Biomolecular Condensates – Chemistry, Biology and Drug Discovery

DRA symposium

The conception of biomolecular condensates is a novel and groundbreaking idea in biology, which relates to organization of proteins without membranes. It is a fast moving, constantly expanding field, which has changed many areas of how we understand the dynamic behavior of proteins in health and disease. These discoveries have already impacted several areas of biology, chemistry, and physics, and is believed that a similar impact could also happen within drug discovery.

Programme

13:00

Welcome
13:05-13:40

Novel methods to probe the formation and maturation of alpha-synuclein condensates
Alexander Büll, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
13:40-14:15

Disease-linked mutations in Shank2 result in aberrant condensate composition and function
Jonathon Ditlev, University of Toronto, Canada
14:15-14:50

Synaptic condensates - unique properties for neuronal function and therapeutic targeting
Mingjie Zhang, Southern University of Science and Technology, China
14:50-15:15

Coffee break
15:15-15:50

Is the NMDA receptor recruited to synapses through phase separation?
Magnus Kjærgaard, Aarhus University, Denmark
15:50-16:25

Biomolecular phase separation in health and disease
Markus Zweckstetter, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases & Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Germany
16:25-17:00

Harnessing biomolecular condensates: Therapeutic potential of condensate modifying drugs
Michael Wagner, Dewpoint Therapeutics, Germany/USA

The symposium is organized on behalf of the graduate programme in pharmaceutical sciences, Drug Research Academy, by Professor Kristian Strømgaard, Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

The symposium is free of charge and open for attendance by all interested parties. It is not necessary to pre-register.