Drug Discovery 2026
Registration opening soon….
Free-to-attend!

Date
14-15 October 2026
Location
London, UK
Day(s)
:
Hour(s)
:
Minute(s)
:
Second(s)
Event Overview
ELRIG’s Drug Discovery 2026 is back at London’s Excel, and as Europe’s leading drug discovery and life sciences conference, it will have scientific tracks covering topics including Next Generation biophysics, microbes to medicines, multiomics, AI in compound discovery and in experimental design, and bioconjugation approaches in oncology.
This conference marks 20 years of ELRIG Drug Discovery and will have keynote sessions both reflecting on the past and looking towards the future. Once again, we will be hosting scientific content from partners such as SLAS, CRUK, The Microbiology Society, British Neuroscience Association and the Royal Society of Chemistry. The exhibition hall will provide attendees the opportunity to meet with, engage and learn from the leaders in drug discovery as well as leading product and service suppliers.
ELRIG aims to remove as many barriers to conference attendance as possible, so all events are free to attend and have a faith room, family room and quiet room available, ensuring our promise of inclusivity is at the heart of all our events.
Track Information
Day 1 – Wednesday 14 October
Auditorium 1
Engineering the cell microenvironment: Cell-based models for drug discovery
Track Chairs: Amro Ahmed-Ebbiary & Blessing Airhihen (Nottingham Trent University)
Track overview coming soon
Auditorium 2
Integrating experimental design, lab-in-the-loop and AI towards translatable discovery
Track Chairs: Augustin Amour (Kuano AI) & Markus Gershater (Synthace)
The success of drug discovery, and more broadly translational research, depends on robust experimental design, high-quality data and model predictivity. Lab-in-the-loop approaches increasingly combine automation, design of experiments and AI to strengthen assay performance and the predictive value of translational models. This session will explore how these elements can be integrated across laboratory workflows to optimise assay and model development.
Auditorium 3
Targeted potency: Advances in radioligands and bioconjugates
Track Chairs: Nick Tribble (CRUK) & Stuart Haynes (CRUK)
With rapid advances in radioligand therapies and bioconjugate platforms, targeted oncology treatments are entering a new phase of precision and potency. This track will highlight innovative strategies that enhance specificity, tune therapeutic windows, and improve the safety of cytotoxic delivery. By bringing together leaders in ligand design, payload engineering, and conjugation technologies, the session will showcase how these next‑generation modalities are opening doors to treating cancers once considered out of reach.
Auditorium 4
Next-Gen biophysics
Track Chairs: Jarrod Walsh (AstraZeneca)
Track overview coming soon
Exhibition Theatre
Translating ideas into therapies – Navigating the challenges
Track Chairs: Hitesh Sanganee (Future Bio Consulting)
Bringing new drugs to customers and patients presents unique challenges including a long, expensive and highly regulated path before entering the market. In this session, emerging entrepreneurs and inventors will gain insights from diverse perspectives in early and late stage drug development on how to navigate the hurdles with securing funding, resources and evaluating feasibility to market strategies. To wrap up the session, the speakers will join a panel where they dive deeper into how they sharpened their ability to evolve from just an innovative concept.
Tech Theatre
CRISPR/Cas technologies from discovery to therapeutic application
Track Chairs: Ulrike Künzel (AstraZeneca), Michael Howell (Francis Crick Institute) & Ming Jiang (Francis Crick Institute)
The CRISPR technology has emerged as one of the most transformative scientific advances of the past two decades, enabling precise genome editing that is reshaping both basic research and therapeutic development. CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing is accelerating target discovery and functional genomics, while powering the engineering of cell and gene therapies now entering clinical practice to treat previously intractable diseases. This session will bring together speakers that showcase applications spanning target discovery to clinical applications, and will explore possible next applications of the revolutionary technology.
Day 2 – Thursday 15 October
Auditorium 1
From multi-omics to clinical outcomes: Insights for drug development
Track Chairs: Ane Ogbe (Moderna) & Alexandra Sevko (Amphista Therapeutics)
Track overview coming soon
Auditorium 2
The power of imaging in drug discovery and the clinic
Track Chairs: Rajarshi Banerjee
Auditorium 3
AI in medicinal chemistry
Track Chairs:Grace Thoburn (Royal Society of Chemistry), Martin Swarbrick & Arasu Ganesan (Liverpool John Moores University)
This track will highlight how AI and data driven methods are reshaping drug discovery. Topics include compound quality, the integration of machine learning with experimental validation, and emerging AI tools. The track is organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Biological and Medicinal Chemistry Sector and RSC Medicinal Chemistry.
Auditorium 4
From sample to translation: Solving the practical challenges of modern drug discovery
Track Chairs: Manuela Beil-Peter (Analytika Jenna) & Sonia Houghton
Biological samples are fundamental to drug discovery, yet their management is often underestimated despite its influence on data quality, translational success and patient outcomes. This session explores the practical challenges of modern sample management, from access to high-quality patient material and complex biological models to logistics, historical sample cohorts, automation and AI. Through case studies and panel discussions, speakers will consider how sample management must evolve to support robust science and effective translation.
Exhibition Theatre
Inclusive translational approaches to accelerate equitable neuroscience drug development
Track Chairs: Sophia Amenyah (Northumbria University) & Beatrice Panico (Scendea)
Track overview coming soon
Tech Theatre
From microbes to medicines
Track Chairs: Alex Price (Mirco Biology Society), Christopher Cooper (University of Huddersfield) & Jerry Reen
Track overview coming soon
Science Committee
Conference Directors
Meet our conference directors for Drug Discovery 2026.

