Conference Description
The Metals in Biology GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.
Metal ions are central to biology. From serving as structural and regulatory elements to catalyzing complex metabolic transformations to maintaining global gas cycles, the importance of metals cannot be overstated. Metals were essential for the emergence of early life and microbes can correspondingly use metals to reshape the environment around them. The breadth of reactivity accessible to natural metal-containing systems has motivated the design of bioinspired and biomimetic synthetic models, which are increasingly important to sustainable energy solutions. The unique properties of metals have led to important medical advances and necessitated development of new physical methods, and modern computational biology and multimodal “omics” techniques are finding metals in places never before imagined. It is an exciting time for the field of bioinorganic chemistry! The 2026 Metals in Biology GRC will pursue these and other long-standing questions as well as herald emerging trends made possible by technological breakthroughs.
The Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) in Bioinorganic Chemistry is closely associated with the Metals in Biology GRC. This meeting typically draws graduate students and postdoctoral scholars from a wide range of laboratories interested in metals in biology. The GRS overlaps with the GRC meeting for one evening session on Sunday, including an energetic poster session that allows students to meet and interact with established scientists in their research areas. We specifically encourage young scientists and trainees to take advantage of these unique educational opportunities and to participate in both the Bioinorganic Chemistry GRS and the Metals in Biology GRC.
The conference will consist of nine sessions, on the topics listed below. The conference chair is currently developing their preliminary program, which will include the names of the invited speakers and discussion leaders for each of these sessions. The preliminary program will be available by April 23, 2025. Please check back for updates.
