5 July 2026

How do proteins fold correctly and what happens when this process goes wrong? This session reveals the elusive pathways by which α-synuclein transitions from dynamic condensates to toxic fibrils, uncovering key intermediates that drive neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease. It also highlights how the ribosome actively guides protein folding during synthesis, preventing mis-assembly and ensuring cellular homeostasis. Together, these insights open new opportunities to target misfolding at its earliest stages, offering promising avenues for therapeutic intervention.

The session will include presentation of a FEBS Anniversary Prize of the GBM to speaker David Balchin.

How do environmental exposures, immune responses, and stem cell history shape human health across the lifespan? This session reveals how endocrine-disrupting chemicals alter ovarian function and fertility by rewiring cellular signalling and hormone production. It also uncovers how the immune system orchestrates "wartime metabolism", transforming systemic energy use to combat infection and disease. Finally, it shows that hematopoietic stem cells retain a lasting memory of stress and aging, fundamentally influencing blood production and disease susceptibility.

Discover how the hidden architecture of the nucleus orchestrates two of life's most fundamental processes: building ribosomes and regulating genes. Cutting-edge cryo-EM structures reveal, at near-atomic resolution, the dynamic choreography of assembly factors and RNA as human ribosomes take shape, uncovering the molecular logic behind their precise and irreversible maturation. In parallel, innovative genomic tools illuminate how the 3D folding of DNA enables distant enhancers and promoters to communicate, ensuring exquisitely controlled gene expression during development. Together, these advances provide a vivid new perspective on nuclear organization, linking structural complexity to cellular function and human health.