DNA-Encoded Chemical Library (DEL) technology, first proposed by Professor Richard A. Lerner and Professor Sydney Brenner, is increasingly being applied in the pharmaceutical industry. It provides an efficient and universal platform for identifying novel lead compounds, thereby significantly advancing drug development and potentially revolutionizing the drug discovery paradigm. Due to its revolutionary innovative value, DEL technology has garnered deeper interest in the academic community and injected vibrant vitality for the future rapid development of this field.
The first International Symposium on DNA-Encoded Chemical Libraries was initiated in 2006 by Professor Dario Neri and Professor Jörg Scheuermann, attracting active participation from a plethora of scientists and industry experts. Over the years, the interests in DEL symposia have broadened within the field and has gradually expanded to various research areas, now alternating annually in Europe, the United States, and Asia. The most recent international symposium was successfully held in 2023 in Zurich, Switzerland, bringing together over 300 participants from academia, industry, business, and venture capital circles to the historic city of Zurich for a grand gathering. Major global pharmaceutical companies, including Roche, GSK, Abbvie, AZ, Pfizer, Merck, Novartis, J&J, as well as well-known domestic DEL research and development enterprises such as WuXi AppTec and HitGen, participated in or reported on the latest advancements. The conference invited 24 leading experts and scholars all over the world to deliver speeches, focusing on the latest progress in the field, discussing new drug research and development, new targets, new technologies and new drug research and development programs and sharing numerous frontline cases from around the world.
The upcoming conference is set to be held in Shanghai, China in Oct. 2024, adhering to the strategy of being academically driven. Building on the existing foundation, it will further expand the influence of application fields. Plans are in place to invite nearly 30 heavyweight leaders and scientists around world to present and discuss the latest developments, aiming to attract an audience of 600 from both the academies and industries. This installment of the DEL International Symposium will significantly enhance the international reputation, influence, and competitiveness in the hot academic and industrial fields related to drug discovery, and provide a great platform and opportunities for global young scholars, including those from China and abroad, and innovative pharmaceutical companies to enter the forefront of these hot research fields.