EFMC - European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology

📰 EFMC Literature Spotlight 📰 This month's literature spotlight focuses on the recently published article "Synthesis and Preliminary Evaluation of Tanshinone Mimic Conjugates for Mechanism of Action Studies" by Giulia Assoni et al., published in ChemBioChem. In their study of ligands for the RNA-binding protein Human Antigen R (HuR), the authors describe the exploration of a class of orthoquinone indole-sulfonamide mimics of the natural product Tanshinone. Previous NMR and MD simulations indicated that these small molecules bind to a region of HuR between two RNA recognition motifs, leading to the disruption of HuR-RNA complexation. Since HuR acts as a regulator of post-transcriptional gene expression, further study of these ligands is considered valuable to support the development of small-molecule modulators for inflammation and cancer pathologies. The authors began by designing several Tanshinone mimics (TMs), each containing either biotin as an affinity handle or aryl diazirine for photoactivatable labelling. Achieving these target compounds involved preparing an azide-functionalized intermediate in a six-step synthesis, after which the remaining groups were conjugated to the TM scaffold using CuAAC or SPAAC. With an array of tool compounds in hand, the authors performed an initial study in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, where differing cytotoxic effects where observed at TM concentrations up to 100 µM. Next, the authors evaluated the RNA-binding activity of HuR in the presence of the prepared compounds using an RNA Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay (REMSA). They found that biotin-functionalized TMs retained the ability to disrupt the HuR-RNA complex, while aryl diazirine-functionalized TMs effectively lost all activity. Finally, the authors demonstrated that both of the prepared biotinylated TMs could be used to enrich purified HuR in a simple pull down experiment. Taken together, this work describes the preparation and initial assessment of several valuable tool compounds for the study of a therapeutically relevant RNA-binding protein target. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eK-hu3uA

🏆 YSN-YMCC Grants 2024 - Applications Reminder! 📢 The EFMC Young Scientists Network (YSN) and the ACSMEDI Young Medicinal Chemists Committee (YMCC) are offering grants to support two young researchers to attend the ACSMEDI | EFMC Medicinal Chemistry Frontiers in Chicago, USA, on May 12-15, 2025.✨ What’s Included: -€1500 to cover economy flight and up to 3 nights of accommodation -The opportunity to present a poster and apply for an oral communication slot Who Can Apply: -PhD students (up to 12 months before completing the PhD and up to 2 years after) in medicinal chemistry or chemical biology -Applicants must be European residents who have completed or are currently enrolled in a PhD from a European university -Applicants must be registered members of one of the EFMC National Adhering Organisations Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity! Apply now: https://buff.ly/4fCJhgX 🗓 Deadline: February 10, 2025

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season filled with happiness, good health, and relaxation. Here's to a successful and bright New Year! 🌟🎄🎆 #ThankYou #HappyNewYear

🚨 Seize the chance to apply for grants provided by the EFMC to participate in its 2025 events. Check out https://lnkd.in/dcGf8cp for details on submission dates, instructions, and eligibility criteria.

Do not miss the intensive EFMC Short Course on "Artificial Intelligence and Medicinal Chemistry - Developments, Limitations, and Applications", in Oegstgeest, the Netherlands, from April 6–9, 2025. Led by senior scientists from industry and academia, this course will explore the full spectrum of AI in Medicinal Chemistry, including advanced methodologies, emerging developments, and cutting-edge tools for medicinal chemists. Participation is limited to 35 attendees to ensure in-depth discussions and ample networking opportunities. Course Organiser Gérard VAN WESTEN (Leiden University, The Netherlands) Local Organiser Laura HEITMAN (Leiden University, The Netherlands) EFMC Grants EFMC is funding grants covering up to 50% of the registration fee for the EFMC Short Course. Deadline for application is January 10, 2025. Find out more on www.efmcshortcourses.org

🌟 #MCBPoster24 Results Announcement! 🌟 We are thrilled to share the results of the our 1st MedChemBio Poster Online Competition! 🏆  🎉 Selection was tough as the submissions showcased remarkable innovation, creativity, and scientific rigor however our jury had to make a choice ! 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥁 🥇 Our first Gold Medals (150€ prize) go to : - Tana Tandaric - Rodrigo Barriga Alves - Žaneta Javorská Congratulations to all three of you on this well-deserved recognition of your work! We are thrilled to celebrate your success and can't wait to see where your research takes you next. Well done. 🥈 Our Silver Medals (50€ prize) go to: - Ilaria Cursaro - Janis Leske - Sara Mocka Your innovative approach and impactful insights truly impressed the judges. Well done on this fantastic achievement! And last but not least, we decided to give a 🥉 Bronze Medal (Jury special mention) to Ully Ignasia Marbun for her impressive poster as an undergraduate student. We would also like to extend our gratitude to all participants for their incredible efforts. Each of you brought incredible energy, creativity, and passion to this competition. 🌍 Your work is inspiring and continues to push boundaries in Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology ! If you haven't seen the posters of our winners, don't hesitate to take a look at their profile or on the #MCBPoster24. We hope you enjoyed that joint initiative from Young MedChem Forum - SCT YMCF German Chemical Society (GDCh) and EFMC Young Scientists Network. If you have comments, remarks and idea for next years edition let us know in the comment below ! #MedChem #ChemBio #OnlinePosterCompetition

👨🔬 #MedChemBioConversation is around again with another exciting interview featuring a Computational Chemist! 🌟 Please, meet our scientist of the month: Tana Tandaric from Uppsala University, Sweden 🧪 🔗 https://buff.ly/3ZrAclf

📢 The call for nominations for the 2025 EFMC Prizes for Young Medicinal Chemists or Chemical Biologists is still open! EFMC acknowledge and recognise outstanding young medicinal chemists and chemical biologists (≤ 12 years after PhD) working in European industry and academia, EFMC established the "EFMC Prize for a Young Medicinal Chemist or Chemical Biologist in Industry" and the "EFMC Prize for a Young Medicinal Chemist or Chemical Biologist in Academia". The prizes consist of: - a diploma - 2.500€ and - an invitation for an oral communication at an X EFMC International Symposium on Advances in Synthetic and Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC-ASMC 2025), scheduled to be held in Porto, Portugal from August 31 to September 4, 2025. Apply here: https://buff.ly/3ObynCU ⌛ Deadline: January 31, 2025.

Over the past twenty years, the field of targeted protein degradation (TPD) has made significant strides as a novel therapeutic approach, utilizing either monovalent agents (molecular glues) or heterobifunctional molecules (PROTACs®). This collection of Best Practices outlines the fundamental principles and methodologies for developing PROTACs®. It includes three sections and a practical case study. 💻 Watch the webinars: https://buff.ly/4fPygsD 🔗 Download the set: https://buff.ly/4131kby

EFMC Sponsored Event: BMCS Postgraduate Symposium XVIII ⏱️ Still possible to register! This in-person event will feature oral and poster presentations from PhD students and post-doctoral researchers in biological and medicinal chemistry, alongside keynote speakers from academia and industry. Registration is free and open to all interested parties. 🗓️ December 12, 2024 🔗 https://buff.ly/4g6n6PS