
5th MMCS: New Trends in Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery
Part of the Molecules Medicinal Chemistry Symposium series
14–17 May 2026, Beijing, China





Chemical Biology, Drug Discovery, Biosynthesis, Biocatalysis, Synthetic Biology, Medicinal Chemistry
- Go to the Sessions
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- 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
- Event Details
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
Event Chairs

College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, China
Prof. Xiaoguang Lei obtained BS in chemistry from Peking University in 2001 and a Ph.D. in organic synthesis from Boston University under the supervision of Prof. John Porco in 2006. Then he conducted postdoc work in bioorganic chemistry with Prof. Samuel Danishefsky at Columbia University from 2006 to 2008. In early 2009, he returned to China. He started his independent career as a Principal Investigator and Director of the Chemistry Center at the National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS) in Beijing. In early 2014, he received a tenured full professorship from Peking University and moved to the College of Chemistry at Peking University. Now he is the Boya Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and a senior PI of the Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences. His primary research areas are chemical biology, natural product synthesis, biocatalysis/synthetic biology, and drug discovery. He has published more than 180 original research papers, including Science (4), Cell (2), Nature (1), etc., and obtained 20 granted patents for new drug discovery. He has developed four “first-in-class” drug candidates, one of which has started Phase II clinical trials in the USA and China since 2022. He has received many prestigious awards, including the 2023 Sackler Chair Visiting Scholar Award in Israel, the 2022 Molecules Tu Youyou Award, the 2022 Xplore Prize, the 2021 Boehringer-Ingelheim Senior Investigator Award, the 2020 Bayer Investigator Award, the 2018 David Ginsburg Award in Israel, the 2017 Tetrahedron Young Investigator Award, the 2017 Swiss Chemical Society Distinguished Lectureship Award, the 2015 Chemical Society of Japan Distinguished Lectureship Award, the 2014 Roche Young Investigator Award, the 2013 International Chemical Biology Society (ICBS) Young Chemical Biologist Award, the 2013 Servier Young Investigator Award in Medicinal Chemistry, and the 2010 IUPAC Young Chemist Award, etc. Since 2017 he has served as an editor for Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry.

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.
Sessions
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
- 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.
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.
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.
You can use our free template to create your poster. The poster template can be downloaded here.
Registration
Contact mmcs2026@mdpi.com for all issues related to the 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. 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 |
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Academic | €255 $276 |
€293 $318 |
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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 |
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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 | |
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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
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All registered conference delegates are asked to always wear their badges throughout the conference.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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Molecules Journal Publication
Participants in this conference are cordially invited to contribute a full manuscript to the Special Issue 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 provide 8 awards including Best Oral Presentation Award and Best Poster Award.
The Awards
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.
There will be eight winners selected for these awards. The winner of Best Oral Presentation Award will receive a certificate and 200 CHF each and the winner of Best Poster 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. |
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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. |
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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. |
Beijing Lu Zhu is a traditional Beijing snack. It is made of pig's intestines and lungs, which are braised and cut into pieces, then cooked in soup with seasonings like garlic juice and oil. It has a rich flavor and is a favorite street food in Beijing. |
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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
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.