BSG Winter Meeting 2025, 12th Dec, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building
2025-12-12 10:30 - 18:15 (Europe/London) | OX1 3QU
The Biological Structures Group (BSG) invites you to its 2025 Winter Meeting, which will explore the theme of “New Advances and Future Directions in Structural Biology”.
The meeting will be held at the Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, on Friday, 12th December 2025, from 10:30 to 18:00.
This year’s meeting will feature talks from a fantastic lineup of confirmed speakers from both academia and industry, including:

Neil Ranson (Leeds),
Chun-wa Chung (GSK)
Josie Ferreira (UCL)
Chris Hill (York)
Yvonne Jones (Oxford)
Christos Pliotas (Manchester)

In addition to the talks, there will be opportunities for attendees to present their own research in our poster session, with prizes for outstanding posters.
We hope you can join us for what promises to be an insightful and collaborative event.

Programme Details:
(10:30 – 11:00) Registration (inc. coffee & pastries)
(11:00 -11:05) Introductory remarks
Session 1 (11:05 – 12:55)
(11:05 -11:35) Prof. Neil Ranson (University of Leeds)
(11:35 -11:55) Poster presenter
(11:55 -12:15) Poster presenter
(12:15 – 12:45) Dr Josie Ferreira (UCL) “A unique cytoskeleton drives transmission of the malaria parasite”.
(12:45 -13:45) Lunch & Poster Session
Session 2 (13:45 – 15:25)
(13:45 – 14:15) Dr Christos Pliotas (University of Manchester) “Applications of pulsed EPR spectroscopy to understand membrane protein structure and function”.
(14:15 – 14:35) Poster Presenter
(14:55 – 15:25) Dr Chris Hill (University of York) “A new protein-dependent riboswitch activates ribosomal frameshifting”.
(15:25 -15:35) Sponsor talk
(15:35-15:55) Coffee
Session 3 (15:55 – 17:15)
(15:55 -16:25) Professor Yvonne Jones (University of Oxford)
(15:25 -16:45) Poster Presenter
(16:45 -17:15) Dr Chun-wa Chung (GSK)
(17:15 – 18:15) Drinks & Poster Session & Prizes
18:15 End of meeting
Location:
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building
Sherrington Rd, Oxford OX1 3QU
Attendees:
Jay Champaneri
Riaan Fox

IBioIC26 - BioSolutions for Tomorrow’s World - 12th Annual Conference in partnership with BBIA
2026-03-10 10:00 - 2026-03-11 15:30 | 99 George Street, Anderston/City, United Kingdom
The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) holds its 12th Annual Conference in Glasgow on 10 and 11 March 2026.
This year we are delighted to be in partnership with the BioBased and Biodegradable Industries Association (BBIA).
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Dates: Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 March 2026
Website: https://ibioicconference.com
IBioIC26 – BioSolutions for Tomorrow’s World will be IBioIC’s 12th Annual Conference. This year we are delighted to partner with the BioBased Industries Association (BBIA).
This not-for-profit conference is the industry event of the year for the industrial biotechnology community in Scotland and the UK, and one of the pre-eminent events in the global biotech calendar. The conference attracts biotech professionals from industry, research and academia, as well as policy-makers, service providers, and emerging client sectors.
The 2026 conference will focus on delivering tangible benefits for attendees, including the cultivation of strategic partnerships, facilitating new connections and collaborations, providing examples of best practice, understanding regulations, and effective communication.
Why take part?

The conference attracts over 400 delegates from across the biotechnology sector and beyond.
Conference attendees are made up of predominantly C-suite or senior level industry representatives from both large, established companies and emerging and start-up enterprises, as well as senior academics, researchers in industry or academia, students and recent graduates, investors, and policy makers

What to expect

The theme of this year’s conference is BioSolutions for Tomorrow’s World.
Fast paced sessions will explore topics ranging from bio-similar in manufacturing to food innovation and the role of biotechnology in restoring natural environments.
We’ll look into key issues such as the extent to which bio-based products can replace fossil, and factors influencing the adoption of alternative proteins, while fireside chats and panel sessions will delve into issues in depth.
Sponsored workshops on Day 2 will give hosts and delegates an opportunity to discuss issues in-depth in an interactive and outcome-driven setting, and informal networking.
1-1 partnering throughout will give delegates opportunities to meet key contacts and build new connections.

