Why you should attend Drug Discovery 2023 in Liverpool (and how to get there)
ELRIG’s flagship Drug Discovery event is back for 2023 — and this time it’s in Liverpool! Drug Discovery 2023 is set to be our biggest event yet, and there’s no better place to celebrate both diverse thinking and new perspectives than the culturally rich Liverpool. From a respected scientific history to deep maritime heritage, Liverpool has a huge amount to offer outside of this highly anticipated event.
In this blog, we explore the event and venue in more detail, why Liverpool is great to visit, and practical tips to plan your trip.
Register for free to attend Drug Discovery 2023: Diverse Thinking — New Perspectives, held in Liverpool from 18-19 October 2023 at the ACC Liverpool Exhibition Centre.
Drug Discovery 2023: A broad and inclusive event
Drug Discovery 2023 focuses on bringing new therapies from the lab to the patient, using new tools across ‘omics, personalized medicine, and chemistry. The two-day event covers a range of cutting-edge topics in the field — including cellular technologies for drug discovery, augmenting R&D with AI, and translating ideas into therapies — delivered by a line-up of expert speakers from the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.
To make the event as inclusive as possible, ELRIG aims to remove many of the common barriers to conference attendance. As such, Drug Discovery is always a free-to-attend event, with lunch provided. Drug Discovery 2023, as with all ELRIG events, also offers a prayer room, family room, and quiet room, to meet as many attendees’ needs as possible. What’s more, to support early career professionals, the event will host a learning zone, including a meet and greet, introduction to recruitment partners, and a ‘Network like a Boss’ session.
Liverpool: A rich and vibrant city
Drug Discovery 2023 is being held in Liverpool, a vibrant city in North-West England. Liverpool has a deep scientific history, with the University of Liverpool being associated with nine Nobel Laureates. The city is well renowned for disease and healthcare research, too. Ronald Ross, a professor at the University and a pioneer in malaria research, discovered that mosquitos transmitted the disease, for example. To this day, the city remains a thriving spot for malaria research, supported by the dedicated Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. But that’s not all. Liverpool delivers high-quality research across a range of different disease areas, as well — in one example, researchers developed a model to predict the risk of any person developing lung cancer within 5 years.
Beyond the world-class science, Liverpool boasts a number of reasons as to why it is the ideal choice for this year’s flagship event, from the venue itself to local attractions:
1. The venue
The event is being held in the ACC Exhibition Centre, a conference and event venue on Liverpool’s waterfront. And what a venue! The Conference Centre is interconnected with the M&S Bank Arena, which recently beat a swathe of venues across the United Kingdom to be selected as the host of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023.
Now the dust has settled, and the loose sequins have been brushed away, the venue is ready for Drug Discovery 2023. As well as the location and facilities, though, one of the major venue attractions is its sustainability. The ACC Exhibition Centre is the first large venue to join isla, an independent body that supports sustainable events. Both organizations are working together to share best practices and provide guidance and training to support the journey towards Carbon Net Zero 2050. What’s more, the venue is 100% renewable energy certified, sends zero waste to landfill, and harvests rainwater to provide 40% of flushing water across the campus.
2. The entertainment
Liverpool has a huge cultural offering, with activities to suit every taste. If you find yourself with some free time around the conference, why not see what the city has to offer?
- Museums: Liverpool is home to a number of interesting museums in the centre. If you’re interested in Greek Gods or Ancient Egypt, then check out the World Museum. If you prefer local history, the Museum of Liverpool and the Maritime Museum provide fascinating insights.
- Galleries: Well-suited for those into classical art, the Walker Art Gallery displays paintings, sculptures, and decorative art from the 13th century onwards. For modern art, the Tate Modern (a short walk from the venue) has more contemporary offerings.
- The arts: It goes without saying that Liverpool has been home to some of the biggest bands in the world, such as the Beatles, Atomic Kitten, The Wombats, and the Lightning Seeds. The arts are the lifeblood of Liverpool, and as such, there are many entertainment venues for music and theatre alike. Unwind in the evenings by heading to a local bar to watch some live music, or even catch a show at the Liverpool Empire Theatre.