Laura Eghobamien
Black Medical Scientific Network

Andy Merritt
Life Arc

Christian Parker
Novartis

Rupa Shree Appa-Pind
Novo Nordisk
Speakers
More details coming soon.
Activities

What is ELRIG's Breakthrough Zone?
ELRIG’s Breakthrough Zone gives your startup the visibility it needs to gain traction in the drug discovery community. As a leading scientific conference provider in Europe, our events attract pharma, biotech, and academic experts—your ideal early adopters, customers, and collaborators.
Connect with decision-makers, spark collaborations, and get your innovation in front of those who can take it to the next level.
To be eligible to participate in the Breakthrough Zone and enter the ELRIG Innovation Award competition, your company should have fewer than 25 full-time employees and/or a turnover < £2.5M.
What's included?
- Two passes to the conference
- An A0 poster space with tabletop
- Blinded GDPR-compliant delegate list
- Access to lead capture via the event app
- Opportunity to win ELRIG’s Innovation Award
- The winner will give a 10 minute auditorium presentation on Day 2 and get their fee refunded
- Runners-up will get a flash presentation in the Breakthrough Zone Theatre
- Affordable pricing, only £500 + VAT
How do I apply?
ELRIG Innovation Award
Applications open to all confirmed participants of the Breakthrough Zone at Drug Discovery 2026
AWARD PRIZE INCLUDES:
- Opportunity to give a 10-minute talk on the main stage at Drug Discovery 2026, reaching over 3000 delegates
- Your registration fee refunded
DETAILS TO NOTE:
Registration for the Breakthrough Zone must be completed in advance of applying for the award.
The ELRIG Innovation Award winner will be notified in advance to give time to prepare the 10 minute talk to be shared at the conference.
We recognise the vital role that young companies play in driving innovation, so to support and amplify their contributions we’re delighted to bring the the ELRIG Breakthrough Zone to Drug Discovery 2026 again!


