Explore the Agenda
8:00 am Check-In & Light Breakfast
8:50 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
Harness AI, Generative Modelling, & Computational Workflows to Accelerate Rational Protein Design & Improve Candidate Quality at Scale
9:00 am Reviewing a Function-First Approach to Designing Multispecifics & T-Cell Engagers
- Translate therapeutic intent and disease biology into fit-for-purpose multispecific architectures, rather than starting with a preferred molecular format
- Examine how target combination, geometry, affinity, valency, and immune-cell engagement interact to determine coordinated function and therapeutic performance
- Explore how computational, structural, and experimental workflows can be integrated to reduce design space, accelerate optimization, and improve developability and translational potential
9:30 am Panel Discussion: De Risking De Novo & Computational Protein Design & Engineering to Build Repeatable Decision Grade Platforms for Faster Pipeline Progression
- Where has computational design actually moved the needle, and how are you proving it internally to speed up drug pipelines?
- How to control for data quality and biological reality in ML-driven design loops? And what specific changes have you made to your data generation strategy to make it truly usable for training models?
- How are you deciding what to prioritize today across de novo design, optimization workflows, and engineering, given they sit at different points in the hype cycle?
10:15 am Exploring Data-Driven In Silico Design of Enhanced-Affinity TCRs
- Affinity maturation of TCR biologics is increasingly enabled by the integration of machine learning, high-throughput screening, and biophysical data
- We combine sequence-based models trained on NGS and screening outputs with structure-based approaches informed by historical Biacore and structural datasets
- This integrated framework prioritizes mutations with a high probability of improving affinity, accelerating design cycles while maximizing the value of legacy experimental data
10:45 am Morning Break & Speed Networking
An opportunity to network, discuss and collaborate with like-minded leaders of the protein sciences, design and engineering community
Translating Promising Molecules to Real Drugs by Embedding Developability into Protein Design & Engineering to Improve Scalability, Manufacturability & Downstream Success
11:45 am Round Table: Building Effective AI-Enabled Design-Build-Test-Learn Workflows for Protein Engineering
- Generating high-quality experimental data to improve predictive protein design models
- Creating rapid feedback loops between computational design and wet-lab validation
- Integrating developability screening earlier in discovery to improve downstream success
- Lessons learned from combining machine learning and biologics discovery teams under one workflow
12:15 pm CMC Developability Screening of Discovery Candidates
- Physicochemical developability screening for optimal drug candidate selection
- Accelerated stability studies using small sample amounts
12:45 pm Lunch Break & Networking
Discover Emerging Approaches Across Mini-Proteins & Vaccines to Improve Functional Activity & Candidate Performance
1:45 pm Designing Miniprotein Medicine: Efficient, Constraint-Aware Pipelines for De Novo Miniprotein Design
- De novo design models, trained on natural protein distributions, exhibit recurring failure modes such as poor designability when applied unconstrained to miniproteins
- We introduce a constraint-aware pipeline that filters and steers generation to mitigate these failure modes while preserving sequence diversity and designability
2:15 pm Structural Design Strategies for Developing Next-Generation Vaccines
- Learn how structural biology enables the identification and design of stable, immunogenic epitopes, using technologies like cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography to tailor antigens that can trigger robust immune responses
- Discover how vaccine candidates are designed by optimizing antigen structures, addressing challenges like antigenic variation, and focusing on conserved regions to enhance broad protection against evolving pathogens
- Explore how structural insights are leading to the design of vaccines against “undruggable” or challenging targets, where understanding protein folding and conformational flexibility is key to developing novel immunogens
2:45 pm Afternoon Break & Scientific Poster Session
As the wet- and dry-lab development into novel protein biotherapeutics continues to progress from strength to strength, it is more important than ever to collaborate and learn with your peers, as we continue to advance these therapies to patients in need. Join your colleagues to share your latest data and have the first look into what your peers are working on!
Reviewing Real World Case-Studies in Design & Engineering to Streamline Future Design Decisions & Candidate Quality
3:45 pm Session Reserved for OncoC4
Presentation Details to be Announced
4:15 pm Engineering Proteins with Purpose: A Discovery Framework for Building Therapeutic Candidates
- Begin with purpose: Define the therapeutic objective and target product profile before optimizing the molecule
- Design for learning: Build experimental strategies that reduce uncertainty and guide the next discovery decision
- Optimize the whole candidate: Balance molecular performance, developability, manufacturability, and timelines to advance therapeutics with the greatest chance of success