5th MMCS: New Trends in Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery

Name: 5th MMCS: New Trends in Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery
Start: 2026-05-13T22:00:00
End: 2026-05-16T22:00:00

Part of the Molecules Medicinal Chemistry Symposium series

Chemical Biology, Drug Discovery, Biosynthesis, Biocatalysis, Synthetic Biology, Medicinal Chemistry

Event Registration

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Welcome from the Chairs

We are delighted to announce The 5th Molecules Medicinal Chemistry Symposium (MMCS 2026): New Trends in Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, which will take place in Beijing, China, from 14-17 May, 2026.

MMCS 2026 is proudly organized by MDPI, the esteemed publisher of the open-access journal Molecules. Building on the outstanding success of previous events held in Rome and Barcelona, this symposium continues our commitment to pushing the boundaries of chemical biology and drug discovery. This year offers an engaging and comprehensive program, highlighting the latest advancements and exploring cutting-edge topics:

Session 1: Chemical Biology for Drug Discovery
Session 2: AI for Drug Discovery
Session 3: New Proximity-Based Drug Modalities
Session 4: Natural Products in Drug Discovery
Session 5: Biocatalysis for Natural Product and Drug Synthesis
Session 6: Drug Discovery Targeting GPCRs and Ion Channels
Session 7: Drug Discovery Targeting Transcription Factors
Session 8: Medicinal Chemistry Tales

Each session will feature distinguished keynote speakers, sharing their groundbreaking insights and latest research findings. Complementing these presentations, selected talks from promising young researchers and poster sessions will offer a platform for emerging scientists to showcase their innovative work and contribute to this vibrant exchange of ideas.

Beijing provides an inspiring setting for this prestigious event. With a blend of rich cultural heritage and cutting-edge innovation, the city offers the perfect backdrop for participants to engage in thought-provoking discussions on research innovation whilst also exploring the beauty of one of the worlds most captivating places in the springtime.

We would be delighted to welcome you to Beijing for what promises to be an enlightening and impactful symposium. Together, let us explore new horizons, foster collaboration, and shape the future of chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, and drug discovery.

Kind regards,
Prof. Dr. Xiaoguang Lei, Peking University, China
Prof. Dr. Diego Muñoz-Torrero, University of Barcelona, Spain

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Event Chairs

Prof. Dr. Xiaoguang Lei

College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, China

Prof. Dr. Diego Muñoz-Torrero

Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Spain

Sessions

S1. Chemical Biology for Drug Discovery
S2. AI for Drug Discovery
S3. New Proximity-Based Drug Modalities
S4. Natural Products in Drug Discovery
S5. Biocatalysis for Natural Product and Drug Synthesis
S6. Drug Discovery Targeting GPCRs and Ion Channels
S7. Drug Discovery Targeting Transcription Factors
S8. Medicinal Chemistry Tales

Instructions for Authors

To Present Your Research at the Event

Create an account on Sciforum if you do not have one, then click Submit Abstract at the top of the Conference website.
Indicate which thematic area is best suited for your research.
The abstract structure should include the introduction, methods, results, and conclusions sections of about 200–300 words in length.
The deadline to submit your abstract is 16 January 2026. You will be notified by 9 February 2026 regarding the acceptance.
Upon submission, you can select if you wish to be considered for oral presentation or poster presentation. Following assessment by the Chairs, you will be notified in a separate email whether your contribution has been accepted for oral or poster presentation.
Please note that to finalize the scientific program in due time, at least one registration by any author denoted as Covering Author must be completed by 11 February 2026 to cover the presentation.
All abstracts accepted for presentation will be collected in a book of abstracts, which will be displayed on the website during and after the conference.

Oral Presentation and Slides Submission

The slot for the oral presentation is 15 minutes (Presentation and Q&A). Authors are encouraged to prepare a presentation in PowerPoint or similar software. We will send you the link so you can upload your slides before the conference.

Poster information

- Should include the title, authors, contact details and main research findings, as well as tables, figures and graphs where necessary.
- Size in pixel: 1080 width x 1536 height–portrait orientation.
- Size in cm: 38,1 width x 54,2 height–portrait orientation.
- Font size: ≥16.
- Examples of successful submissions can be viewed here at the following links: (1), (2), (3).
- You can use our free template to create your poster. The poster template can be downloaded here.