Every year at Drug Discovery, we recognise the outstanding contributions to science and innovation from our community through our awards. Whether you’re an early career professional or part of an innovative start-up, we’re offering you the opportunity to celebrate your research or technology with the ELRIG community.
Awards available at this conference:
ECP Poster Award
The Early Career Professional Poster Award recognises the research and fresh ideas that the next generation of scientists bring to drug discovery.
Posters are judged on relevance, innovation, impact, and presentation quality, with the winner receiving:
- £250 (which you can keep, donate to your lab, or give to charity).
- A prestigious glass trophy.
- Industry exposure & networking opportunities.
We define an ECP as an undergrad, postgrad (including PhD), or someone within 5 years of finishing higher education and starting their career.
Kirsty Smitten Award (ECP Award)
Early Career Professional applicants can demonstrate impact in the following ways:
- Through the delivery of impactful science, contributing to early, pre-clinical drug discovery
- By their science or technology development work
- Through their leadership or facilitation of collaborations within the drug-discovery space
- Through other philanthropic and volunteering contributions
About Kirsty Smitten:
Formerly the ELRIG ECP Impact Award. This award was renamed in honour of Kirsty Smitten, who’s pioneering work on antimicrobial compounds won many accolades and awards, including the ECP Impact Award in 2021. She sadly died of a rare form of heart cancer in October 2023. Kirsty was a strong proponent of self-improvement, and was keen to inspire others to seize opportunities for personal growth.
ELRIG's Outstanding Contribution Award
The ELRIG Outstanding Contribution Award recognises individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to both ELRIG and the broader drug discovery and life sciences community.
Who Should Be Nominated?
This award honors individuals who have:
- Made a significant impact on ELRIG through leadership, event support, or community engagement.
- Shown long-term dedication to ELRIG and the drug discovery field, typically for 10+ years.
- Demonstrated innovation, collaboration, and outreach within academia, industry, or entrepreneurship.
Current ELRIG Board members are not eligible for nomination during their term.
How to Nominate
- Nominations open once a year and are announced via email and social media.
- Only third-party nominations are accepted—self-nominations are not permitted.
- Nominators must be involved in the drug discovery community and familiar with the nominee’s contributions.
Submissions must include:
- A completed nomination form
- A supporting statement outlining the nominee’s impact
Selection & Award Presentation
A diverse judging panel will review all nominations based on impact, engagement, and commitment. The winner will be announced just ahead of ELRIG Drug Discovery 2026, and will have the opportunity to join us for a celebratory ‘in conversation with’ session on Day 1 in Liverpool
Got someone in mind? Nominate them and help us celebrate outstanding contributions to our community!
ELRIG Innovation Award
This coveted award highlights a start-up from the ELRIG Breakthrough Zone. It celebrates new science and technology impacting drug discovery and the wider life science industry.
Applications open to all confirmed participants of the Breakthrough Zone at Drug Discovery 2026
AWARD PRIZE INCLUDES:
- Opportunity to give a 10-minute talk on the main stage at Drug Discovery 2026, reaching over 3000 delegates
- Your registration fee refunded
DETAILS TO NOTE:
Registration for the Breakthrough Zone must be completed in advance of applying for the award.
The ELRIG Innovation Award winner will be notified in advance to give time to prepare the 10 minute talk to be shared at the conference.
Early Career Professionals
What is an Early Career Professional (ECPs)?
We define ECPs as someone in life sciences and drug discovery who is an:
- Undergrad
- Postgrad (including PhD)
- Within 5 years of finishing higher education and starting your career
*Career breaks will be recognised, as will individuals whose career has spanned a break due to caring responsibilities or personal circumstances.

