanced structure-based methods, including molecular dynamics simulations, to capture protein flexibility and improve prediction accuracy
- A real-world case study demonstrating how overcoming flexibility-related challenges has led to successful therapeutic development
10:00 am Morning Break
11:00 am Structure-Based Approaches to Modulating Protein-Protein Interactions by Predicting & Designing Molecular Glues
Synopsis
- Investigate how small molecule molecular glues, can be designed to modulate proteinprotein interactions using structural insights
- Examine computational strategies, including docking simulations and molecular dynamics, for predicting and optimizing molecular glue formation
- Explore case studies from different therapeutic areas including cancer, neurodegenerative disease and other complex disorders where structure-based design of molecular glues has led to therapeutic breakthroughs
11:30 am Structural Design Strategies for Developing Next-Generation Vaccines
Synopsis
- Learn how structural biology enables the identification and design of stable, immunogenic epitopes, using technologies like cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography to tailor antigens that can trigger robust immune responses
- Discover how vaccine candidates are designed by optimizing antigen structures, addressing challenges like antigenic variation, and focusing on conserved regions to enhance broad protection against evolving pathogens
- Explore how structural insights are leading to the design of vaccines against “undruggable” or challenging targets, where understanding protein folding and conformational flexibility is key to developing novel immunogens
12:00 pm Lunch Break
1:30 pm Structure-Guided Drug Design of MTA-Cooperative PRMT5 Inhibitors
2:00 pm Advancing Structure-Based Drug Design to Unlock Transcription Factors as Druggable Targets
2:30 pm Structural Advances in GPCR dynamics: Unlocking Drug Discovery through Cryo-EM
Synopsis
- Structural characterization of GPCRs in various conformational states is essential for understanding activation mechanisms, downstream pharmacology, and the development of biologic drugs.
- Advances in cryo-EM and innovative techniques have revolutionized membrane protein structural studies, overcoming challenges in GPCR-targeted drug discovery
- The Tectonic GEODe™ platform enables the stabilization of active and inactive GPCR conformations, enhancing the discovery of biologics and expanding therapeutic possibilities
3:00 pm Afternoon Break
3:30 pm Roundtable Discussion: Cross Modality Learnings Translating Structural Biology Innovations Across Therapeutic Frontiers
Synopsis
Following a day filled with case studies and innovative insights, this session is your chance to contribute to the conversation.
Join your industry colleagues at your table to explore and discuss the translatable learnings from the sessions. This interactive roundtable offers the opportunity to reflect on the day’s key themes, share perspectives, and identify how cross modality structural biology strategies can inform and enhance your own work.
Discussion Topics:
- Introduce yourself and your role in drug design and discovery and the target(s) and modality(ies) you focus on
- What are the common bottlenecks in structural biology approaches, and how can solutions from one modality be adapted to others?
- How can structural insights into specific targets inform strategies across different therapeutic areas?
- Which structural techniques (e.g., cryo-EM, molecular docking, molecular dynamics) have the most potential for use across multiple therapeutic modalities?
- What are the most actionable insights or methodologies shared during the sessions that could be applied to other therapeutic areas or modalities?
4:00 pm Panel Discussion: Exploring Future Directions in Structure-Based Drug Design
Synopsis
- What are the emerging trends in structure-based drug design that hold the most promise for advancing therapeutics across different modalities?
- How can the integration of various structural biology techniques unlock new opportunities for multi-modal therapeutic approaches?
- What areas of structural biology require greater focus or investment to accelerate progress and benefit multiple therapeutic modalities?
- Looking ahead: What are the key scientific or technological breakthroughs we can expect in the next 5-10 years that will transform structure-based drug design?