DMCCB Newsletter #6 - March 2017

Dear Members of the Division of Medicinal Chemistry & Chemical Biology

The objectives of the DMCCB are to organize scientific events, provide education in medicinal chemistry and chemical biology, as well as to facilitate networking and increase the visibility of our community.

The twelve members of the DMCCB board are doing their best to achieve these objectives, organizing congresses, courses and regularly communicating information of relevance to our members. If you have suggestions or ideas how to improve our efforts, please let us know: you can contact any of us. And of course, you are welcome to actively contribute to the DMCCB activities, just let us know.

Highlights from the DMCCB

2017 started well: For the first time the FiMC (Frontiers in Medicinal Chemistry symposium, February 12-15th, 2017) took place in Switzerland (Bern). This international symposium was jointly organized by the DMCCB, the GDCh and DPhG and focused on new trends and success stories in targeted protein degradation approaches, immuno-oncology, liver diseases, CADD, hit and lead discovery, as well as a series of chemical biology and drug discovery highlights. The scientific quality and diversity of the talks was outstanding. A satellite meeting co-organized with LS2 (Life Sciences Switzerland) for master and PhD students interested in Medicinal Chemistry was highly appreciates as well. A congress report is in preparation. We will keep you up to date regarding its publication.

Upcoming Congresses and Symposia

  • SCS Spring meeting 2017 (Bern, April 21st, 2017): One-day symposium organized by the Division of Fundamental Research (DFR)of the Swiss Chemical Society (SCS) with lectures of national and international top-experts in the field. The 2017 edition will focus on homogeneous catalysis and will show new paradigms with wonderful applications.
  • SCS Conference on Stereochemistry (“Bürgenstock conference”, April 30th-May 4th, 2017, Wassen): According to its tradition, the 52nd Bürgenstock Conference will again be interdisciplinary, covering many areas of chemistry in its main body, but allowing also for relevant highlights from neighboring disciplines, with due focus on structural and mechanistic aspects in all contributions.
  • RICT 2017 (Toulouse, July 5-7, 2017): The 53rd International Conference on Medicinal Chemistry will be organized by our partner organization SCT (Société de Chimie Thérapeutique) and will deal with “Drug Discovery & Selection”
  • SCS Fall meeting 2017 (August 21-22, 2017, Bern, vonRoll Areal): For the first time the event is extended to one and a half days to even better serve the needs and requirements of chemical researchers. This creates space for new sessions giving a voice to postdocs and start-ups, as well as additional plenary lectures. The call for contributions is open until May 12, 2017.

News and upcoming events from the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC)

  • 13th EFMC Short Course on Medicinal Chemistry - April 23-26, 2017, Oestgert, Netherlands: The theme of the intensive course is "A Matter of Time: A Kinetic Perspective on Drug-Target Interactions". The course is intended for scientists working in the field, with presentations given by senior scientists from industry and academia.
  • Medicinal Chemistry Frontiers 2017 (ACSMEDI-EFMC) - June 25-28, 2017; Philadelphia, USA: The scientific program for Frontiers 2017 will feature sessions covering the latest advances in medicinal chemistry.
  • EFMC International Symposium on Advances in Synthetic and Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC-ASMC’17) Vienna, Austria, August 27-31st, 2017: This symposium will focus on the most recent advances in new synthetic methodologies, total synthesis, fluorination approaches, bioisosteres and building blocks, chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, drug discovery and development that have led to new or improved methods for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals.
  • 4th EFMC Young Medicinal Chemist Symposium (EFMC-YMCS 2017) - August 31- September 1st, 2017, Vienna, Austria: This short symposium has the aim of creating a network of young European investigators in Medicinal Chemistry, stimulating young European investigators in Medicinal Chemistry to share their scientific work with peers and inspiring leaders in the field and creating competition and excellence in Medicinal Chemistry within Europe by selecting the European Champion in Medicinal Chemistry

Did you know…

… that the preparations for the EFMC-ISMC 2020 in Basel have started already? Besides early activities in Basel, the DMCCB is represented in the International Organizing Committee for the EFMC-ISMC 2018, which will take place in Ljubljana (Slovenia). To complement our scientific contribution, we’re learning and observing, to make sure that we are ready when the Big Day comes!