Progress in Antibiotic Discovery and Development
Jun 21–24, 2027 | Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Whistler, BC, Canada
Scientific Organizers:
Cesar de la Fuente, James J. Collins, and Ewa Szczurek
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Jun 21–24, 2027 | Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Whistler, BC, Canada
Scientific Organizers: Cesar de la Fuente, James J. Collins, and Ewa Szczurek
Cesar de la Fuente, PhD
University of Pennsylvania
César de la Fuente, Ph.D., is a Presidential Associate Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of the Machine Biology Group. He develops artificial intelligence and computational approaches to discover and design antibiotics and other functional biomolecules, including strategies that mine biological information for encrypted antimicrobial peptides and generate new therapeutic candidates. His work has helped establish machine biology as a framework for using algorithms to understand and engineer life and has produced discoveries published in leading journals including Science, Cell, Nature Biomedical Engineering, and Nature Microbiology. He has received more than 80 major awards, including the Princess of Girona Prize and the Fleming Prize, and was elected a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
James J. Collins, PhD
Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard
James J. Collins, Ph.D., is the Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering and Science and Professor of Biological Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a member of the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology faculty, a Core Founding Faculty member at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, and an Institute Member of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. A pioneering leader in synthetic biology and systems biology, his research has advanced network-based understanding of antibiotic action, bacterial defense mechanisms, and the emergence of resistance. His work has also contributed to AI-enabled antibiotic discovery and next-generation diagnostics and therapeutics. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and National Academy of Medicine, and has extensive experience leading interdisciplinary initiatives at the interface of engineering, biology, and medicine.
Ewa Szczurek, PhD
Helmholtz Munich
Ewa Szczurek, Ph.D., is Director of the Institute for AI for Health at Helmholtz Munich and Associate Professor at the University of Warsaw, where she leads an international research group spanning both institutions. Her research focuses on artificial intelligence for computational medicine, including probabilistic graphical models, deep generative models, and machine learning approaches for biomedical data. In the AMR field, her group develops deep generative models for the design of antimicrobial peptides active against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. She brings expertise in AI, computational biology, biomedical modeling, and international conference organization, making her well suited to help shape the computational and trainee-focused dimensions of the meeting.
Available Formats:
Supported by:
Livestream
In Person
On Demand
***Meeting program subject to change.
Available Formats: = Livestream = In Person = On DemandMerchandise Options
Registration Options
Monday, June 21, 2027
Fundraising
Registration
4:00–8:00 PM
Macdonald Foyer
Welcome Mixer
6:00–8:00 PM
Macdonald Foyer
Tuesday, June 22, 2027
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
Macdonald CDEF
Welcome Remarsk
8:00–8:10 AM
Macdonald B
Keynote Address
8:10–9:00 AM
Macdonald B
Roy Kishony, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology
The Future of Antibiotic Resistance
The Future of Antibiotic Resistance
Translating Antibiotics into the Clinic: Obstacles and Opportunities
9:00–11:00 AM
Macdonald B
Man-Wah Tan, Genentech, Inc.
Novel Inhibitors against Gram-negative Pathogens
Novel Inhibitors against Gram-negative Pathogens
Speaker to be Announced
David Payne, GlaxoSmithKline
Antibiotic Discovery and Development at GSK
Antibiotic Discovery and Development at GSK
Coffee Break
9:30–9:50 AM
Macdonald Foyer
Panel Discussion 1: Q&A with Drs. Tan and Payne
11:10–11:40 AM
Macdonald B
Poster Setup
11:40–1:00 PM
Macdonald CDEF
On Own for Lunch
11:40–2:30 PM
Poster Viewing
1:00–10:00 PM
Macdonald CDEF
Symposia Spotlight 1: Late-breaking research presentations selected from abstract submissions
2:30–4:30 PM
Macdonald B
Short Talks Chosen from Abstracts
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Macdonald Foyer
Antibiotics AI: Computational & AI-Enabled Antibiotic Discovery
5:00–6:45 PM
Macdonald B
