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The themes of the 11 symposia at Discover BMB are centered on the latest advances and hottest trends in biochemistry and molecular biology. Hear leading experts discuss their newest discoveries and approaches. 

The focus on metabolism includes sessions on “Biochemistry of elemental cycling,” a theme that centers on microbes and our environment, and “Advances in organismal and cellular metabolism,” centering on physiology and disease.

Critical biomolecules of the cell are identified, engineered and harnessed for myriad applications in sessions on “Frontiers in carbohydrate synthesis and recognition,” “Lipid dynamics and signals in membrane and protein structure,” and “Regulation of RNA.”

Phase separation and the formation of biomolecular condensates are among the hottest topics in BMB. Their impact is reflected by their presence in multiple sessions. These sessions, providing diverse perspectives using different systems, are “Protein machines and disorder,” “Organelles, mechanisms and phase properties of cellular quality control,” and “Cell signaling — new tools and emerging concepts.”

Over the past five years, artificial intelligence and machine learning, better known as AI and ML, have taken a front seat in our ability to perform and analyze BMB research. The scientific theme “AI and ML in structural biology, drug design and systems biology” highlights the ways in which researchers employ these tools. At the same time, AI and ML can present challenges, as underscored in the theme “Bias in, bias out in data science.” The “Education and professional development” session will include talks devoted to the uses of AI in BMB education.

Discover BMB symposia themes and organizers

(speakers and schedules are subject to change) 

Advances in organismal and cellular metabolism
Nika Danial, Harvard Medical School, and Gary Patti, Washington University in St. Louis

AI and ML in structural biology, drug design and systems biology
Rommie E. Amaro, University of California, San Diego, and Celia Schiffer, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Bias in, bias out in data science
Allison C. Augustus–Wallace, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans

Biochemistry of elemental cycling
Jennifer Dubois, Montana State University, and Sean Elliott, Boston University

Cell signaling — new tools and emerging concepts
Kevin Gardner, City University of New York, and Jin Zhang, University of California San Diego

Education and professional development
Margaret Kanipes, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Frontiers in carbohydrate synthesis and recognition
Xi Chen, University of California at Davis, and Catherine Grimes, University of Delaware

Lipid dynamics and signals in membrane and protein structure
Michael Airola, Stony Brook University, and Robert V. Stahelin, Purdue University

Organelles, mechanisms and phase properties of cellular quality control
W. Mike Henne, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, and Cheryl Kerfeld, Michigan State University

Protein machines and disorder
Ivaylo Ivanov, Georgia State University, and Yan Jessie Zhang, University of Texas at Austin

Regulation of RNA
Daniel Dominguez, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Stacy Horner, Duke University