Welcome

We are pleased to announce the “Chemical Biology and Structural Biochemistry in Drug Discovery” international workshop, to be held from 1st to 4th March 2027 in Montevideo, Uruguay.

About the workshop

This workshop will focus on modern tools for the discovery, characterization, and optimization of bioactive molecules, with an emphasis on broadly applicable tools in chemical biology.

The fundamentals of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) will be introduced, along with its application to the study of biomolecular systems, highlighting its unique advantages for obtaining structural information under near-native conditions and for investigating complex or dynamic systems. Specific examples — such as the structural biology of the sarcomere and toxin translocation mechanisms — will illustrate how visualizing a mechanism in motion can guide strategies for chemical intervention.

The program also covers screening technologies used in peptide drug discovery (phage display, SICLOPPS) and generative artificial intelligence platforms for peptide design, the design of macrocyclic peptides and chemical tools that modulate protein–protein interactions, and methodologies for characterizing molecular interactions (binding affinity, specificity and kinetics in ligand–receptor systems).

Additionally, the workshop will cover methodologies for characterizing molecular interactions, including techniques for evaluating binding affinity, specificity, and kinetics in ligand–receptor systems. These approaches are broadly applicable across different classes of biomolecules and research areas.

Complementary, a case of study on rational development of peptide binders and the application of structural and biochemical tools to the discovery of bioactive natural product small molecules will be covered by invited speakers Martín Fló from Institute Pasteur of Montevideo and Daniela Trivella from Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais, SP Brazil respectively.

By integrating discovery platforms, structural methods, and interaction analysis, the workshop aims to give participants a comprehensive and versatile toolkit for studying molecular recognition and guiding the rational design of bioactive compounds.

Main Topics:

• Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and structural biology

• Chemical intervention based on structural information

• Rational design and development of peptide binders

• Peptide screening and discovery methodologies

• Molecular interaction characterization, including binding affinity, specificity, and kinetics

• Structural and biochemical approaches to the discovery of bioactive natural products

• Application of multidisciplinary approaches to drug discovery