James J. Collins, Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard
AI Approaches for Antibiotic Discovery
AI Approaches for Antibiotic Discovery
Cesar de la Fuente, University of Pennsylvania
Accelerating Antibiotic Discovery Using AI
Accelerating Antibiotic Discovery Using AI
Ewa Szczurek, Helmholtz Munich
Controllable Generative AI for Antimicrobial Peptides Discovery
Controllable Generative AI for Antimicrobial Peptides Discovery
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Panel Discussion 2: Q&A with Drs. Collins, de la Fuente and Szczurek
6:55–7:25 PM
Macdonald B
Social Hour with Dinner
7:25–8:25 PM
Macdonald CDEF
Poster Session 1
7:30–10:00 PM
Macdonald CDEF
Wednesday, June 23, 2027
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
Macdonald CDEF
Natural-Product Biosynthesis and Engineering
8:00–11:00 AM
Macdonald B
Gerry D. Wright, McMaster University
New Natural Product Antibiotics
New Natural Product Antibiotics
Allison Lopatkin, University of Rochester
Predictive Biology: Understanding and Reversing the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
Predictive Biology: Understanding and Reversing the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Coffee Break
9:00–9:20 AM
Macdonald Foyer
Roundtable Discussion: The Next Generation of Antibiotic Hunters (inspiring new people into the field)
11:10–12:10 PM
Macdonald B
Paul E. Turner, Yale University
Poster Setup
12:10–1:00 PM
Macdonald CDEF
On Own for Lunch
12:10–3:00 PM
Poster Viewing
1:00–10:00 PM
Macdonald CDEF
Career Roundtable (Joint)
3:00–4:30 PM
Macdonald A
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Macdonald Foyer
Antibiotic Discovery and Host Immunity
5:00–7:00 PM
Macdonald B
Yifat Merbl, Weizmann Institute of Science
Proteasome-Derived Defense Peptides (PDDPs): An Untapped Source of Antimicrobial Agents
Proteasome-Derived Defense Peptides (PDDPs): An Untapped Source of Antimicrobial Agents
Olga Shevchuk, University Hospital Essen
Production of Encrypted Antibiotics in Human Kidney Infections
Production of Encrypted Antibiotics in Human Kidney Infections
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Social Hour with Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
Macdonald CDEF
Poster Session 2
7:30–10:00 PM
Macdonald CDEF
Thursday, June 24, 2027
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
Macdonald CDEF
Frontiers in Non-Traditional Antimicrobials: Phages, Vaccines, Peptides & Beyond
8:00–11:00 AM
Macdonald B
Paul E. Turner, Yale University
Phage Therapy to Combat Infections by Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Pathogens
Phage Therapy to Combat Infections by Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Pathogens
Rino Rappuoli, Fondazione Biotecnopolo di Siena
Vaccines against AMR
Vaccines against AMR
Dianne K. Newman †, California Institute of Technology
Talk Title to be Announced
Talk Title to be Announced
Renee Fleeman, University of Central Florida
Peptide Dual Targeting of Membrane and Ribosomes disrupts biofilm formation and prevents in vivo dissemination
Peptide Dual Targeting of Membrane and Ribosomes disrupts biofilm formation and prevents in vivo dissemination
Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts
Coffee Break
9:00–9:20 AM
Macdonald Foyer
On Own for Lunch
11:00–2:30 PM
Symposia Spotlight 2: Late-breaking research presentations selected from abstract submissions
2:30–4:30 PM
Macdonald B
Short Talks Chosen from Abstracts
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Macdonald Foyer
Alternative Approaches to Antibiotics
5:00–6:30 PM
Macdonald B
Manuela Raffatellu, University of California, San Diego
Harnessing Iron Acquisition Machinery to Target Pathogens
Harnessing Iron Acquisition Machinery to Target Pathogens
Victor Torres †, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Novel Approaches Against Staphylococcus Aureus Infections
Novel Approaches Against Staphylococcus Aureus Infections
Jörg Vogel, University of Würzburg
The Promises and Challenges of Programmable RNA Antibiotics
The Promises and Challenges of Programmable RNA Antibiotics
Machine Learning and Antimicrobial Peptides
6:30–7:30 PM
Macdonald B
Jiangning Song, Monash University
Machine Learning for Antimicrobial Peptide Design and Discovery
Machine Learning for Antimicrobial Peptide Design and Discovery
Daniela Kalafatovic, University of Rijeka
Self-Assembling Peptide Design with Generative AI
Self-Assembling Peptide Design with Generative AI
Meeting Wrap-Up: Outcomes and Future Directions (Organizers)
7:30–7:45 PM
Macdonald B
Social Hour with Dinner
7:45–8:45 PM
Macdonald CDEF
Cash Bar
8:00–11:00 PM
Entertainment
8:00–11:00 PM
Friday, June 25, 2027
Departure
12:00–11:59 PM
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