4th MMCS: Harnessing the Power of New Drug Modalities
4th MMCS: Harnessing the Power of New Drug Modalities
Part of the Molecules Medicinal Chemistry Symposium series
Drug Discovery, Drug Design, Medicinal Chemistry, Molecular Targets
Thank you being a part of MMCS2024!
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all attendees; your passion and engagement played a crucial role in making this event a great success!
Take a look at the key moments from the conference on the conference gallery!
Welcome from the Chairs
Dear Colleagues,
We are delighted to announce the upcoming 4th Molecules Medicinal Chemistry Symposium – Harnessing the Power of New Drug Modalities (MMCS 2024), which will take place in Barcelona, Spain, from April 24th to 26th, 2024.
Organized by MDPI, the publisher of the open-access journal Molecules, this conference follows the successful MMCS 2019 and MMCS 2022 editions, maintaining the highly appreciated three-day format to accommodate a diverse range of contributions and a large audience interested in the impact that the emergence of new drug modalities is having in drug discovery. MMCS 2024's thematic sessions will revolve around photoactivatable drugs, candidates that hit RNA and epigenetic targets, and covalent modifiers. The use of these and other more classical approaches for the development of new anti-cancer agents and other medicinal chemistry projects will also be covered.
Each session will include two distinguished invited speakers, who will share their insights alongside selected oral communications. Poster presentations and social events will further enrich the program.
We look forward to welcoming you to Barcelona in April, a perfect time to visit for its delightful weather, vibrant spring atmosphere, and wide array of cultural and outdoor activities that will provide an inspiring backdrop for our conference.
Prof. Diego Muñoz-Torrero
Editor-in-Chief of the Medicinal Chemistry Section of Molecules
MMCS 2024 Chair
Prof. Simona Collina
Editorial Board of the Medicinal Chemistry Section of Molecules
MMCS 2024 Co-Chair
Conference Secretariat
Dr. Maddalena Favaretto
Ms. Raquel Sellés
Dr. Elena González
Email: mmcs2024@mdpi.com
Sponsoring Opportunities
For information regarding sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, please contact us.
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Event Chairs
Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Spain
Prof. Diego Muñoz-Torrero is Full Professor of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona (UB). He is Head of the Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and belongs to the Governing Board of the Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB). His research focuses on the design and synthesis of new drug candidates against neurodegenerative and parasitic diseases, endowed with innovative mechanisms of action. He belongs to the editorial advisory board of several medicinal chemistry journals and serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Medicinal Chemistry Section of the MDPI journal Molecules.
Professor Simona Collina is Head of MedChemLab, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Dean of the School of Pharmacy at the University of Pavia. Her research activity mainly focuses on the study of chiral compounds and the relationship between absolute configuration and biological activity, and her research interests include design, synthesis of bioactive small molecules, and extraction of secondary metabolites from natural sources, mainly active in neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and pain. She also belongs to the editorial board of Molecules (MDPI), Medicinal Chemistry section.
Event Committee
Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, University of Bologna, Italy
Maria Laura Bolognesi is Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Coordinator of the Biotechnological, Biocomputational, Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences PhD Program at the University of Bologna. Her research is concerned with the design, synthesis, and biological investigation of small molecules in the neurodegenerative and neglected tropical disease therapeutic areas. She has a track record of > 200 publications in high-ranked scientific journals, including patents and patent applications, and >100 invited talks worldwide. She was awarded a Distinguished Visiting Professor Fellowship at the Complutense University of Madrid in 2009, a PVE Fellowship at the University of Brasilia in 2014 and Professeur Invité at Université Caen Normandie in 2018. She is also the President of the Medicinal Chemistry Division of the Italian Chemical Society (SCI), an Associate Editor of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (ACS) and serves in the Advisory Board of the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC)
Margherita Brindisi received her PhD from the University of Siena, Italy. In 2010-2011 she worked as a post-doctoral fellow at Purdue University (USA) under the supervision of Prof. Arun K. Ghosh on the development of new antiviral agents and therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders. From 2012 to 2015 she was appointed as fixed-term Researcher at the University of Siena and in 2016-17 she again moved to Purdue University as a Visiting Researcher. Since April 2019, she was appointed at the Department of Pharmacy of University of Naples Federico II, where she is mainly focusing on the development of novel therapeutic options for infectious and rare diseases. She became an associate Professor at the same Department in April 2022. Margherita is author of 110 publications with more than 3500 citations and inventor of two international patents.
Margherita Brindisi received her PhD from the University of Siena, Italy. In 2010-2011 she worked as a post-doctoral fellow at Purdue University (USA) under the supervision of Prof. Arun K. Ghosh on the development of new antiviral agents and therapeutics for neurodegenerative disorders. From 2012 to 2015 she was appointed as fixed-term Researcher at the University of Siena and in 2016-17 she again moved to Purdue University as a Visiting Researcher. Since April 2019, she was appointed at the Department of Pharmacy of University of Naples Federico II, where she is mainly focusing on the development of novel therapeutic options for infectious and rare diseases. She became an associate Professor at the same Department in April 2022. Margherita is author of 110 publications with more than 3500 citations and inventor of two international patents.
Institut für Pharmazie und Lebensmittelchemie, University of Würzburg, Germany
Roman Dembinski obtained his PhD degree at the Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Łódź, with a specialization in organophosphorus chemistry. Following this, he relocated to the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, USA, where he delved into research within the realm of organometallic chemistry, as a research associate under the mentorship of J. A Gladysz. He began his independent career at Oakland University situated in Rochester, Michigan, ultimately achieving the rank of Professor. Professor Dembinski served two terms as chair of Oakland’s Chemistry. He maintains an affiliation with the Center of Biomedical Research. He is also affiliated with the Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences. He is currently serving as Editor-in-Chief of Molecules – Organic Chemistry Section. Dembinski has made significant research contributions across various domains, encompassing electrophilic cyclization reactions, the Mitsunobu reaction, fluorous chemistry, organometallic chemistry, nucleoside chemistry, and heterocyclic chemistry.