Each presenter will be provided with a vertical poster board. The poster size is 80 cm x 140 cm. Please print your poster prior to the conference. A plan of the poster session will be circulated later on.

Registration

Contact mmcs2026@mdpi.com for all issues related to the registration.

For participants from China, please select CNY as your currency when registering. For participants outside of China, please select another preferred currency when registering.

The conference will be held fully in person; it is not possible to participate online. The registration fee includes attendance at all conference sessions. Participation in the conference is considered final only once the registration fees have been paid.

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. Covering Author registration deadline is 11 February 2026. Your abstract will be withdrawn if your registration is not complete by this date.

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 "My Certificates" category.

	Early Bird Until 11 February 2026	Regular Until 14 May 2026	Supported documents
Academic	€255 $276	€293 $318
Student	€191 $207	€229 $249	Please upload a valid proof of your student identity, e.g. Certificate of Study, Student ID card.
Non-Academic	€319 $345	€382 $414
Speaker/Society member/Editorial Board/Guest Editor/Committee	€191 $207	€191 $207	Please upload your invitation email.
NOTE: These are approximate prices subject to the currency exchange rate, with the Chinese yuan as the base currency. The exact registration fee will be determined according to the real-time exchange rate on the day of registration.

	Early Bird Until 11 February 2026	Regular Until 14 May 2026	Supported documents
Academic	2000.00 CNY	2300.00 CNY
Student	1500.00 CNY	1800.00 CNY	Please upload a valid proof of your student identity, e.g. Certificate of Study, Student ID card.
Non-Academic	2500.00 CNY	3000.00 CNY
Speaker/Society member/Editorial Board/Guest Editor/Committee	1500.00 CNY	1500.00 CNY	Please upload your invitation email.

Cancellation policy

Cancellation of paid registration is possible under the terms listed below:
> 2 months before the conference	Full refund but 800 CNY 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 2026 and that we are not associated with any hotel agency. While other hotel resellers and travel agencies may contact you with offers for your trip, they are not endorsed by or affiliated with MMCS 2026 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 MMCS 2026. 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 will be taken during the conference. By taking part in this event you grant the event organizers full rights to use the images resulting from the photography/video filming, and any reproductions or adaptations of the images for fundraising, publicity or other purposes to help achieve the conference’s aims. This might include (but is not limited to), the right to use them in their printed and online publicity, social media, press releases and funding applications.

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) , Singapore dollars (SGD) and Chinese yuan (CNY)

Publication Opportunities

Molecules Journal Publication

Participants in this conference are cordially invited to contribute a full manuscript to the Special Issue (to be announced) in Molecules Journal (ISSN: 1420-3049, IF: 4.2, CITESCORE: 7.4), with a 20% discount on the publication fee. Please note if you have IOAP/association discounts, conference discounts will be combined with IOAP/association discounts. Conference discounts cannot be combined with reviewer vouchers. All submitted papers will undergo MDPI’s standard peer-review procedure. The abstracts should be cited and noted on the first page of the paper.
Chemistry Proceedings Journal Publication
You are welcome to submit a proceeding paper (4-8 pages) to Chemistry Proceedings journal (ISSN: 2673-4583) after the conference. Publication of the proceedings will be free of charge.
Authors are asked to disclose that it is a proceeding paper of the MMCS 2026 conference paper in their cover letter. Carefully read the rules outlined in the Instructions for Authors on the journal’s website and ensure that your submission adheres to these guidelines.

Proceedings paper submission: 17 May - 4 July 2026.

Manuscripts for the proceedings issue must be formatted as follows:
- Title
- Full author names
- Affiliations (including full postal address) and authors' e-mail addresses
- Abstract
- Keywords
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results and Discussion
- Conclusions
- Acknowledgements
- References.

Authors are encouraged to use the Microsoft Word template or LaTeX template to prepare their manuscript.

Event Awards

To acknowledge the support of the conference's esteemed authors and recognize their outstanding scientific accomplishments, we are pleased to announce that the conference will present eight awards , including the Best Oral Presentation Award and the Best Poster Award.

The Awards

Best Oral Presentation Award and Best Poster Award

Number of Awards Available: 8

The Best Oral Presentation Award is given to the oral presentation judged to make the most significant contribution to the conference.
The Best Poster Award is given to the submission judged to make the most significant and interesting poster for the conference.

