Conference Collaborations

• Ongoing
• Completed

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-In situ structural biology: bridging molecular mechanisms with system-wide approaches

Date: February 9-12, 2027 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

This event brings together experts from cryo-electron tomography and fluorescence microscopy, mass spectrometry and computational modeling, to focus on data integration across the different methods. Recent technological developments have pushed forward the ability to study macromolecular complexes and assemblies in their native context. Yet, a comprehensive understanding of molecular functions in situ requires systematic integration of complementary methods and data types. This edition will have additional focus on system-wide approaches, showcasing recent technological and methodological advances and promoting their integration with other methodologies as powerful tools for cell biology across multiple scales.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/ISS27-01/?utm_source=scieExpress&utm_medium=mpreferral&utm_id=ISS27-01

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-From molecules to the future of predictive biology: memorial symposium for Peer Bork

Date: February 16-19, 2027 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

At the start of 2026, EMBL lost long-serving colleague and interim Director General Peer Bork, who sadly passed away on 16 January, 2026. A little over a year later, we aim to celebrate Peer's life and scientific legacy with a memorial symposium held in his honour. Open to all, the symposium aims to bring together scientists from across the international community to hear invited talks spanning the many fields in which Peer was active and influential throughout his career. The programme will reflect on past achievements as well as explore the future directions of fields such as protein biology, the human microbiome, and more.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/PBS27-01/?utm_source=scieExpress&utm_medium=mpreferral&utm_id=PBS27-01

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-The expanding world of RBPs: from posttranscriptional control to riboregulation

Date: March 15-18, 2027 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

Methodological advances have expanded the repertoire of known RBPs, revealing new classes and RNA-interaction modes, and highlighting the need to understand how RNA binding shapes biological functions. This meeting brings together leaders in RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to explore their biological functions, from posttranscriptional regulation of RNA expression to the riboregulation of protein functions and will expand knowledge of classical and newly discovered RBPs, highlighting advances enabled by emerging experimental and data-analysis tools. It will also explore the dynamic cellular processes involving RBPs and the role of RNA structural plasticity in shaping interactions with canonical and non-canonical RBPs.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/RBP27-01/?utm_source=scieExpress&utm_medium=mpreferral&utm_id=RBP27-01

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-The maternal-fetal dialogue: from mechanisms to pregnancy outcomes

Date: April 13-16, 2027 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

This symposium examines how maternal-fetal interactions support healthy development or, when disrupted, contribute to pregnancy complications, bridging molecular mechanisms and clinical outcomes. By bringing together researchers studying maternal-fetal interactions from molecular mechanisms to clinical outcomes, the symposium will connect perspectives, define key questions and promote collaborations.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/EES27-01/?utm_source=scieExpress&utm_medium=mpreferral&utm_id=EES27-01

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-Chromatin and epigenetics

Date: April 27-29, 2027 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

Research over the last two decades has uncovered the role of epigenetics in a variety of human disorders and fatal diseases. Moreover, influence of age, environment, lifestyle, and disease state on epigenetic profiles is being increasingly recognized and actively studied. This established conference provides an international forum for cutting-edge research in chromatin and epigenetics. It provides the ‘focal hub’ for scientists to present their research and exchange ideas. Renowned speakers will cover the latest advances in the field.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/CHR27-01/?utm_source=scieExpress&utm_medium=mpreferral&utm_id=CHR27-01

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-Emerging concepts in developmental biology

Date: June 8-11, 2027 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

We will explore how emerging technologies and transformative concepts are reshaping developmental biology, from patterning and morphogenesis to differentiation, regeneration and evolution. The conference highlights AI, multimodal imaging, synthetic biology, genetic engineering and high-throughput approaches, bridging model, non-model, in vivo and ex vivo systems. By connecting diverse disciplines, technologies and biological systems, the symposium will foster new collaborations, challenge existing frameworks, and catalyse innovative approaches to fundamental questions in development.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/EES27-02/?utm_source=scieExpress&utm_medium=mpreferral&utm_id=EES27-02

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-Evolutionary biochemistry and molecular biology: origin and diversification of molecular systems

Date: June 29-July 2, 2027 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

Life’s history is written in molecules. This symposium will explore how the molecular systems of modern cells originated, evolved, and gave rise to biological complexity. Advances in genomics, AI-enabled protein analysis, structural biology, and ancestral sequence reconstruction now allow researchers to investigate the origins of proteins, metabolism, and cells with unprecedented precision, making this an ideal moment to unite the field. By bringing together researchers in chemistry, biochemistry, evolutionary biology, and computational science, this meeting will foster collaborations, establish shared approaches, and help define the future directions of evolutionary biochemistry.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/EES27-03/?utm_source=scieExpress&utm_medium=mpreferral&utm_id=EES27-03