A Full Professor at the Unit of Medicinal Chemistry within the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences at the University of Barcelona, Prof. Dr. Escolano earned her PhD from the same institution in 1993. Following this, she embarked on a four-month honorary fellowship at the University College of London and pursued a two-year research training contract funded by Marie Curie at Kingston University (UK), focusing on the synthesis of intricate molecules with biological significance. In 2003, she received a Ramon y Cajal contract, and by 2007, she had assumed the role of Associate Professor. Her current research endeavors encompass a wide range of interdisciplinary projects that bridge the fields of chemistry and biology. Her team is dedicated to developing novel chemical entities designed to address pressing healthcare challenges, particularly in areas with significant societal impact, including glioblastoma, neuropathic pain, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease. In her instructional capacity at the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, she has been actively engaged in teaching Organic Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry courses.
Beatriz de Pascual-Teresa is Professor of organic and pharmaceutical chemistry at the Universidad San Pablo CEU. She holds a Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of Salamanca with top honors. With research training at LSU and UCLA (USA); UAH (Spain), and BASF-AG (Germany), she has been a Professor at CEU San Pablo University since 1996, currently serving as a Professor of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry and is Head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the Faculty of Pharmacy. Throughout her career, Prof. de Pascual-Teresa has held various academic roles, including departmental Secretary and Director, and has been the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy 2008-2022 and head of the board of Deans of Faculties of Pharmacy from Spain (2018-2022) Her extensive research includes over 25 projects funded nationally and internationally, focusing on active compound design and biological evaluation against diverse pharmacological targets. Prof. de Pascual-Teresa has supervised eight doctoral theses, published 80+ scientific articles, and holds five recognized research six-year periods. As the Director of the Doctoral Program in Health Science and Technology at CEINDO since 2013, Prof. de Pascual-Teresa actively teaches in both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, offering expertise in Pharmacy and Biotechnology in Spanish and English. Beyond academia, her leadership roles in prestigious societies and academies highlight her significant contributions to pharmacy and research fields.
Rino Ragno is a full professor at the Drug Chemistry and Technology Department - Pharmacy and Medicine Faculty, Sapienza University of Rome. He started as medicinal chemist doing synthesis for about 10 years then as Italian NIH fellow spent two years in the Prof. G. R. Marshall’s lab at Washington University in St. Louis. In 2017 he achieved the national abilitation as Full Professor in medicinal chemistry. Prof. Rino Ragno is co-author of more than 120 peer reviewed articles on international journals at high impact factor.
Christophe Rochais received his PhD in the group or Prof. S. Rault from the University of Caen Normandie (2005). After a post-doctoral fellowship that he completed in the Centre for Biomolecular Sciences of the University of Nottingham under the supervision of Pr Peter M. Fischer, he was appointed Lecturer in Organic Chemistry in the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Caen Normandy in 2007 and since January 2014 he assumed the position of Professor in Organic Chemistry. His research interests include medicinal chemistry program in the field of enzymatic inhibition and receptor modulation in order to develop pharmacological tools and bioactive compounds. Since 2012 he is leading a research program dedicated to the development of pleiotropic agents of interest in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. In 2022, he was appointed Head of the Centre d’Etudes et de Recherche sur le Médicament de Normandie research group and a member of the French National Academy of Pharmacy.
Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biológica y Materiales Moleculares (CIQUS), University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Eddy Sotelo is a Full Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Santiago. He graduated in Chemistry from the University of Havana and earned his Ph.D. at the University of Santiago de Compostela. His postdoctoral experience has been developed through participation in multidisciplinary academic projects and collaborations with the pharmaceutical industry. In 2006, he joined the Institute of Industrial Pharmacy at the University of Santiago de Compostela, where he founded the COMBIOMED group (2008). Eddy is interested in small molecule cancer immunotherapeutics, fluorescent probe development, and proximity-based new drug modalities. His research focuses on pre-clinical drug discovery, particularly the discovery and optimization of NCE using high-throughput synthetic methodologies (https://www.sotelolab.es). Eddy has published over 110 research papers, is inventor of 5 international patents, and participated in the development of six drugs currently undergoing clinical development. Professor Sotelo is deeply committed to collaborative and translational research, he is actively engaging in partnerships with pharmaceutical companies and academic groups and has founded three biotechnological startups. One of these companies, Celtarys Research, specializes in commercializing highly potent and selective fluorescent probes designed for various biomedical applications, such as high-throughput screening (HTS), imaging, and clinical diagnostics.
Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry (LQOF), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Portugal,
CIIMAR – Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Portugal
www.ff.up.pt/esousa
University of Innsbruck, Institute of Pharmacy, Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), Innsbruck, Austria
Prof. Claudio Viegas Jr completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry at São Paulo State University in 2003, specializing in Chemistry of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry. Since 2022, Prof. Viegas Jr. has been a Full Professor at the Institute of Chemistry at UNIFAL-MG, where he's been involved in undergraduate and postgraduate programs. He leads the Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory (PeQuiM) and is dedicated to research in Medicinal Chemistry, focusing on the development of new drug candidates, including those for pain relief, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, antiproliferative, neuroactive, anti-COVID-19, and anti-SARS-COV-2 applications. He is also the leader of the research group "Planning, synthesis, bioprospecting, and characterization of bioactive substances" and a full member of the Brazilian Chemical Society since 1992. Prof. Viegas Jr. is Vice-Coordinator of the Neuroscience League (LINEC) at UNIFAL-MG and collaborates with various foreign institutions on research projects. He serves on the editorial boards of 7 international journals, with an impressive scholarly impact and citations in various databases. Prof. Claudio Viegas Jr. has authored more than 85 papers and four patents in the MedChem field and has been recognized as one of the top scientists worldwide in recent years, according to research and metrics from Stanford University and Elsevier.
Invited Speakers
Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, UK
Paul Brennan received his PhD in organic chemistry from UC Berkeley. Following post-doctoral research at Cambridge University, Paul spent eight years working in the pharmaceutical industry at Amgen and Pfizer. After leaving Pfizer in 2011, Paul joined the Structural Genomics Consortium at the University of Oxford and led the chemical probes discovery effort on epigenetic targets. After leaving the SGC in 2019, Paul was Head of Chemistry and then CSO of the Alzheimer’s Research UK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute where his research was focused on finding new treatments for dementia. Paul is currently Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and Director of the Centre for Medicines Discovery at the University of Oxford. Over the course of his career, Paul has worked on most major drug targets classes: kinases, GPCRs, ion-channels, metabolic enzymes, and epigenetic proteins. His current research is on target validation in neurodegeneration, oncology, virology, and rare diseases; and chemical probe discovery for E3 ligases and small GTPases.
Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
Luc Brunsveld is professor of Chemical Biology in the Biomedical Engineering department and the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems at the Eindhoven University of Technology. His research centers on chemical biology, particularly protein-protein interaction studies, drug discovery, and supramolecular signaling systems. By melding synthetic and supramolecular chemistry with chemical biology, he achieves precise molecular control over biological systems. The group has cultivated expertise in organic synthesis, peptide and protein chemistry, chemical biology, and supramolecular chemistry, enabling them to craft new molecules and materials for the study, engineering, and modulation of protein-protein interactions. Their ambitions include realizing a synthetic cell and devising novel drugs by fine-tuning protein-protein interactions, ranking high on the group's wish list. Luc is co-founder of Ambagon Therapeutics.
Institute of Chemistry of Nice, Université Côte d'Azur, France
Dr. Maria Duca is id the CNRS Research Director and Director of the TNA research group at the Institute of Chemistry of Nice (ICN). She holds a Master degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Bologna and a PhD in Molecular Biochemistry from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. She is Vice-President of the French Medicinal Chemistry Society (SCT) and Associate Editor for RSC Medicinal Chemistry. She also chairs the Chemical Biology Initiative for the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry, promoting interdisciplinary research. Dr. Duca serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and the Scientific Advisory Board of ChemMedChem. Recognized for her contributions, Dr. Duca has received prestigious awards, including the Alexandre Joël Award from Fondation ARC and the Michel Delalande Award from the French Pharmacy Academy. Her research focuses on developing synthetic molecules to target oncogenic microRNAs, with publications showcasing innovative approaches.
Co-founder and drug discovery advisor of Oniria Therapeutics, Spain,
University of Barcelona, Spain
Dr Carles Galdeano is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona. He obtained his PhD in medicinal chemistry at the University of Barcelona. After that, he spent three years post-doc in Alessio Ciulli’s lab (first at the University of Cambridge and later at the University of Dundee) where together they developed the first potent VHL ligands described. His postdoctoral discoveries represented a breakthrough in the PROTACS field. In 2015, he returned to the University of Barcelona to work in collaboration with Prof Barril until 2019, when he started his independent research group. Dr Galdeano is also co-founder of Oniria Therapeutics.
Department of Chemistry; Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, USA
Prof. Ghosh is the Ian P. Rothwell Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry at Purdue University. Prof. Ghosh’s research group is involved in multidisciplinary research projects in the areas of synthetic organic, bioorganic, and medicinal chemistry. His group is currently studying critical ligand-binding site interactions of various proteolytic enzymes. This includes cysteine proteases for treatment of COVID-19, BACE1 (memapsin 2), a very significant target for Alzheimer’s disease, as well as, HIV protease whose clinical effectiveness for the treatment of AIDS has been well recognized. Prof. Ghosh created a molecule, known as Darunavir, that in 2006 became the first approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat drug-resistant HIV. The drug molecule is now approved in 80 countries and is used as a frontline therapy for HIV and AIDS. His groundbreaking research has been recognized with numerous National and International awards, including IUPAC Richter prize, ACS Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame, ACS Cope Scholar Award, and MERIT - award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
Pau Gorostiza earned his physics degree and European Doctorate in semiconductor electrochemistry at the University of Barcelona (UB). His research at UB's microscopy facility focused on AFM and STM techniques for biological samples and nanotechnology in materials science. He visited CNRS - Université Pierre et Marie Curie in France and the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, an ICREA Research Professor at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, he develops photoswitchable ligands for neuronal proteins and studies interprotein electron transport in respiratory and photosynthetic complexes with EC-STM/AFM. Notably, he received a HFSP Career Development Award, two ERC grants, published 130 articles (6900 citations, h-index 44), holds 7 patents (5 licensed), and supervised 11 postdoctoral fellows and 13 PhDs.
Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Germany
Prof. Dr. Anna Hirsch pursued her education in Natural Sciences with a specialization in Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. During her third year, she had the privilege of studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she engaged in a research project alongside Prof. Timothy Jamison. In 2008, she accomplished her Ph.D. from ETH Zurich, concentrating on the de novo structure-based design and synthesis of inhibitors for an anti-infective target enzyme under the supervision of Prof. François Diederich. Subsequently, she undertook an HFSP postdoctoral fellowship at the Institut de Science et d’Ingénierie Supramoléculaires (ISIS) in Strasbourg, led by Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn. She continued then as assistant professor, and afterwards as associate professor, at the Stratingh Institute for Chemistry at the University of Groningen in 2010. In 2017, Anna transitioned to the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), where she serves as the head of the department for drug design and optimization. Her focus remains on anti-infective drug design, employing strategic methods such as structure- and fragment-based drug design. Prof. Hirsch's remarkable achievements have been widely recognized. She received the Gratama Science Prize in 2014, followed by the SCT-Servier Prize for Medicinal Chemistry in 2015. In 2017, her accomplishments were further acknowledged with the Innovation Prize for Medicinal Chemistry by the GdCh/DPhG. Her exceptional contributions earned her the EFMC Young Medicinal Chemist in Academia runner-up Prize in 2019.
Professor Hoelder is the head of chemistry at the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery (CCDD), formerly known as Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, at The Institute of Cancer Research, London. In 2020 he was awarded a professorship in Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design and in 2022 he became the Head of Chemistry within the CCDD. He completed his PhD in organic chemistry at the Technical University in Berlin in the team of Professor S. Blechert. Following his PhD, Professor Hoelder spent two years in the lab of Professor P.G. Schultz at the University of California, Berkeley establishing methods to identify novel enzymes through selection from large protein libraries. His Post-Doctoral research was supported by a Feodor Lynen Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. In October 2007, Professor Hoelder joined the faculty of the ICR applying his medicinal chemistry experience to discover novel drugs in the unique and collaborative environment of the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery (formerly known as Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit). In 2020 he was awarded Professorship in Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design and in 2022 he became the Head of Chemistry within the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery.
Prof. Xiaoguang Lei is the Boya Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University. During his career, he has received numerous prestigious awards including the Molecules 2022 Tu Youyou Award. His laboratory at Peking University conducts research on the interface between chemistry and biology. He focuses on the function-oriented synthesis of structurally complex and bioactive natural products and systematically uses bioactive small molecules (either natural products or unnatural compounds) to study their biological functions, elucidate molecular mechanisms of the essential biological pathways, and develop novel therapeutic agents for currently intractable human diseases, such as cancers and infectious diseases. In addition, he has been exploring the biosynthesis of plant-derived bioactive natural products and developing efficient chemoenzymatic approaches to access these complex molecules. During his career to date, Prof. Dr. Lei has distinguished himself with numerous high-quality contributions in diverse areas of natural product synthesis, chemical biology, and drug discovery. His investigations into the molecular details and mechanisms at the interface between chemistry and biology have led to novel discoveries with potentially significant consequences for molecular medicine.
Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM) at International School of Advanced Studies (SISSA), Italy
Alessandra Magistrato obtained her PhD at ETZ Zuerich, Swizerland, following which she was appointed as postdoc researcher at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA, USA. In 2003 she became Tenure track at INMF- Democritos simulation center at the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy. From 2006 she became permanent research staff of CNR-IOM@SISSA where she leads a laboratory of computational biology and biochemistry. Since 2018 she has been Research Director of CNR-IOM at SISSA. Her research interests concern the use of state of the art computational techniques for the study of biological and biochemical systems involved in the onset of human diseases. In particular, her research focuses on drug and protein interactions with nucleic acids RNA, (metal based) enzymatic and RNA catalysis, transport mechanism via ionic channels, role of metals in neurodegenerative diseases.
Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Wiktor Szymanski, was granted his PhD from The Warsaw University of Technology, Poland, in 2008, under the guidance of Prof. Ryszard Ostaszewski. He then honed his expertise in biotransformations in organic chemistry during a two-year period with Prof. Ben L. Feringa and Prof. Dick B. Janssen at the University of Groningen. Since 2010, his focus has centered on creating photoactive protein, peptide, and DNA bioconjugates, delving into the realm of photopharmacology in the Feringa Labs. In 2014, he joined the Medical Imaging Center at the University Medical Center Groningen, eventually obtaining the role of tenure track assistant professor in 2015 and associate professor in 2019. He was appointed full professor in 2023 at the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, where he holds the chair of Medicinal Chemistry, Photopharmacology, and Imaging.
Prof. Matthias P. Wymann is at the Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, investigating the role of class I PI3K isoforms in chronic inflammation, allergy, cancer and metabolism. He introduced wortmannin as the first PI3K inhibitor in 1993, and elucidated its covalent interaction site with PI3Kα and PI3Kγ. The first viable PI3K knock-out mice then established the role of PI3Kγ downstream of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling, establishing a mechanism for PI3K-dependent chemokine action on hematopoietic cells. Over the past years, his research has primarily focused on the role of non-redundant functions of PI3Kγ complexes in allergy and metabolism, and the development of PI3K and mTOR-selective inhibitors for cancer therapy. Among these, Bimiralisib/PQR309 reached phase II trials. Chemical probes and covalent PI3Kα inhibitors are currently explored to investigate PI3Kα in metabolism and adverse effects to improve PI3Kα targeted therapy.
Abridged Program
Thursday 25 April 2024: 09:00-18:00 - Conference Dinner: 20:00
Detailed Program
Day 1 – Wednesday, 24 April 2024
13:00-13:45 |
Check-In |
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13:45-14:00 |
Opening Ceremony |
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S1. Molecules Against Cancer (Part 1)chaired by Rino Ragno |
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14:00-14:30 |
Swen Hoelder |
A tricycle journey to in vivo inhibitors and degraders of the oncogenic transcription factor BCL6 The Institute of Cancer Research, UK |
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14:30-14:45 |
Giuseppe La Regina |
Induction of Ferroptosis by New Pyrrole Tubulin Assembly Inhibitors Sapienza University of Rome, Italy |
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14:45-15:00 |
Marta Jędrzejczyk |
Triphenylphosphonium salts of salinomycin as antiproliferative agents targeting the mitochondria Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland |
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15:00-15:15 |
Diana Aleksanyan |
Anticancer potential of Pd(II) pincer complexes derived from thiophosphoryl-functionalized amides Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russia |
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15:15-15:30 |
Victoria Mora |
EU-OPENSCREEN: an open access initiative in chemical biology to support anti-cancer drug discovery EU-OPENSCREEN ERIC, Campus Berlin Buch, Germany |
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15:30-15:45 |
Carla Marisa Magalhães |
Synchrotron-Radiation FTIR-Based Investigation of the Anticancer Activity of Metabolic Products of a Marine Bioluminescent System University of Porto, Portugal |
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15:45-16:15 |
Coffee Break |
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S1. Molecules Against Cancer (Part 2)chaired by Rino Ragno |
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16:15-16:30 |
Roman Dembinski |
Dicobalt Hexacarbonyl Furopyrimidine Nucleosides with Alkynyl Substituent and their Antiproliferative Activity Oakland University, USA |
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16:30-16:45 |
Iván Rodríguez-Pampín |
Reprogramming the Immune System using Multi-Target A2AAR-A2BAR Antagonists for Cancer Therapy University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain |
S2. RNA-Targeting Small Molecule Drugs and Degraders (Part 1)chaired by Roman Dembinski |
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16:45-17:15 |
Alessandra Magistrato |
Small-molecule modulators of pre-mRNA splicing IOM at The International School of Advanced Studies, Italy |
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17:15-17:30 |
Barak Akabayov |
Targeting an RNA hairpin within the ribosomal PTC of M.tuberculosis: AI-Enhanced Molecules for Next-Gen Antibiotics Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel |
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17:30-17:45 |
Valeria Cavalloro |
(R)-aloesaponol-III-8-methyl-ether as a new hit against neurodegeneration University of Pavia, Italy |
Flash Poster Presentation Sessionchaired by Roman Dembinski |
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17:45-18:15 |
Daniela Rossi |
Recent advances in anticancer therapy: identification of new allosteric modulators of FGF/FGFR system University of Pavia, Italy |
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Antonio Andújar-Arias |
Discovery and Optimization of a Novel Class of Positive Allosteric Modulators for the Cannabinoid 2 Receptor University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain |
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Ainoa Sanchez Arfelis |
Is It Possible to Degrade C-Myc With Low Affinity Compound - Based Protacs? University of Barcelona, Spain |
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Roberta Listro |
Novel Therapeutic Approaches in Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance: Targeting LsrK in Bacterial Quorum Sensing University of Pavia, Italy |
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Ramona Santini |
Discotic Amphiphile Supramolecular Polymers for Drug Release and Cellular Activation With Light The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Spain |
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Melania Elettra Vaccari |
Sigma receptor modulators for fighting cancer or neuropathic pain: activity switches by small structural changes University of Pavia, Italy |
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Kinga Czarnota-Łydka |
Triazine-Based Small Molecules as Novel 5-HT6/FAAH Modulators Jagiellonian University, Poland |
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Pooja Sharma |