Eight winners will be selected for these awards. The winner of the Best Oral Presentation Award will receive a certificate and 200 CHF each, and the winner of the award will receive a certificate and 100 CHF each.

Visa Information

All visitors to China must meet the following entry requirements:

- Valid travel document (with a minimum validity of 6 months);
- Onward/return ticket;
- Entry facilities to next destination;
- Sufficient funds to stay in China;
- Visa for China (*if applicable).

Visa-free policy

Unilateral visa-free policy: Brunei, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Holland, Malaysia, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Andorra, Monaco, Liechtenstein, Korea, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Malta, Estonia, Latvia, and Japan.

Mutual visa-free policy: The United Arab Emirates, Barbados, Bahamas, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador, Fiji, Grenada, Mauritius, San Marino, Seychelles, Serbia, Tonga, Belarus, Qatar, Armenia, Albania, Dominica, Suriname, Maldives, Singapore, Thailand, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Antigua and Barbuda, Solomon Islands.

List of Agreements on Mutual Visa Exemption Between the People’s Republic of China and Foreign Countries

Request for Visa Application Document(s) - Invitation Letter
If, for visa purposes, you require an invitation letter to allow you to travel to China, please email mmcs2026@mdpi.com the following details to the conference secretariat:

- Photocopy of your passport;
- Name (as it appears on your passport);
- Passport number;
- Nationality;
- Date and Place of Birth;
- Place of Issue;
- Date of Issue: dd/mm/yyyy;
- Expiration Date: dd/mm/yyyy;
- Country of departure;
- Job title;
- Organization;
- Mailing address;
- Email.

Kindly ensure that you have completed your registration and made payment before sending in your request for your visa application document(s) to the conference secretariat. The document(s) will be prepared and sent by email. Failure to provide the above information will result in the delay of your invitation letter.

Tourism

Beijing is an ancient and modern capital city that attracts tourists from all over the world with its profound historical background, rich cultural heritage, and unique urban charm. As the political and cultural centre of China, Beijing not only bears the historical changes of thousands of years but also shows vigorous vitality in the process of modernization. Here, you can travel between ancient and modern times and feel the weight of history and the convenience of modern times.

Famous attractions

- The Forbidden City
The Forbidden City is the royal palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is also one of the world's largest and most well-preserved ancient wooden structures.

- The Great Wall
The Great Wall is one of the symbols of China. The Badaling Great Wall is the most famous section, with a steep terrain and a wide view.

- Temple of Heaven
The Temple of Heaven was the place where the Ming and Qing dynasties offered sacrifices to heaven and prayed for good harvests. The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is its main building, with a unique shape and magnificent momentum.

- The Summer Palace
The Summer Palace is a royal garden in the Qing Dynasty. It is based on Kunming Lake and Wanshou Mountain. The garden landscape is as beautiful as poetry.

- Nanluoguxiang
Nanluoguxiang is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Beijing. It retains many alleys and courtyards from the Ming and Qing dynasties and is full of rich old Beijing style.

Specialties

Peking duck is a famous Beijing dish with a worldwide reputation. It is ruddy in color, fat but not greasy, crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. Quanjude and Bianyifang are the two major types of Peking duck, representing hanging oven-roasted duck and stewed oven-roasted duck, respectively.		Instant mutton is a traditional Beijing delicacy with a long history, finely selected ingredients, thin and evenly sliced meat, and various seasonings. The instant mutton at Donglaishun Restaurant is the most famous, tender, smooth, and refreshing, with authentic seasonings.

Old Beijing noodles with soy sauce is a traditional Chinese noodle dish that is made of vegetables and noodles mixed with soy sauce. Cucumber, Chinese toon, bean sprouts, and other vegetables are paired with soy sauce or sweet noodle sauce fried in soy sauce, which has a unique flavor.		Lǘdàgǔn (Donkey Rolls) is a classic Beijing snack. It consists of glutinous rice dough rolled with sweet red bean paste and coated in fragrant soybean flour. This chewy, mildly sweet delicacy resembles a donkey rolling in dust, which gives it its playful name.

Sponsors and Partners

We invite you and your company to participate in and sponsor MMCS 2026! 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

Media Partners

Conference Secretariat

Dr. Lien Wang
Ms. Alvina Wu
Ms. Riley Liu
Ms. Carol Yan
mmcs2026@mdpi.com

For inquiries regarding submissions, registrations and sponsorship opportunities, please feel free to contact us.