Schedule:
Day 1 | Tuesday 10 March 2026
10.00 – 10.50 Morning Plenary
10.50 – 11.50 Session 1 Rebuilding tomorrow’s world with biology
This session will explore how we can make everyday items – from cosmetics to concrete – using biology rather than fossil resources.
Chair: Fiona Mischel, Associate Director of Strategic Development, Holiferm
Speakers:

Russ Tucker, CEO, TWIG Bio, ‘Using AI to bring biotech to beauty’
Jonathan Edmunds, Sustainability Director, ‘Bio-based plastic that’s high on performance, and negative on carbon’
James MacDonald, CEO, Solena Materials ‘Next generation sustainable fibres for market-leading apparel’
Alex Neves, CEO, Clean Food Group ‘Function-specific, sustainable oils and fats, from food waste’

11.50 – 12.15 Fireside Chat
Getting novel bio-based products to market.
12.15 – 12.35 Tomorrow’s World Showcase Pitches

Katherine Manshreck, Senior Sustainability Strategist, Shellworks, ‘Made with plants, not plastic: innovation that looks good and does good’
Prantar Mahanta Tamuli, Founder, Tattva ‘Built by Biology. Bioengineered materials for construction, automotive, farming and space industries’

12.35 – 14.00 Networking lunch and poster observation
14.00 – 15.00 Session 2 Feeding the future with biotechnology
This session will look at the factors influencing the adoption of alternative protein.
Chair: Imran Afzal, CEO, NAPIC
Speakers:

Derek Stewart, The James Hutton Institute

15.00 – 15.30 Session 3 Launchpad for Success
This session will take a look at the impact of the UKRI Innovate UK Launchpad programme and the Net Zero projects it has supported.
Chair: TBC
Speakers:
Alisha Fuller-Armah, BlazeBalm
15.30 – 16.00 Coffee break
16.00 – 16.55 Session 4 Tomorrow’s healthy planet
Who’s in the loop? – Water is the lifeblood of the circular economy and this session will focus on how it sits in a continuous renewal with waste, soil and ecosystems.
Chair: Professor Frederic Coulson, Director, EBIC
Speakers:

Elise Cartmell, Chief Scientist, Scottish Water
Pete Vale, Carbon & Circular Economy Architect, Severn Trent

16.55 – 17.15 Day 1 wrap up and prizegiving
Day 2 | Wednesday 11 March 2026
10.00 – 10.45 Morning Plenary
Scott Winston, MD, Pulpex, ‘From Concept to Consumer: Reimagining Packaging — The Pulpex Way’
Holly Reeves, CEO, HydRegen, ‘From Breakthrough to Scale-Up: The HydRegen Story’
11.00 – 12.30 Session 5 Workshops
Choose from an exciting offering of workshops and get useful know-how, insights, and engage and contribute to the discussion.
12.30 – 13.30 Networking lunch
13.30 – 14.30 Session 6 The Bio Factor
Channel your inner Simon Cowell and rate our line up of exciting start up pitches. If you dare, sign up to be on the stage. Prizes available!
14.30 – 15.10 Session 7 What’s next for tomorrow’s world?
We have come a long way with biotechnology, but there’s so much more out there. From the ocean depths to distant stars, where will biology take us next?
Chair: Lord David Willets
15.10 – 15.30 Conference wrap up and close
Attendees:
Riaan Fox

Membrane Proteins Conference 7–9 April 2026 Leonardo Royal Hotel, Birmingham, UK
2026-04-07 12:00 - 2026-04-09 14:00 | South Yorkshire
Membrane Proteins Conference Leonardo Royal Hotel, Birmingham, UK | 7-9 April 2026
Membrane proteins have important roles across all kingdoms of life. They are involved in a myriad of diverse and fundamental biological processes, which include the transport of substrates across membranes, relaying signals between the cell and its environment, the catalysis of chemical reactions, cell adhesion and influencing the immune response. However, whilst between 20-30% of the genome of most organisms encode for membrane proteins, the role of these systems remains poorly understood. The aim of this meeting is to bring together researchers from these areas who are experts in these cutting-edge technologies to promote the sharing of knowledge and ideas
Oral communication slots are available at this meeting.
All attendees, particularly researchers in the early stages of their career, are invited to submit a poster abstract for consideration as an oral communication. You can submit your abstract here.
Scientific Programme Committee:
* Alex Cameron, University of Warwick
* Liz Fullam, University of Warwick
* Alan Goddard, Aston University
* Phill Stansfeld, University of Warwick
* Alice Rothnie, Aston University
Biochemical Society Award Lecture:
* The GlaxoSmithKline Award – Doryen Bubeck, Imperial College London
* International Award 2025 – Renae Ryan, University of Sydney
Invited Speakers:
* Doryen Bubeck, Imperial
* Ian Collinson, University of Bristol
* Allister Crow, University of Warwick
* Milka Doktorova, Stockholm University
* Inga Haenelt, Goethe Frankfurt University
* Claudia Jessen-Trefzer, University of Freiburg
* Andrew Lovering, University of Birmingham
* Renae Ryan, University of Sydney
Venue
Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham
245 Broad St
Birmingham
B1 2HQ
UK
Find on google maps

