Advanced Training Course in Molecular Bioengineering 2025
Biomolecular interactions modelling: in silico and experimental approaches for molecular self-assembly and medicine
Welcome
The Advanced Training Course in Molecular Bioengineering is designed to provide a training platform for educating the next generation of leaders in Molecular Bioengineering, a rapidly growing field that explores the most recent advances in chemical, biological, and engineering sciences to develop advanced molecular-level solutions to complex medical problems. This year, on its 3rd edition, the course focuses on “Biomolecular Interactions Modelling: in silico and experimental approaches for molecular self-assembly and Medicine”.
Peptides and proteins mediate many physiological and bioengineering-relevant phenomena, playing a crucial role in drug design and discovery, whether as therapeutic or delivery agents. Also, peptide epitopes play a key role in driving communication between cells and their extracellular matrix, offering opportunities for controlling cell adhesion, differentiation, immunomodulation and matrix turnover. A deeper understanding behind the biophysical interactions responsible for these functions offers the possibility to improve biomolecular affinity and biomaterials’ fabrication reproducibility, which can lead to the fabrication of high-precision biological scaffolds, smart/functional medical devices, sustainable nanoelectronics and biosensors.
This Course will cover the fundamentals of biophysical techniques relevant for the in silico and experimental assessment of molecular interactions, including three-dimensional structure, self-assembling capability and solubility predictions of peptides and proteins, being relevant for a range of biomedical applications, such as drug discovery, biosensing, functional biomaterials design, tissue engineering, among others.
Venue
i3S – Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
Rua Alfredo Allen, 208 | 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
Date
13-17 October 2025
Organising Committee
Helena Azevedo, Carlos Redondo, Mariana Simões – i3S
Course duration
Complete course: Monday – Friday (whole day) | 27.5 hours
Theoretical part only: Monday – Thursday (mornings) | 8.5 hours
Course language
English
Requirements
Laptop and labcoat for the practical classes
Target audience
The course is designed for those interested in modelling the structure and interactions between peptides and proteins in solution, the science and enabling technologies supporting the advancements in the area, and their biomedical applications (drug discovery and formulation, biomaterials design, biosensing, among others).
It can be attended by:
– Postgraduate students: Master’s and PhD students enrolled in Biomedical Engineering or Bioengineering master’s and doctoral programmes, or related areas.
– Researchers working on peptide/protein and biomolecular interactions in general for different biomedical applications.
– Industrial professionals developing biomaterials, drugs, and biomedical devices.
Speakers and Instructors
Helena Azevedo
i3S, University of Porto, Portugal
Daniela Kalafatović
University of Rijeka, Croatia
Margarida Bastos
CIQUP - Research Center in Chemistry (Centro de Investigação em Química da Universidade do Porto) , Portugal
Carlos Redondo
i3S, University of Porto, Portugal
Cesar de la Fuente
University of Pennsylvania, USA
Rui Fernandes
i3S, University of Porto, Portugal
William Zamora
University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica
Frederico Ferreira-da-Silva
i3S, IBMC - University of Porto, Portugal
Bárbara Matos
i3S, University of Porto, Portugal
António Ribeiro
LAQV Requimte, Portugal
Pedro Pereira
i3S, University of Porto, Portugal
Sofia Pacheco
i3S, University of Porto, Portugal
Preliminary Program
DAY 1 | 13 October 2025
09:15 Reception of participants and registration
09:30 Welcome address and introduction to the course
09:40 Participants’ presentation
10:00 Lecture 1 “Peptides: Where Chemistry Meets Code”
William Zamora | University of Costa Rica, CR
11:00 Coffee Break
11:30 Lecture 2 “Simulating Peptides: Insights into 3D Structure, Lipophilicity, and Aggregation”
William Zamora | University of Costa Rica, CR
12:30 Lunch Break
14:00-17:30 Laboratory Session 1
William Zamora | University of Costa Rica, CR
DAY 2 | 14 October 2025
09:30 Lecture 3 “Understanding Enzyme Catalysis and Evolution with Computational Chemistry and Bioinformatics tools”
António Ribeiro | LAQV Requimte, PT
10:30 Coffee Break
11:00 Lecture 4 “Peptide-self assembly discovery with adaptive machine learning-driven generative models”
Daniela Kalafatović | University of Rijeka, HR
12:00 Lunch Break
14:00 MOBILIsE Seminar in Molecular Bioengineering
Accelerating antibiotic discovery using AI
Cesar de la Fuente | University of Pennsylvania, USA
15:30-17:30 Laboratory Session 2 “in silico”
Instructor TBA
DAY 3 | 15 OCTOBER 2025
09:30 Lecture 5 “Multiparametric characterization of molecular interactions”
Frederico Ferreira-da-Silva | i3S, PT
10:30 Coffee Break
11:00 Lecture 6 “Biocalorimetry: the basics and practical applications of DSC and ITC”
Margarida Bastos | CIQ, UP, PT
12:00 Lunch Break
13:30-15:00 Laboratory session 3 “Sample preparation & Circular Dichroism”
Instructor TBA
15:00 Coffee Break
15:30-17:30 Laboratory session 4 “HPLC and TEM”
Instructor TBA
DAY 4 | 16 OCTOBER 2025
09:30 Lecture 7 “Rational design of multivalent anticoagulants”
Pedro Pereira | i3S, PT
10:30 Coffee Break
11:00 Lecture 8 “Fine-tuning the enzymatic degradation of peptide nanomaterials supported by rational design, in silico and experimental approaches”
Helena Azevedo| i3S, PT
12:00 Lunch Break
13:30-15:00 Laboratory Session 5 “Sample preparation & Circular Dichroism”
Instructor TBA
15:00 Coffee Break
15:30-17:30 Laboratory Session 6 “HPLC and TEM”
Instructor TBA
DAY 5 | 17 OCTOBER 2025
09:30-12:30 Data analysis & Preparation of presentations
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00-16:30 Delivery of presentations
16:30 Course Closure
Registration
MOBILIsE Hub*/ P.CCC**
Complete - 250 €
Theory Only - 100 €
**MOBILIsE Hub (i3S, INEB, IBMC, IPATIMUP, LAQV REQUIMTE, IPO.PORTO, CICECO-UA)
*P.CCC - Porto Cancer Comprehensive Centre
Other
Complete - 300 €
Theory Only - 150 €
Registration fee includes coffee breaks and course material.
A Certificate of attendance (complete and theory only) will be assigned to participants attending all sessions.
Registration deadline: 8 Sep 2025 // Payment deadline: 15 Sep 2025
Cancellation Policy
CANCELLATION BY THE PARTICIPANT: In case a registered participant wishes to cancel a paid registration or does not attend the course, the registration fee will not be refunded. Substitutions will only be made in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the course organisers.
CANCELLATION BY THE INSTITUTION: The i3S reserves the right to cancel the course, in case of an insufficient number of participants, organisational reasons, or other unforeseeable events that render the execution of the course impossible. In case of cancellation by the organization, the fee will be refunded. In addition, i3S reserves the right to amend course times, dates or published prices if absolutely necessary. The organiser shall immediately inform the pre-registered participants of these alterations.
Any cancellation or substitution requests should be made by e-mail.
Sponsors and support
More Information:
Advanced Training Unit | E-mail: training@i3s.up.pt | Tel: +351 226 074 900