Repurposing drugs as 30s translation protein inhibitors to overcome MDR resistant bacterial strains: Computational and In vitro approach University of Rajasthan, India |
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Maria Emília Sousa |
Synthesis of Marine-Inspired Cyclopeptide Derivatives to Overcome Multidrug Resistance University of Porto, Portugal |
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Priscila P. Dario |
Knoevengael Adducts From Hydroxychloroquine and 7-chloro-4-aminoquinoline: In Vitro Antiprotozoal Activity Against L. Amazonensis Promastigote Form Federal University of Paraná, Brazil |
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Day 2 – Thursday, 25 April 2024
S3. Medicinal Chemistry Tales (Part 1)chaired by Margherita Brindisi |
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09:00-09:30 |
Arun Ghosh |
Beyond Darunavir – Enhancing Protein Backbone Binding to Combat Multidrug-Resistant HIV-1 Variants Purdue University, USA |
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09:30-09:45 |
Stefano Tomassi |
Navigating the structure of Cell-Penetrating Nucleopeptides with DNA and RNA Binding Properties University of Naples Federico II, Italy |
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09:45-10:00 |
Ana Mallo-Abreu |
Novel Protein Aggregation Inhibitors with Nanomolar Antiplasmodial Potency, High Selectivity Index and Favorable DMPK Properties University of Barcelona, Spain |
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10:00-10:15 |
Javier Sánchez |
Improving Neuropathic Pain Relief: Exploring the Potential of Dual Mechanism Compounds through Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Inhibition University of Barcelona, Spain |
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10:15-10:30 |
Mariana Spetea |
Identification and pharmacological characterization of new oxymorphone derivatives as bifunctional mu/delta opioid receptor agonists with antinociceptive efficacy and low-liability profile in mice CMBI at University of Innsbruck, Austria |
10:30-11:00 |
Coffee Break |
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S3. Medicinal Chemistry Tales (Part 2)chaired by Diego Muñoz-Torrero and Simona Collina |
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11:00-11:30 |
Xiaoguang Lei |
Winner of the 2022 Tu You You Award Peking University, China |
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11:30-11:45 |
Sveva Pelliccia |
Sustainable Rejuvenation of Triazolo Quinoxalin-4(5H)-One Scaffold Synthesis: Chemistry and Preliminary Antimicrobial Evaluation University of Naples Federico II, Italy |
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11:45-12:00 |
Anna Sampietro |
New dual sEH-AChE inhibitors with amyloid antiaggregating activity for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease University of Barcelona, Spain |
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12:00-12:15 |
Maria João Matos |
Propargylamine-Containing Compounds for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Biological Activity, Physicochemical Properties and Docking Studies University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain |
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12:15-12:30 |
Claudio Viegas Jr. |
Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Novel Cinnamic Acid-Based N-Acylhydrazone Hybrids as Neuroprotective Agents Against Parkinson's Disease Federal University of Alfenas, Brazil |
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12:30-12:45 |
Rino Ragno |
db.3d-qsar.com. The first and unique database of usable 3D QSAR models Sapienza University of Rome, Italy |
12:45-13:00 |
Group Photograph |
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13:00-14:30 |
Lunch Break & Poster Session |
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S4. Photopharmacological Approacheschaired by Mariana Spetea |
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14:30-15:00 |
Pau Gorostiza |
Controlling neuronal activity with light: from individual cells to brain waves ICREA at Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Spain |
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15:00-15:15 |
Laia Josa-Culleré |
Photoswitching HDAC inhibitors for the spatiotemporal targeting of cancer cells with light Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia, Spain |
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15:15-15:30 |
F. Javier Pérez-Areales |
Red-light modulated photoswitches for peptide stapling University of Barcelona, Spain |
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15:30-15:45 |
Giacomo Rossino |
Photoswitchable HuR ligands as an innovative strategy for anticancer agents. University of Pavia, Italy |
15:45-16:15 |
Coffee Break |
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S3. Medicinal Chemistry Tales (Part 3)chaired by Maria Emilia Sousa |
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16:15-16:45 |
Maria Duca |
Design of multifunctional conjugates for the targeting of non-coding RNAs: anticancer and antimicrobial applications Institute of Chemistry of Nice, Université Côte d'Azur, France |
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16:45-17:00 |
Noemi Villella |
Discovery of novel and potent human Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase inhibitor that induces differentiation and apoptosis in Acute Myeloid Leukemia University of Turin, Italy |
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17:00-17:15 |
Adel Nefzi |
Combinatorial Chemistry: Application of Natural Product-Inspired Diversity-Oriented Synthesis to Accelerate Drug Discovery Florida International University, USA |
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17:15-17.30 |
Beatriz Büschbell |
Unlocking Novel Chemical Matter from Ultra Large Chemical Spaces for ROCK1 and PKA Inhibitors BioSolveIT, Germany |
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17:30-17:45 |
Igor Zhukov |
Mechanism of Regulation of Aβ Aggregation by S100B protein in Alzheimer Disease. Analysis interactions S100B with Aβ by 19F NMR Spectroscopy Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Poland |
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17:45-18:00 |
Aitor Valdivia |
VF-57: targeting the release of the fusion peptide in influenza A virus hemagglutinin University of Barcelona, Spain |
20:00-22:00 |
Conference Dinner |
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Day 3 – Friday, 26 April 2024
S2. RNA-Targeting Small Molecule Drugs and Degraders (Part 2)chaired by Carmen Escolano |
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09:00-09:30 |
Anna Hirsch |
Dynamic combinatorial chemistry as a powerful hit-identification strategy for challenging targets Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarlan, Germany |
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09:30-09:45 |
Pasquale Linciano |
Advancing RNA Targeting Strategies: Developing of HuR Ligands and Assessing of STD NMR to Evaluate their capability to disrupt HuR-mRNA Interactions University of Pavia, Italy |
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09:45-10:00 |
Jussara Amato |
Ligand-Based Drug Repurposing Strategy and Multiple Biophysical Techniques Identified Viral Rna G-Quadruplex Binders University of Naples Federico II, Italy |
S4. Photopharmacological Approaches (Part 2)chaired by Claudio Viegas Jr. |
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10:00-10:30 |
Wiktor Szymanski |
Photopharmacology: Towards Light-Controlled Pharmacological Therapy GRIP, University of Groningen, The Netherlands |
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10:30-10:45 |
Luisa Camerin |
Photoswitchable carbamazepine analogs for non-invasive neuroinhibition in vivo Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, Spain |