Please note should you be travelling to the UK for the conference, you may need to apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). Please see further details here.
Attendees:
Riaan Fox

The Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2026
2026-04-13 12:00 - 2026-04-16 14:30 | BT1 3WH
The Microbiology Society Annual Conference 2026
Monday 13 April – Thursday 16 April at the ICC Belfast.
The Conference takes place over four days and consists of scientific symposia, workshops, fora, professional development sessions, Prize Lectures, Hot Topics and much more.
The conference will take place at the ICC Belfast:
ICC Belfast
2 Lanyon Place,
Belfast,
BT1 3WH
Monday 13 April, Morning
12:00 – 13:00 Badge Collection Opens (Riverside Foyer)
12:45 – 13:00 First time at Conference
Monday 13 April, Afternoon
13:00 – 15:00 Refreshments & Exhibition (Hall 1)
Celebrating and promoting actions advancing equality, diversity and inclusion
14:00 – 14:45 President’s Address and Prize Lecture
Actinomycetes: Industrial uses; cryptic pathways and novel antibiotic discovery
Education and Outreach Symposium
Eukaryotic Microbes in Health and the Environment
New Investigators Professional Development Panel
Phage biology with a view to application
Virus Symposium: Viral manipulation of the intracellular RNA world
16:15 – 17:15 Refreshments & Exhibition (Hall 1)
16:30 – 17:00 Industry Symposium
Actinomycetes: Industrial uses; cryptic pathways and novel antibiotic discovery
Education and Outreach Symposium
Eukaryotic Microbes in Health and the Environment
New Investigators Professional Development Panel
Phage biology with a view to application
Virus Symposium: Viral manipulation of the intracellular RNA world
18:30 – 19:15 Prize Lecture
19:15 – 20:00 Welcome Reception (Hall 1)
20:00 – 22:00 Social Programme
Tuesday 14 April, Morning
07:30 – 09:00 Badge Collection (Riverside Foyer)
09:00 – 09:45 Prize Lecture
Education and Outreach Symposium
Eukaryotic Microbes in Health and the Environment
Genetics and Genomics Forum
Microbial Physiology, Metabolism and Molecular Biology Forum
Mycobacteria: Challenges and progress
Vaccine platforms and gene therapy vectors
Virus Symposium: Viral manipulation of the intracellular RNA world
11:00 – 12:15 Poster Block A, Refreshments & Exhibition (Hall 1)
Education and Outreach Symposium
Eukaryotic Microbes in Health and the Environment
Genetics and Genomics Forum
Microbial Physiology, Metabolism and Molecular Biology Forum
Mycobacteria: Challenges and progress
Vaccine platforms and gene therapy vectors
Virus Symposium: Viral manipulation of the intracellular RNA world

