ELRIG UK and the Protein Society Partner To Advance Protein Sciences in Drug Discovery

he European Laboratory Research & Innovation Group (ELRIG) UK, a not-for-profit, volunteer-led organisation for the drug discovery community, has partnered with The Protein Society (TPS), an international, not-for-profit, scholarly society, with the mission to provide forums for the advancement of research into protein structure, function, design and applications. The partners will collaborate to deliver a joint conference on ‘Protein Sciences in Drug Discovery’ bringing together their respective communities to focus on the application of emerging areas of protein science to the challenges of drug discovery.

ELRIG is dedicated to the delivery of leading-edge scientific conferences and networking meetings on an open-access basis. Its scientific programmes focus on innovative research areas that have the potential to revolutionise drug discovery, enabling its global community to exchange information, within disciplines and across academic and biopharmaceutical organisations. TPS advances state-of-the-art science through international forums, workshops, networking opportunities and symposia that promote communication, cooperation, and collaboration among scientists involved in the study of proteins. The foundation of the Society is its flagship Protein Science journal. Working together will enable the organisations to create a productive interdisciplinary forum that incorporates diverse research interests and experimental approaches, offering their drug discovery and protein science communities the opportunity to connect and share ideas.

Protein Sciences in Drug Discovery 2024 takes place from 18–19 November at Hinxton Hall Conference Centre in Cambridge, UK. The interactive event will bring together scientists from academia, pharma, biotech and CROs to discuss high-throughput methods for protein expression, approaches for generation of antigens for antibody and vaccine discovery, analytical techniques to interrogate protein quality, and the application of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) for druggability, as well as sequence-based predictive methods. The free-to-attend conference also includes poster presentations, networking sessions as well as a vendor exhibition, and offers travel bursary opportunities for early career professionals.

Melanie Leveridge, Chair, ELRIG UK, and Vice President Discovery Biology, AstraZeneca, said: “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.”

Prof Elizabeth Meiering, President, The Protein Society, and Professor at University of Waterloo, said: “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.”