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10:45-11:00 |
Xavier Just-Baringo |
Visible Light Operated Antimicrobial Peptides: Towards Selective and Resistance-Free Antibiotics University of Barcelona, Spain |
11:00-11:30 |
Coffee Break |
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S5. Modulation of Epigenetic Targetschaired by Marçal Pastor-Anglada |
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11:30-12:00 |
Paul Brennan |
Rare Disease Target Discovery with Epigenetic Chemical Probes Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, UK |
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12:00-12:15 |
Simona Barone |
Discovery And Characterization Of A New Potent And Selective Histone Deacetylase 6 Inhibitor Against Triple Negative Breast Cancer University of Naples Federico II, Italy |
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12:15-12:30 |
Giulio Rastelli |
Targeting Aggressive Prostate Cancer Through HDAC6/HSP90 Dual Inhibitors Based on a 2-Amino-Pyrrolopyrimidine Scaffold University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy |
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12:30-13:00 |
Carles Galdeano |
First-in-class TET2 activator as a new therapeutic strategy to fight cancer University of Barcelona, Spain |
13:00-14:45 |
Lunch Break & Poster Session |
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S6. Covalent Drug Discoverychaired by Daniea Rossi |
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14:45-15:15 |
Luc Brunsveld |
Fragment-based drug discovery and beyond for molecular glue identification Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands |
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15:15-15:30 |
Massimo Serra |
Chemical mannosylation of antigenic elastin-like recombinamers for the development of new glyco-nanovaccine against tuberculosis University of Pavia, Italy |
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15:30-15:45 |
Franz-Josef Meyer-Almes |
Identification of unprecedented binding sites at the surface of HDAC8 using electrophilic fragments Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Germany |
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15:45-16:15 |
Matthias P. Wymann |
Targeting PI3Kα – Bridging Gaps with Covalent Proximity Scanning and Rapid Target Engagement University of Basel, Switzerland |
16:15 |
Award Ceremony and Closing Remarks |
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Poster Sessions
Posters should be set up on Thursday morning and must be removed by 16:30 on Friday. Posters will remain hung throughout the entire conference and will be presented during the two poster sessions.
Poster numbers, titles, and presenting author, can be found below. Please contact us if the poster presenter's name is incorrect in this list (last updated on 18 April 2024). By clicking on the icon below, you can view and download the list of posters.
How to prepare your poster?
- 84 x 120 cm / 33 x 47 in (width x height)
- in vertical orientation (portrait)
Click here for a full guide with suggestions on how to prepare your poster.
Book of Abstracts
Registration
The conference will be held fully in person; it is not possible to participate online. The registration fee includes attendance at all conference sessions, morning/afternoon coffee breaks, lunch, a conference bag, and a program book. Participation in the conference is considered final only once the registration fees have been paid. The number of participants is limited: once the number of paid registrations reaches the maximum number of participants, unpaid registrations will be canceled.
Please note that abstract submission and conference registration are two separate processes. During registration, please provide us with the same email address you used to submit your abstract(s). Otherwise, leave us a comment in the registration form, providing the email address used during the submission process. In addition, please use your institutional email address for both processes. If you are registering several people under the same registration order, please do not use the same email address for each person but their individual institutional email addresses. Thank you for your understanding.
Please note that, in order to finalize the scientific program in due time, at least one registration by any of the authors, denoted as the Covering Author, is required to cover the presentation and publication of any accepted abstract. The Covering Author registration deadline is 10 March 2024. Your abstract will be withdrawn if your registration is not complete by this date.
Group Registration: Groups of five or more attendees are offered a 10% discount on the registration fees. To enjoy this discount, you need to complete one multiple registration by selecting the number of people attending in each category (type of registration) during the first step of the registration process. Please note that no other discounts will be applicable.
Partnering Societies: Members from partnering societies are granted a 20% discount on all registration fees. Please make sure to provide us with proof that you are part of one of our partnering societies. Are you part of a society that isn't partnering with the conference? Contact us to discuss a possible partnership!
Certificate of Attendance: Participants of the event will be able to download an electronic Certificate of Attendance by accessing their dashboards on Sciforum.net once the event is concluded. The certificates will be found under the "My Certificates" category.
Reduced fees
If you are affiliated with a university in a low- or middle-income country, you are automatically eligible for a price reduction. However, please note that the reduced price will only be added to your registration when it is processed. This means that you do not have to pay the stated price immediately upon registration, and you will receive an invoice with the price adjustment after you have registered. Below, you can find the list of low- and middle-income countries.
|
Early Bird Until 3rd March 2024 |
Regular Until 13th April 2024 |
Supported documents | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | 500.00 EUR | 600.00 EUR | |
| Early Career Researcher (PhD completed within the past five years) | 350.00 EUR | 450.00 EUR |
Please include a proof of graduation date (Diploma, University profile page screenshot, etc.) |
| Student | 300.00 EUR | 400.00 EUR |
Scanned copy or photograph of your current Student ID Card |
| Guest Editor/Board Member of Molecules | 400.00 EUR | 500.00 EUR | |
| Author/Reviewer of Molecules* | 450.00 EUR | 550.00 EUR |
*Author or Reviewer in the last 5 years |
| Non-Academic | 800.00 EUR | 900.00 EUR | |
| Chairs, Invited Speakers and Committee Members | Free | Free | |
| Conference Dinner | 45.00 EUR | 45.00 EUR |
Please include your meal preference in the comments (meat (pork), fish, or vegetarian) |
Active discounts
Group of 5: 10% discount
Note: Group size refers to the number of registered attendees in the same registration order.
Cancellation policy
| Cancellation of paid registration is possible under the terms listed below: | |
| > 2 months before the conference | Full refund but 60 EUR is retained for administration |
| > 1 month before the conference | Refund 50% of the applying fees |
| > 2 weeks before the conference | Refund 25% of the applying fees |
| < 2 weeks before the conference | No refund |
Disclaimer
In the unlikely event that MDPI deems it necessary to cancel the conference, all pre-paid registration fees will be reimbursed. MDPI shall not be liable for reimbursing the cost of travel or accommodation arrangements made by individual delegates.