Tuesday 14 April, Afternoon
13:30 – 14:30 Lunch & Exhibition (Hall 1)
13:45 – 14:15 Industry Symposium
Eukaryotic Microbes in Health and the Environment
Genetics and Genomics Forum
Knocking Out AMR
Microbial Physiology, Metabolism and Molecular Biology Forum
Out of Body Experience- in vitro models of infection (Complex cell infection models)
Virus Forum 1
Virus Forum 2
Virus Forum 3
15:30 – 16:45 Poster Block A, Refreshments & Exhibition (Hall 1)
Eukaryotic Microbes in Health and the Environment
Genetics and Genomics Forum
Knocking Out AMR
Microbial Physiology, Metabolism and Molecular Biology Forum
Out of Body Experience- in vitro models of infection (Complex cell infection models)
Virus Forum 1
Virus Forum 2
Virus Forum 3
18:15 – 19:00 Prize Lecture
Wednesday 15 April, Morning
07:30 – 09:00 Badge Collection (Riverside Foyer)
09:00 – 09:45 Prize Lecture
09:00 – 09:45 Prize Lecture
Environmental, Applied and Industrial Microbiology Forum
Infection Forum
Knocking Out AMR
Microbial pangenomics: reaching new frontiers of an open and evolving discipline
Microbiome Forum
Virus Forum 4
Virus Forum 5
Virus Forum 6
11:00 – 12:15 Poster Block B, Refreshments & Exhibition (Hall 1)
Environmental, Applied and Industrial Microbiology Forum
Infection Forum
Knocking Out AMR
Microbial pangenomics: reaching new frontiers of an open and evolving discipline
Microbiome Forum
Virus Forum 4
Virus Forum 5
Virus Forum 6
Wednesday 15 April, Afternoon
13:30 – 14:30 Lunch & Exhibition (Hall 1)
13:45 – 14:15 Industry Symposium
Engineering (Micro)biology: Reprogramming microbes towards global solutions
Environmental, Applied and Industrial Microbiology Forum
Exploring Microbiome Function
Infection Forum
Microbial pangenomics: reaching new frontiers of an open and evolving discipline
Transformative tools for biological complexity
Virus Symposium: A Virus For All Seasons
15:30 – 16:45 Poster Block B, Refreshments & Exhibition (Poster Block B, Refreshments & Exhibition (Hall 1)
Engineering (Micro)biology: Reprogramming microbes towards global solutions
Environmental, Applied and Industrial Microbiology Forum
Exploring Microbiome Function
Infection Forum
Microbial pangenomics: reaching new frontiers of an open and evolving discipline
Transformative tools for biological complexity
Virus Symposium: A Virus For All Seasons
18:15 – 19:00 Prize Lecture
Thursday 16 April, Morning
08:00 – 09:00 Badge Collection (Riverside Foyer)
09:00 – 09:30 Hot Topic Lecture
AI-enabled Microbiology
Careers Session
Engineering (Micro)biology: Reprogramming microbes towards global solutions
Pathogens without borders: Multi-host veterinary infections
Plant-Pathogen Interactions
Transformative tools for biological complexity
Virus Symposium: A Virus For All Seasons
10:45 – 11:45 Refreshments & Exhibition (Hall 1)
11:00 – 11:30 Industry Symposium
AI-enabled Microbiology
Careers Session
Engineering (Micro)biology: Reprogramming microbes towards global solutions
Pathogens without borders: Multi-host veterinary infections
Plant-Pathogen Interactions
Transformative tools for biological complexity
Virus Symposium: A Virus For All Seasons

Thursday 16 April, Afternoon
13:00 – 13:45 Close of Conference
Attendees:
Jay Champaneri
Riaan Fox

Protein Purification and Biophysical Characterisation 2026 - University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK
2026-07-14 10:30 - 2026-07-15 16:30 | South Yorkshire
Protein Purification and Biophysical Characterisation 2026 – University of Bedfordshire, Luton, UK
Protein purification and biophysical characterisation of the resulting protein are two major disciplines in modern biochemistry; both widely used in basic academic research and in industry.
The equipment used to purify proteins continues to evolve in both functionality and utility.
This training course, hosted at the University of Bedfordshire’s STEM Building, aims to expose participants to the latest hardware required for protein purification and biophysical measurements.
Attendees will gain hands-on experience of cell lysis using:

the CF1 cell disrupter from Constant Systems
protein purification using AKTA systems and Unicorn software.
the analysis of protein – ligand interactions using the Nano Temper Monolith
and the new multi wavelength Beckman Coulter Life Sciences Optima analytical ultracentrifuge (AUC).

Short lectures will provide background theory on the techniques used.
Speaker list
TBC
Schedule:
TBC
Attendees:
Jay Champaneri
Riaan Fox

International Conference on Hydrogenase and Other Redox Metalloenzymes 2026
2026-07-26 08:00 - 2026-07-30 08:30 | Leicester Uni, The University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE1 7RH
We are delighted to announce that the 14th edition of the International Conference on Hydrogenase and Other Redox Metalloenzymes
(ICH2026) will take place at the University of Leicester (UK) from 26 to 30 July 2026. We cannot wait to welcome you in Leicester for a week of exciting research on metalloenzymes!
We are beyond excited to present the international organizing committee we have put together to help us discuss the conference matters and shape the programme. The ICH2026 international organizing committee members are:

Hannah S. Shafaat (UCLA, USA)
Tom Rauchfuss (Illinois University, USA)
Andreas Schmid (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Germany)
Hideaki Ogata (University of Hyogo, Japan)
Joan B. Broderick (Montana State University, USA)
Nicolas Plumeré (Technical University of Munich, Germany)
Carole Baffert (The Mediterranean Institute of Microbiology, CNRS, France)