3. The waterfront
The waterfront is perfect for any free time around the conference, and The Royal Albert Dock — a short walk away from the Exhibition Centre — has almost everything you need. Firstly, it hosts restaurants that suit nearly every mood, offering delights such as pizza from Rudy’s Pizza (named as one of the top 50 pizzerias in the world in 2019) to hanging kebabs from The Smugglers Cove. But it is also home to several coffee shops, pubs, and gift shops, so you’ll always have plenty to do.
Walking a little further leads you to some sightseeing at the Pier Head, home to the Three Graces. These three iconic buildings define the city skyline, which is completed by the famous Liver birds. From the Pier Head you can also embark on the renowned Ferry ‘Cross the Mersey, to see the beauty of the city from the river Mersey.
4. The food
Food is a fundamental part of Liverpool. The city strongly supports independent eateries, and has a diverse array of restaurants to suit every taste and budget. For more casual dining, Liverpool offers multiple food markets. The Baltic market, Liverpool’s first street food market, is a 15-minute walk from the venue and houses vendors that offer cuisines such as Greek to Venezuelan. The same distance away is Duke Street Food and Drink Market, which has six kitchens and choices including Cuban street food, steak, and Italian.
But the real gem of Liverpool’s food scene is the bustling Bold Street, which is a 7-minute walk from Liverpool Lime Street station. While it contains some of the more familiar chain restaurants and coffee shops at the lower end, Bold Street is the independent heart of Liverpool. Head up the street towards the historic St Luke’s Bombed-Out Church, and you’ll find yourself surrounded by independent eateries and coffee shops offering food from across the globe — with every budget, cuisine and environment catered for.
Planning your journey
To simplify planning for your Drug Discovery 2023 trip, we provide useful information on train travel and accommodation below.
Train travel
Liverpool is highly accessible by train, with Liverpool Lime Street being the main train station for regional travellers. Table 1 summarises approximate travel times, the expected number of changes, and ticket costs from several areas across the UK. Train tickets are often cheaper when bought in advance (an advance single from London Euston, for example, can be as low as £22). Additionally, you may be eligible for a rail card, which can reduce costs further.
Table 1: Average journeys to Liverpool Lime Street from various locations in the UK. The information here is intended as a guide, and the actual costs, timings, and number of changes may vary.
| Starting point | Average price (off-peak return) | Approximate time | Number of changes |
| Cambridge | £129.40 | 4 hours | 2* |
| Edinburgh Waverley | £97.80 | 3 hours 30 mins | 1 |
| London Euston | £103.90 | 2 hours 20 mins | 0 |
| Oxford | £88.60 | 3 – 3 hours 30 mins | 1 |
*Including a change from King’s Cross Station to Euston Station – either 1 tube stop, or a 15-minute walk.
Hotels
Liverpool offers hotels to suit every budget and taste. While ELRIG does not endorse any hotels or travel choices, Reservation Highway has arranged specially negotiated rates at selected hotels near to the venue. The discounted rates are available until Thursday 14th September 2023.
Rooms at the Ibis Hotel, Albert Dock, begin from £70 per night, and are an 8-minute walk away from the venue. For those who prefer to self-cater, Staycity Aparthotel Liverpool Waterfront (a 15-minute walk from the venue) is equipped with a kitchen, and prices start from £75 per night. And for a luxurious stay, rooms are available at the Pullman Liverpool — a 1 minute walk from the venue — starting at £150 per night.
There are many more hotels available, both in the city centre and a short drive out, on alternative accommodation booking sites.
A new perspective for Drug Discovery 2023
Drug Discovery 2023 is the ideal platform to exchange ideas and gain new perspectives on how to better bring new therapies from the lab to the patient. The event will cover a broad range of topics within drug discovery, all delivered by world-class speakers. And combined with the deep cultural and scientific heritage of the hosting city Liverpool, there’s no better place to expose yourself to diverse thinking.
Don’t miss out — register now to attend Drug Discovery 2023: Diverse Thinking — New Perspectives from 18-19 October 2023, and get ready to experience all Liverpool has to offer.