Beware of unauthorized registration and hotel solicitations
Note that Sciforum is the only official registration platform to register to MMCS 2024 and that we are not associated with any hotel agency (other than those listed on the conference website). While other hotel resellers and travel agencies may contact you with offers for your trip, they are not endorsed by or affiliated with MMCS 2024 or Sciforum. Beware that entering into financial agreements with non-endorsed companies can have costly consequences.
Insurance
The organizers do not accept liability for personal accident, loss, or damage to private property incurred as a result of participation in The 4th Molecules Medicinal Chemistry Symposium. Delegates are advised to arrange appropriate insurance to cover travel, cancellation costs, medical, and theft or damage of belongings.
MDPI Conference Admissions Policy
- All registered conference delegates are asked to always wear their badges throughout the conference.
- Conference sessions, the catering area, and the poster area are solely restricted to badge holders. Any person attending these areas without a badge will be asked to leave the premises.
- Badge holders must not allow their badges to be worn by anyone else. Any failure to do so is likely to lead to the badge holder and the person wearing the badge being removed from the premises.
- Press badges are restricted to publishers, editors, journalists, broadcasters, and web bloggers associated with the conference subject area. Members of the press may be asked to produce accreditation in the form of a photocopy of a recognized press or media card, a business card, a letter from the editor, or an official web address linking to a press release in order to verify their position.
- Photographs and videos may be taken during the conference. Anyone attending the conference consents to such photography and filming without compensation and confirms that the Organizers shall be entitled to use such photographs and videos, which may include photographs and videos of visitors, for the purpose of marketing the conference in the future and for exploitation in any and all media, without liability.
Payment methods
Wire transfer, Credit card
Currencies accepted by this event
Swiss francs (CHF) , Euros (EUR) , US dollars (USD) , Pounds sterling (GBP) , Japanese yen (JPY) , Canadian dollars (CAD) and Singapore dollars (SGD)
Conference Dinner
Thursday, 25 April 2024, 8:00 pm CET
45 EUR (per person)
We invite you to join us at the Conference Dinner at Abrassame, a cutting-edge restaurant specialised in Mediterranean cuisine which, in addition to its location at the pictouresque terrace of Arenas de Barcelona, will make of your evening at the restaurant an experience to remember.
The dinner will be at an additional cost of 45 EUR and will need to be booked separately in an independent registration. Please register and pay for it here before 14 April 2024 and save your seat. During the registration process, please indicate your preferred main course in the comments: Meat (Pork), Fish, or Vegetarian.
You are welcome to bring any accompanying persons by booking their seats. Please note that registrations onsite will not be permitted.
Instructions for Authors
- Create an account on Sciforum if you do not have one and then click on ‘New Submission’ in the upper-right corner of the window; or, click on ‘Submit Abstract’ at the top of this webpage.
- Choose a session that is best suited for your research.
- Submit an abstract in English—the word limits are a minimum of 150 words and a maximum of 300 words.
- The deadline to submit your abstract is 22 January 2024. You will be notified about its acceptance by 22 February 2024.
- Upon submission, you can select if you wish to be considered for oral or poster presentation (or both). Following assessment by the Chairs and Scientific Committee, you will be notified by 22 February 2024 whether your contribution has been accepted for oral or poster presentation.
- Please note that, in order to finalize the scientific program in due time, at least one registration by any of the authors, denoted as the Covering Author, is required to cover the presentation and publication of any accepted abstract. The Covering Author registration deadline is 11 March 2024. Your abstract will be withdrawn if your registration is not complete by this date.
Invited talks will be 30 minutes long, including questions (25 minutes oral presentation + 5 minutes Q&A). Short talks will be 15 minutes long, including questions (10 minutes oral presentation + 5 minutes Q&A).
Please ensure that your slides are formatted in widescreen (16:9) aspect ratio.
Each presenter will be provided with a vertical poster board. Maximum poster size is limited to A0: 84 x 120 cm / 33 x 47 in (width x height) in the vertical orientation (portrait). Please print your poster prior to the conference. A plan for the poster session will be circulated later.
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All accepted abstracts will be available online in Open Access form on Sciforum.net during and after the conference.
- Participants of this conference are cordially invited to contribute a full manuscript to the Special Issue "Featured Papers in Medicinal Chemistry II" in the journal Molecules, with a 20% discount on the publication fees.
- Molecules is indexed within Scopus, SCIE (Web of Science), PubMed, MEDLINE, PMC, Reaxys, Embase, CaPlus / SciFinder, MarinLit, AGRIS, and other databases, and has an Impact Factor of 4.6 (2022) and a 5-Year Impact Factor of 4.9 (2022).
Venue, Travel and Accommodation
Venue
Barcelona
Barcelona is the capital and largest city of Catalonia and is Spain's second-largest city, with a population of over one and a half million people.
Located on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain, this city has a rich and diverse history, with its roots dating back to Roman times. The fruitful medieval period established Barcelona's position as the economic and political center of the Western Mediterranean. The city's Gothic Quarter bears witness to the splendor enjoyed by the city from the 13th to the 15th centuries.
The 20th century ushered in widespread urban renewal throughout Barcelona city, culminating in its landmark Eixample district, which showcases some of Barcelona's most distinctive Catalan art-nouveau, or modernista, buildings. The Catalan Antoni Gaudí, one of the most eminent architects, designed buildings such as La Pedrera, the Casa Batlló, and the Sagrada Família church, which have become world-famous landmarks.
In 1992, Barcelona gained international recognition by hosting the Olympic games, which brought about a massive upturn in its tourism industry. For visitors, this has translated into the very modern yet incredibly old city you see now in the 21st century, where new elements work to both preserve and celebrate the city’s heritage and origins.
Barcelona has plenty of outdoor markets, restaurants, shops, museums, and churches. The city is also very walkable, with an extensive and reliable Metro system for more far-flung destinations.
For a complete overview, see wikitravel.org or visit barcelonaturisme.com.
2024 Sant Jordi Festival
The Sant Jordi Day is a unique celebration that takes place annually in Catalonia on April 23rd. Its origins lie in the legend of Saint George, the patron saint of Catalonia, who defeated a dragon to rescue a princess. Traditionally, on this day couples, friends and family exchange books and roses.
Barcelona transforms into an open-air bookshop, offering a wide selection of books spanning various genres. Roses, often adorned with symbolic touches such as the Catalan flag, become a treasured gift.