Date: 26 – 30 July 2026
Location: Sir Bob Burgess Building, University of Leicester, UK
Abstracts: Abstract submission is now open!
Registration: Information about registration dates and fees
Travel: Information for delegates
Contact: For more information, contact the Organising Committee (hydrogenases26@leicester.ac.uk)
Attendees:
Jay Champaneri
Riaan Fox

Sheffield Microbe 2026
2026-10-09 09:00 - 2026-10-11 15:00 | Crown Plaza, Crown Plaza Hotel, Victoria Station Rd, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S4 7YE
Microbe2026 – Est. 1986. Celebrating 40 Years of Quality Conferencing.
Since the first Sheffield Microbe in 1986, Sheffield Microbe has provided high quality, value for money, symposia for local and national Biomedical Scientists. In recent years, Microbe has attracted delegates from around the world and is regularly attended by delegates across Europe. There are currently twelve committee members who organise forthcoming Microbe events. Microbe symposia are held every 2 years.
Microbe events follow a well proven routine, involving a mixture of current topics and lectures for Biomedical Scientists in Microbiology and related disciplines. Also included is an often-oversubscribed Scientific Exhibition and Social Programme. Accommodation is included in the full-time delegate fees along with the freebies provided in delegate bags issued upon arrival.
To find out more about Microbe follow our web site to gain up to the minute information about forth coming Microbe events, in particular Microbe 2026.
Location:
Crowne Plaza Hotel, Sheffield, UK
Date:
9th – 11th October 2026
Attendees:
Jay Champaneri

The Applied Synthetic Biology in Europe (ASBE8 Conference) - 4–6 November 2026
2026-11-04 13:00 - 2026-11-06 14:00 | South Yorkshire
The Applied Synthetic Biology in Europe (ASBE8 Conference) will take place on 4–6 November 2026 at the Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, UK.
Following the success of previous meetings in this series, ASBE8 will explore the wealth of applied synthetic biology research and how it is contributing to progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The meeting will bring together key partners from academia, industry and the third sector interested in using synthetic biology, engineering biology and applied microbiology to address global challenges. Sessions will be framed around the following synthetic biology application domains:

Factory – Clean growth, Bio-based chemical/materials production, Alternative feedstocks C1, plastics, biogenic
Pharma – Cellular therapeutics, Diagnostics, Gene/base editing, Biobased production of pharmaceuticals
Farm and field – Improve crops, Soil augmentation, Waste treatment, Bioremediation, Biocontainment
Computational design technologies – Proteins, circuits, systems, networks, communities and processes

Join the ASBE community to share your latest research, exchange ideas, and discover new opportunities for collaboration.
Venue
The 8th Applied Synthetic Biology in Europe conference will be held in Whitworth Art Gallery.
The venue is located in Whitworth Park in Manchester, England, just south of the University of Manchester campus. The gallery is part of the university and can be reached by public transport or a short walk from Oxford Road train station.
How to get there:
The gallery is on a major bus route and easily reached via public transport, or on foot or by bicycle:

Walk: 30–40 min from Manchester city centre. Flat paved route, not traffic-free.
Bike: Sheffield stands and lockers (£1 coin, refundable) both available at the gallery.
Bus: 15, 41, 42, 43, 140–143, 147. Ask for bus stop nearest MRI, Oxford Road.
Tram: St Peter’s Square (plus 10 minutes on the bus or approximately 30 minutes on foot).
Train: Oxford Road (plus 10 minutes on the bus or around 25 minutes on foot).
Car: On-street parking (maximum stay 2 hours) on Denmark Road. Nearest car park Cecil Street (M15 6GD).

Whitworth Art Gallery
The University of Manchester,
Oxford Road,
Manchester
M15 6ER
www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk
Programme
4 November – Wednesday
13:00 – 14:00 Registration
14:00 – 14:15 Welcome address
14:15 – 15:00 Opening Keynote Lecture
15:00 – 16:30 Session 1
16:30 – 17:00 Coffee break
17:00 – 18:30 Session 3
18:30 – 20:00 Poster session 1
5 November – Thursday
09:00 – 10:30 Session 4
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 – 13:00 Session 5
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 16:00 Session 6
16:00 – 16:30 Coffee break
16:30 – 18:00 Session 7
18:00 – 20:00 Poster session 2
6 November – Friday
09:00 – 11:00 Session 8
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 12:15 Closing Keynote Lecture
12:15 – 12:45 Closing ceremony
Attendees:
Jay Champaneri
Riaan Fox
