21st century applications of proteomics

• Dustin Maly, University of Washington
• Christina Woo, Harvard University

This theme highlights cutting-edge proteomic approaches to understanding protein interactions, modifications, and complexes, with a focus on chemoproteomics and therapeutic discovery.

Chemical toolbox

• Jeremy Baskin, Cornell University
• Bryan Dickinson, University of Chicago

Chemical biology leverages custom-designed molecules to probe biological systems with precision. This session brings together research across small molecule probes, spatial biology, and synthetic biology to uncover the molecular logic of living systems.

Coordination chemistry in biology (metals in biology)

• Liz Nolan, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Lipids

• L. Ashley Cowart, Virginia Commonwealth
• Chris Burd, Yale School of Medicine

Organelle neuro

• Maria Ioannou, University of Alberta
• Jim Hurley, University of California, Berkeley

Organelle dysfunction is a key feature of neurodegenerative diseases, affecting processes such as axonal transport, autophagy, mitochondrial dynamics, and lipid metabolism. This symposium explores how organelle disruption contributes to disease across different brain cell types and brings together researchers to examine organelle roles in both health and neurodegeneration.

Organelle quality control

• Roberto Zoncu, University of California, Berkeley
• Natalie Niemi, Washington University in St. Louis

Organelles function as interconnected systems that integrate cellular inputs and dynamically respond to changing demands. Their membranes host signaling machinery that enables communication between organelles and with the nucleus. This session highlights how proteins, lipids, and signaling pathways regulate organelle quality control, stress responses, and inter-organelle coordination across normal physiology and disease.

Protein and RNA phase separation

• Roy Parker, University of Colorado Boulder
• Michael Rosen, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Protein import/export

• YuhMin Chook, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
• Peter Kim, The Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute

This symposium focuses on protein transport across nuclear and peroxisomal membranes, including structural organization, transport mechanisms, and system maintenance, highlighting emerging principles in selective protein transport.

Stem cells

• Jun Wu, University of Texas Southwestern
• Mingxia Gu, University of California, Los Angeles

This session explores advances in stem cell biology, including pluripotency, embryo models, organoids, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). It also covers bioengineering approaches for complex tissue construction and regenerative applications, highlighting how stem cell technologies are transforming human development and disease research.

The future of RNA structure and structure prediction

• Kalli Kappel, Univeristy of California, Los Angeles
• Silvi Rouskin, Harvard University

RNA structure research is rapidly evolving through advances in experimental and computational methods. This session explores new techniques for resolving RNA structures, machine learning approaches for prediction, and challenges such as understanding RNA dynamics and cellular interactions.

Adapting for a changing landscape

• Yass Kobayashi, University of Georgia School of Medicine
• Kiesha Wilson, University of South Carolina School of Medicine
• Tim Rhoads, University of Wisconsin–Madison

This program prepares scientists for an evolving workforce by exploring industry pathways, career preparation, and strategies to expand access to science, equipping attendees to remain resilient and impactful.

Professional development across career stages

• Masood Sepehrimanesh, Louisiana Tech University
• Kristin Dittenhafer–Reed, Hope College
• Tom Kiselak, Thermo Fisher Scientific

This track explores lifelong professional development, from training to independent careers, covering scientific and transferable skills, as well as the role of emerging technologies in career growth.

ASBMB Journals symposia