Network like a boss
A networking session like no other aimed at early career professionals.
Meet with industry experts, forge new connections, listen to their tips to the top and understand strategies to help your career. Just turn up and join this speedy, buzzy networking event. You’ll be glad you did!
ECP Meet & Greet
Drop in to the Learning Zone in the exhibition hall 8am -9am each morning for our Early Career Professional ‘Meet & Greet’ session.
This is your chance to fuel up on some free coffees and pastries before all the science kicks off!
Agenda
See what’s happening across the 6 scientific tracks each day.
Posters
Discover numerous posters and innovative research from across the drug discovery community, aligned to our track themes. Hear from our Flash Poster Presenters and find out who has won the coveted Early Career Professional Poster Award!
If you have any questions about posters please email us at events@elrig.org – Thank you
Please note, we have limited capacity for posters, and submissions may close before the deadline if we reach capacity.
How to submit a poster
Thank you for agreeing to share your poster with us at Drug Discovery 2026. Your contribution is greatly appreciated by ELRIG and all the attendees of the event. The next stage is to upload your title and abstract, the poster panel will review your poster for general display and you will receive an email advising if you have been successful.
PLEASE NOTE: Only one poster can be submitted per delegate, we only need your title and abstract, you do not need to upload your PDF and only Early Career Posters will be considered for a flash presentation at this event.
Poster deadlines
- to be considered for a flash poster presentation – your title and abstract need to be uploaded by 16 Sept 2026
- to be considered for general display – your title and abstract need to by uploaded by 04 Oct 2026
We have limited space at site and late entries will not be accepted.
If you have any questions regarding your submission, please contact events@elrig.org
During the event
Your poster should be displayed for the duration of the full event. A board will be available with your poster number and Velcro strips to affix your poster (your poster must be A0 portrait).
Poster sessions will take place during the late afternoon networking session on Day 1, and in the lunch refreshment break on Day 2. You will be expected to be at your poster during these times to answer questions from delegates.
A Poster Prize will be awarded for Best Early Career Professional Poster, the posters will be judged (you will not need to be at your poster during judging) and the prize awarded during the opening session on day 2 of the event.
During registration you will be asked if you identify as an ECP – An Early Career Professional (ECP) can be a student in higher education undertaking an undergraduate or postgraduate degree (including PhD), or within 5 years of finishing higher education and starting their career in life sciences and drug discovery. These ECPs are critical contributors to ELRIG, bringing new science, fresh ideas and energy to every event.
The prize is a glass trophy and £250, which can be accepted, donated to your lab or donated to a charity of your choice.
All posters will need to be collected at the end of the event and removed from site; any posters left at the end of the event will be disposed of.
Flash Poster presentations
This is an opportunity to showcase your poster in a Flash presentation to the ELRIG community, if your poster is chosen you will need to prepare a PowerPoint presentation to last no more than 5 minutes. The scientific judging panel will review the posters submitted for Flash poster presentations and if successful you will receive confirmation from the ELRIG Team two weeks prior to the event.
Exhibitors
Floor plan and exhibitor list coming soon.
Venue & Accommodation
ExCeL London
Royal Victoria Dock,
1 Western Gateway,
London E16 1X
Book your accommodation with ELRIG’s Registration & Accommodation Partner MICE Concierge Ltd.
The event room blocks represent your best value and most local hotels for the event. We understand there is a wide choice of options so if you don’t want to use the event room blocks we have partnered with Booking.com to give you access to the widest choice of hotels. Compare prices and see the widest choice with Booking.com.
ELRIG is only able to provide suggestions on how delegates may travel to or places they may stay at, to attend its events. However, ELRIG cannot recommend nor endorse any of the travel choices nor hotels that attendees make and is not liable for any of the services that its delegates procure.
Resources
Social Media
Download our useful social media images to share that you’ll be attending Drug Discovery 2026 with your network.



Sponsorship Opportunites
We have several sponsorship opportunities available to our vendors that can provide a wide range of new and exciting benefits for your organisation. We are also happy to discuss a tailored package to suit your budget. Contact us on info@elrig.org.
FAQs
Why are registrations reviewed?
Due to high demand and limited capacity, delegate applications will now be reviewed before confirming a place.
More and more often, spaces go unused when people register and don’t attend. By reviewing your registrations, we’re ensuring that those committed to attending get the opportunity.
The ELRIG team will be in touch within 10 working days once you’ve completed your registration. We recommend applying with your institute or academic email address to ensure your registration is approved as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your support in helping us create valuable, well-attended events for the drug discovery community!
Are ELRIG events really FREE to attend?
Yes ELRIG events are FREE to attend.
We are a not-for-profit organisation hosting events for the drug discovery community. We believe that access to high quality science should be accessible to all. Find out more here.
We’re grateful for the support from our exhibitors who help us cover the costs of our events from sponsorship and stand sales. If you come to our events, please take the time to visit our exhibition and meet our exhibitors.
Or if you’re interested in exhibiting at an event, check out our sponsorship page.
How do I change / cancel my registration?
As a non-profit organisation, we aim to reduce food waste, and your cancellation helps support our sustainability efforts.
If your circumstances change and you can no longer attend, please cancel your ticket. Your confirmation email includes a link to the cancellation site.
Can I register on arrival?
ELRIG events are often sold out and we are unable to cater to drop-ins. If you haven’t pre-registered we may be unable to let you in.
Delegates: What do I need to bring with me?
Please save your ticket to your smart device or print a copy. Upon arrival at the venue visit the ELRIG registration and scan the QR Code. Your badge will be automatically printed. If you forget or lose your QR Code you can enter your email address to print your badge.
Refreshments will be provided, please bring your own reusable cups to help us reduce plastic waste at our events.
How do I download the event app?
Our attendee app is available for all of our events. It contains a variety of useful information, including networking information, agendas, exhibitor searches, messaging and notifications.
Information on accessing the app will be sent to you 2 weeks before the event!
Partners & Sponsors