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-Gene regulation: one molecule at a time

Date: July 13-16, 2027 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

Advances now make it possible to measure regulatory events on individual DNA and RNA molecules in living systems. Integrating these complementary approaches is essential for moving from static descriptions to predictive, mechanistic models. This conference brings together single-molecule imaging, genomics, and theory to reveal the dynamic mechanisms of gene regulation, from chromatin organisation and transcription to RNA processing and translation.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/GRG27-01/?utm_source=scieExpress&utm_medium=mpreferral&utm_id=GRG27-01

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-Protein synthesis and translational control

Date: September 1-5, 2027 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

This conference focuses on the process of protein synthesis, from the molecular and structural understanding of the translational machinery to its regulation, its implications in cell and organismal biology, and its alteration in disease. In recent years, technical advances have challenged hitherto established dogmas, uncovered new quality control mechanisms, expanded the breadth of translation regulators, enhanced our understanding of the dynamics of translation in living cells, and revealed unexpected interconnections with other cellular processes such as metabolism. Advances in these aspects of mRNA translation will be featured, as well as new insights into translation regulation in physiology and disease.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/TRC27-01/?utm_source=scieExpress&utm_medium=mpreferral&utm_id=TRC27-01

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-The Peer Bork symposium on the human microbiome

Date: September 14-17, 2027 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

Various initiatives are underway around the world to survey the human microbiota at several body sites, characterise them, understand their interactions with the human hosts, elucidate their role in diseases, and design possible therapeutic or dietary interventions. Recent efforts have started mining the human microbiome data to discover bioactive compounds, detect interactions between microbes and molecules, and design novel interventions. The return of this established meeting will bring together the community for a timely and large symposium picking up on developments across the field since the last edition. The symposium is dedicated to the memory of Professor Peer Bork, who shaped this meeting from the beginning as a member of the organising committee of the inaugural ‘The Human Microbiome’ in 2018.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/EES27-08/?utm_source=scieExpress&utm_medium=mpreferral&utm_id=EES27-08

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-Organoids: modelling organ development and disease in 3D

Date: October 20-23, 2027 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

The ability to grow tissues from stem cells in 3D culture to generate so-called organoids has revolutionised the study of tissue biology, especially human biology. This exciting technology has great potential for drug discovery and regenerative medicine. This symposium will bring together the leading researchers in this field, representing the premier conference for this research community, and providing a much-anticipated program that demonstrates how this field is truly pushing the boundaries for our understanding of tissue biology. This symposium will bring together the leading researchers in this field, representing the premier conference for this research community, and providing a much-anticipated program that demonstrates how this field is truly pushing the boundaries for our understanding of tissue biology.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/EES27-10/?utm_source=scieExpress&utm_medium=mpreferral&utm_id=EES27-10

EMBO | EMBL Symposium-Sex differences in health and disease

Date: April 27-30, 2026 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

This symposium examines how genetics, hormones, and environment drive sex differences in physiology, immunity, ageing, and disease. It will highlight mechanisms underlying distinct phenotypes and variable susceptibility or treatment responses in metabolic, infectious, cancer, cardiovascular, and neurological conditions. Bringing together multidisciplinary experts and advanced model systems, the meeting aims to advance understanding of sex-based biology to improve health outcomes.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/EES26-07/

EMBL Conference-The new cardiobiology: engineering, vascular, and molecular insights

Date: February 16-19, 2026 | Venue: EMBL Heidelberg and Virtual

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death, with many disease-driving mechanisms still unclear. Building on the successful 2024 inaugural meeting, this conference will gather experts in cardiac and vascular biology, tissue engineering, and systems biology to explore emerging insights into molecular pathways, gene–environment interactions, and multi-organ influences. By fostering interdisciplinary exchange, it aims to accelerate breakthroughs in understanding and treating cardiovascular disease.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/ncb26-01/

EMBO Workshop-Building networks: engineering in vascular biology

Date: May 13-15, 2026 | Venue: Barcelona Biomedical Research Park (PRBB)

Blood vessels are vital for tissue and organ function, and their dysfunction drives major diseases. Combining in vivo studies with advanced in vitro models, including 3D bioprinting, microfluidics, and iPS cells, provides mechanistic insights into vascular development, signaling, and disease. This meeting brings together vascular biologists and bioengineers to foster collaboration and address key challenges in angiogenesis, thrombosis, tissue engineering, and aging.

Website:

https://www.embl.org/about/info/course-and-conference-office/events/evb24-01/