Sant Jordi Day not only honors culture and literature; but also creates a beautiful atmosphere on the streets. The air is filled with cultural activities, concerts, and events that revolve around the celebration of love and literature. Take this chance to immerse yourselves in the culture and customs unique to Catalonia!
The AXA Convention Center
The AXA Convention Centre is located in a vibrant modern zone of the city, with easy access from the airport, as well as the urban and suburban areas of the city. It is part of the "L'Illa Diagonal", a modern complex with a shopping center, two four-star hotels, several offices, a sports center, a public park, and a car park with 2500 spaces.
Address: Avinguda Diagonal, 547, 08029 Barcelona
Travel
By plane:
The international airport of Barcelona is called Barcelona-El Prat and is located 10 km from the city center. The airport is well connected to airport hubs in Europe and several locations around the world. For more information about the airport and flights, please visit the official website at https://www.aena.es.
Once you get to the airport, you have several options to reach the city center.
To the city center:
- By shuttle bus: AEROBUS (https://aerobusbarcelona.es). This bus connects Barcelona Airport (Terminal 1 and Terminal 2) with the city center (Pl. Catalunya) in 35 minutes. It runs every day of the year with departures every 5 minutes and costs EUR 6,75.
- By train: TRAIN R2 NORD (https://rodalies.gencat.cat). This train connects Terminal 2 of the airport with the city center (Barcelona–Passeig de Gràcia). It runs every day of the year with departures every 30 minutes and costs EUR 2,40.
- By taxi: Taxis just outside the arrival area. The taxi from the airport to the city center (Plaza Catalunya) costs approximately EUR 30–35. Public taxis can apply four types of fares in Barcelona. These fares must be visible inside the taxi and are usually printed on a sticker over the window. Finally, the amount payable must be indicated on the taximeter. VTC apps that work in Barcelona are Bolt and Cabify and might offer cheaper rates.
To the conference venue:
- By metro: LINE L9 (https://www.tmb.cat). This metro line connects Barcelona Airport (Terminal 1 and Terminal 2) with the northwest of the city (Zona Universitària). From here, you can take TRAM T1, T2, or T3 (get off at L'Illa stop) or bus 7 or 67 (get off at Diagonal—Entença stop) (https://www.tmb.cat). The metro from the airport costs EUR 5,15 and the tram or bus EUR 2,40. You can buy the bus/tram ticket at the tram stop or on the bus.
- By taxi: Taxis just outside the arrival area. The taxi from the airport to the conference venue costs approximately EUR 30–35. VTC apps that work in Barcelona are Bolt and Cabify and might offer cheaper rates.
By train:
Barcelona Sants station is Barcelona's largest train station and provides rail services both in and around Barcelona and for the whole of Spain and beyond. For more information about the station and train service, please visit the official website at https://www.renfe.com.
Once you get to the station, you have the following options to reach the conference venue:
- By bus: LINES V7 or 78 (https://www.tmb.cat).
- By taxi: Taxis just outside the station. The taxi from the station to the conference venue costs about EUR 10.
Accommodation
We want your stay in Barcelona during the conference to be as comfortable as possible. With that in mind, we have agreed on a discount with several hotels to make your accommodation choice easier. Please book your accommodation online and contact the hotels directly with any issues or requests related to accommodation bookings.
We are delighted to announce that the following hotels will offer a discounted price for all MMCS 2024 attendees:
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Arenas Atiram: The Arenas Atiram Hotel offers a highly personalized service together with very friendly, elegant facilities, and it is within walking distance from the conference venue.
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Oriente Atiram and Meson Castilla Atiram: Located in Las Ramblas, they have a fantastic central location next to Plaza Catalunya and the famous Boqueria market, 25–30 minutes away (by metro) from the conference venue.
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Tres Torres Atiram: Located in the center of one of the best residential neighborhoods of Barcelona, next to the distinguished commercial and leisure districts, Diagonal Avenue, it is 1.5 km away from the conference venue.
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Hostal Aslyp 114: The Hostal Aslyp114 is a cozy hotel with private rooms located just 10 minutes away from the conference venue. Please add the 5% discount code ‘BCN114’ and indicate that you will be attending MMCS 2024 while making your reservation.
- The Social Hub Barcelona Poblenou: The Social Hub Barcelona is situated in the lively Poblenou district, and welcomes digital nomads, students, and travelers. Their unique community-focused concept merges a boutique hotel, student and extended stay rooms, a restaurant, a coworking space, bar, gym, terraces, solariums, and a Rooftop Bar & Pool with panoramic city views. Please add the 10% discount code ‘MDPI24’ while making your reservation.
Beware of Unauthorized Registration and Hotel Solicitations
Note that Sciforum is the only official registration platform to register to MMCS 2024 and that we are not associated with any hotel agency (other than those listed above). While other hotel resellers and travel agencies may contact you with offers for your trip, they are not endorsed by or affiliated with MMCS 2024 or Sciforum. Beware that entering into financial agreements with non-endorsed companies can have costly consequences.
Visa Information
Please note that you must apply for your own visa application. MDPI is not responsible for any visa application. However, MDPI can provide a Visa Support Letter. To be eligible for such a document, the criteria below must be fulfilled.
Visa Support Letter
- Applicants must have paid for registration and submitted an abstract in order to get a letter of support.
- Applicants must provide us with a scan of their valid, in-date passport that contains a photo of them.
- Applicants must provide us with an academic CV, two references from their institution (contact information including institutional email and phone), and a letter of support from their institution to confirm that they support the delegate attending the meeting.
- This must be carried out in good time before the meeting; “last minute” requests will not be processed.
More useful information on visa application
Event Gallery
Event Awards
In order to recognize the works presented during the conference in the format of posters and presentations, two awards will be offered to our conference participants, sponsored by the journal Molecules. The Awardees will be announced during the Award Ceremony on the last day of the conference.
The award winners will be selected by the Selection Committee after evaluation of all selected talks and posters presented at the conference.
We will be offering the following two awards to our conference attendees:
Best Oral Presentation
Number of Awards Available: 1
Prize: EUR 500
Best Poster
Number of Awards Available: 1
Prize: EUR 300
Sponsors and Partners
We invite you and your company to participate in and sponsor MMCS 2024! Find all information on sponsorship opportunities in our Sponsorship Agenda. If you have any questions or wish to discuss options further, please do not hesitate to contact the Conference Secretariat. We thank you for your consideration!
Organizers
Sponsors
Partnering Societies
Media Partners
