Celebrating Women in Structural Biology & Drug Discovery

Join us for an inspiring day celebrating the achievements of women in structural biology and structure-based drug discovery. This one-day conference brings together outstanding scientists to share cutting-edge research, build meaningful connections, and strengthen our community.

What to Expect:

Keynote presentations and scientific talks from exceptional women leaders, satellite talks from junior scientists, and ample networking with peers, mentors, and collaborators from academia and industry. This event welcomes scientists at all career stages to explore cutting-edge research and build connections within our community.

About the Organizers:

WeINSPIREBio empowers, connects, and elevates women scientists in structural biology and structure-based design. We champion the visibility of women's contributions to science by providing platforms to showcase research and address the underrepresentation of women speakers at scientific event

NESBA (New England Structural Biology Association) is a volunteer-run non-profit dedicated to bringing together industrial and academic scientists who use protein structure to enable the design of novel therapeutics. Our community spans disciplines including protein sciences, X-ray crystallography, NMR, molecular modeling, computational chemistry, and electron microscopy.

NanoImaging Services (NIS) is a pioneering cryo-EM contract research organization that has been advancing drug discovery since 2007. With state-of-the-art technology and the largest fleet of transmission electron microscopes in North America, NIS makes cryo-EM imaging and analysis accessible to companies of all sizes, helping accelerate the development of life-changing therapeutics.

Registration:

Visit EventBrite to register.

There is a small fee for attending. Students and others please contact info@nesba.net for tickets.

Program

8:30 – 9:15 AMRegistration & Coffee
9:15 – 9:30 AMWelcome to the Symposium
WeINSPIREBio, NESBA, TrueCourse Biosciences
9:30 – 9:45 AMOpening Remarks
Paige Mahaney, Global Head of Therapeutics Discovery, Sanofi
SESSION 1Structural Biology in Industry
Chairs: Kristin Rider (TrueCourse Biosciences) and Madhu Sevvana (Sanofi)
9:45 – 10:25 AMKEYNOTE 1
Impact of Structural Biology in Industry: Past, Present and Future
Ann Boriack-Sjodin (Takeda), with Janelle Hayes (Takeda)
10:25 – 10:55 AMStructure as Proof: Pandemic Vaccines Under the Microscope
Anna Talyzina (Sanofi), with Elizabeth McCain (Sanofi)
10:55 – 11:25 AMCryo-EM: from Craft to Design Engine
Anne Jecrois (Generate Biomedicines)
11:25 – 11:55 AMThinking About Thinking: Metacognitive AI for Structural Biology and Protein Design in Industry
Natasha Seraj (Zealand Pharma), with Margaret Vos (AstraZeneca)
11:55 – 12:55 AMLunch
SESSION 2From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Design
Chairs: Katarina Meze (Sanofi) and Claudio Catalano (TrueCourse Biosciences)
12:55 – 1:35 PMKEYNOTE 2
The Importance of Membranes in Structural Biology
Melanie Ohi (University of Michigan)
1:35 – 2:05 PMConformational Regulation of Two Essential Activators of Bacterial Cell Elongation
Morgan Gilman (Boston University), with Irina Shlosman (Rockefeller University
2:05 – 2:35 PMCoffee Break
2:35 – 3:05 PMMaking Structures Happen: The Toolbox for Discovery
Sarah Bowman (University at Buffalo), with Gabrielle Budziszewski (University at Buffalo)
3:05 – 3:35 PMUtilizing SBDD to Enable New E3 Ligases for TPD
Katie Digianantonio (Arvinas), with Claire McCall (Arvinas)
3:35 – 4:15 PMPANEL & CLOSING
Beyond the Structure: Science, Careers, and Leadership in Drug Discovery
Moderator: Allison James (Sanofi)
Panelists: Melanie Adams Cioaba (Thermo Fisher), Sandra Gabelli (Merck), Melanie Ohi (University of Michigan), Giovanna Scapin (TrueCourse Biosciences, WeINSPIREBio)
4:15 PMNetworking at Tap151

Keynotes are 35 min + 5 min Q&A. Talks are 25 min + 5 min Q&A.

Sponsors

Date:

Friday, October 23, 2026
8:30 AM - 4:10 PM

Meeting location:

Sanofi
450 Water Street
Cambridge, MA 02143

The New England Structural Biology Association (NESBA) is a non-profit organization, run by volunteers. We are dedicated to bringing together industrial scientists with the shared vision of using protein structure to enable the design of novel therapeutics. NESBA disciplines include: Protein Sciences; X-ray Crystallography; NMR; Molecular Modeling; Biology; Chemistry; Computational Chemistry; and Electron Microscopy.

Sponsors

Your generous contributions allow us to continue our mission.

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Photo Gallery

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