ELRIG UK and The Protein Society collaborate to advance protein sciences in drug discovery
The European Laboratory Research & Innovation Group (ELRIG) UK and The Protein Society (TPS) have announced a partnership aimed at advancing protein sciences in drug discovery. This collaboration will culminate in a joint conference, ‘Protein Sciences in Drug Discovery’, scheduled for 18-19 November 2024 in Cambridge, UK.
Bridging academia and industry
The partnership brings together ELRIG UK, a volunteer-led organisation dedicated to the drug discovery community, and TPS, an international scholarly society focused on protein research. By combining their expertise and networks, the organisations aim to create a productive interdisciplinary forum that incorporates diverse research interests and experimental approaches.
Conference highlights
The ‘Protein Sciences in Drug Discovery’ conference will take place at Hinxton Hall Conference Centre in Cambridge. This two-day event promises to be a hub of innovation and knowledge exchange, featuring:
1. High-throughput methods for protein expression
2. Approaches for generating antigens for antibody and vaccine discovery
3. Analytical techniques to assess protein quality
4. Applications of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) for druggability
5. Sequence-based predictive methods
Fostering collaboration and innovation
The conference aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial applications in protein sciences. By bringing together scientists from academia, pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms,
and contract research organisations (CROs), the event will facilitate the exchange of cutting-edge ideas and methodologies.
Melanie Leveridge, Chair of ELRIG UK and Vice President of Discovery Biology at AstraZeneca, emphasised the importance of this collaboration, saying: “Our organisations share a unifying goal – to provide a platform that enables academia and industry to exchange knowledge that supports innovation and fosters collaboration across the life science community. So, we are delighted to join forces with the renowned Protein Society to deliver this year’s Protein Sciences in Drug Discovery event.”
Supporting early career professionals
In addition to its scientific programme, the conference will offer networking opportunities, poster presentations, and a vendor exhibition. Notably, the organisers have made provisions for travel bursaries to support early career professionals, ensuring that the next generation of researchers can participate and benefit from this valuable experience.
Professor Elizabeth Meiering, President of The Protein Society and Professor at the University of Waterloo, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership: “We are excited to launch this unique interdisciplinary event in partnership with ELRIG. Bringing together leading experts from complementary disciplines provides an exceptional opportunity to communicate the latest advances and techniques in protein science and how to apply them to support drug discovery. We look forward to connecting our community with its global drug discovery network.”
Implications for drug discovery
The collaboration between ELRIG UK and TPS represents a significant step forward in the application of protein sciences to drug discovery. By combining ELRIG’s focus on innovative research areas that have the potential to revolutionise drug discovery with TPS’s expertise in protein structure, function, design, and applications, the partnership is poised to accelerate progress in this important field.
The ‘Protein Sciences in Drug Discovery’ conference is expected to showcase the latest advancements in protein research and their potential impact on drug development pipelines. From high-throughput screening methods to cutting-edge analytical techniques, the event promises to cover a wide range of topics relevant to both academic researchers and industry professionals.
Register for the conference
The ‘Protein Sciences in Drug Discovery’ conference is free to attend, reflecting the organisers’ commitment to open access and knowledge dissemination. Interested parties can find more information and registration details on the ELRIG website: https://bit.ly/3YIUWVV
Elizabeth Meiering, President of The Protein Society and Professor at the University of Waterloo
Mel Leveridge, Chair of ELRIG UK and Vice President of Discovery Biology at AstraZeneca
