The last quarter of 2024 has been filled with events, conferences, and lectures in which our team has actively participated. Despite the challenges posed by the DANA, we have showcased our projects and shared experiences with colleagues in the field.
SENTIATECH and the formulation of chemical products
The development of safe and sustainable new chemical products requires integrating Sustainable and Safe-by-Design (SSbD) principles from the early stages of design and development. To this end, on October 1st, Madrid hosted a session organized by SENTIATECH, focused on safe and sustainable design for chemical product formulation. Our senior researcher, José Luis Vallés, attended this event, which brought together professionals and organizations interested in applying the SSbD approach to their workflows.
Milan Hosted CPHI
From October 8th to 10th, our business development manager, Simón Perera, and our business development assistant, Daniela Hernández, attended the event organized by CPHI in Milan. This gathering aims to strengthen connections within the global pharmaceutical community, showcasing technological advancements in areas such as the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology, and specialty chemicals, as well as all stages of pharmaceutical production. Additionally, it fosters the exchange of knowledge and services among scientific professionals, contributing to the advancement of global health.
Rita Ortega at IIS La Fe PhD Day
IIS La Fe organizes various activities throughout the year, with the PhD Day standing out as a key scientific event. Its main objective is to showcase the diverse lines of research developed at the institute. In this edition, Rita Ortega, a PhD student, presented her poster titled “Uncovering the toxicity mechanisms of a series of carboxylic acids in liver cells through computational and experimental approaches.” This event provided her with the opportunity to share her work and doctoral experience with peers from different fields, fostering the exchange of knowledge.
Networking at Nit Biotec
In its seventh edition, Nit Biotec, organized by Bioval, once again proved to be an excellent opportunity to showcase companies in the biotechnology sector of the Valencian Community. Ágata Llobet and Carmen Ortiz, PhD students at our company, attended the event, held on October 16th in Valencia, to present ProtoQSAR-Moldrug and highlight its various lines of work.
First edition of the spanish society of bioinformatics and computational biology (SEBiBC) congress
From October 16th to 18th, Valencia hosted the first biennial edition of the Spanish Society of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (SEBiBC) congress, an event that brought together national and international professionals to share the latest scientific advances in key areas for the bioinformatics community.
Our head of communications and Senior Researcher, Laureano E. Carpio, and our PhD student, Rita Ortega, attended the congress, where they presented a poster titled “Computational exploration of PPARα agonists: integrating ligand- and structure-based modeling for targeted drug discovery”.
Additionally, Rita gave a demonstration on the platform DockTox: A molecular docking platform for screening small molecules targeting Molecular Initiating Events (MIEs) relevant to liver, kidney, and brain adverse events.
Meanwhile, Laureano participated in a roundtable discussion titled “Bioinformatics 2030: Innovation and Professional Challenges,” where the future of bioinformatics and the challenges facing the profession were debated.
INCLIVA+E: connecting SMEs and health research
On October 22nd, INCLIVA+E, organized by the INCLIVA Health Research Institute in collaboration with the InnDIH project, was a dedicated event aimed at connecting tech SMEs and researchers to foster new initiatives in the health sector.
Representing ProtoQSAR, our CEO, Rafael Gozalbes, and our head of training and Senior Researcher, Martina Palomino, attended the event. During the session, they participated in networking activities designed to create synergies between SMEs, public administration, and the research community, thereby promoting collaboration and innovation in the sector.
Simón Perera at NanoBio & Med
From November 5th to 7th, a new edition of NanoBio & Med took place, showcasing the latest advancements in the fields of nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine. The event provided a platform for multidisciplinary communication as well as for fostering new collaborations and projects between participants from the scientific and industrial sectors.
Although our senior Researcher, Rafael García, was initially scheduled to participate, unforeseen disruptions caused by the DANA in Valencia led to our business development manager, Simón Perera, representing us at the event. During the conference, he delivered a talk titled “Nano-QSAR Models on the Toxicity of Materials”.
Communication in environmental biotechnology
The CNB-CSIC Lecture Hall in Madrid hosted the 10th National Biotechnology Congress, organized by ComunicaBiotec, which addressed crucial topics such as climate change and sustainability—issues that increasingly impact our society.
At this event, our business development manager, Simón Perera, moderated a roundtable discussion on the importance of transversal, equal, and diverse communication in combating misinformation and disinformation in the field of environmental biotechnology.
16th SDDN Meeting in Valencia
The Spanish Society of Scientists and Professionals in Drug Discovery and Development (SDDN) held its 16th Congress from November 13th to 15th in Valencia, organized by the Príncipe Felipe Research Center (CIPF). The event provided discussion forums and collaborative frameworks aimed at fostering interaction between the public and private sectors to enhance efficiency in the preclinical development of new therapies in Spain.
Our PhD students, David Talavera and Carmen Ortiz, along with our intern, Daniela Hernández, participated in this congress. They presented two posters titled “Computational exploration of PPARα agonists: integrating ligand- and structure-based modelling for targeted drug discovery” and “QSAR modelling for the prediction of pharmacokinetic and bioactivity properties of peptide-based drugs”.
ProtoQSAR at Biocat4Value
From November 18th to 20th, the Biocat4Value congress took place, focused on biological transformation along renewable value chains. This event brought together professionals and experts to participate in various activities and connect the main bioeconomy regions in Europe, with the goal of fostering industrial bioeconomy, generating new value chains, exploring opportunities for high-value products from biomass and renewable sources, and promoting the valorization of biomass for chemical or material platforms.
José Luis Vallés, senior researcher at ProtoQSAR, gave a talk titled “Bioinformatic and Chemoinformatic Approaches for the Optimization of Biocatalysts”.
Martina Palomino y Laureano E. Carpio at the AseBio Green Innovation Forum
AseBio, in collaboration with the Government of Navarra through Sodena, the Society for the Development of Navarra, organized the 5th edition of the AseBio Green Innovation Forum 2024. This event established itself as a leading gathering for the industry, focused on biotechnology as a key tool for advancing towards a new sustainable economic model.
At this event, Martina Palomino, senior researcher and head of training at ProtoQSAR, delivered a talk where she introduced our company and its contributions to the development of innovative solutions in biotechnology. Laureano Carpio, senior researcher and head of communications, also attended and actively participated in the forum.
Eva Serrano and EDC-MASLD
Our scientific director, Eva Serrano, delivered a webinar titled “EDC-MASLD Policy Forum: Appreciation and Insights,” organized as part of the EU-funded EDC-MASLD project. This project is part of the ENKORE cluster, which also includes HYPIEND, in which ProtoQSAR is actively involved. The webinar, titled “Prospective Methodologies for Contributing to the Identification of EDC Co-Exposure Patterns and for Assessing Their Effects on the Development and Function of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary (HP) Axis,” addressed prospective methodologies for identifying endocrine disruptor (EDC) co-exposure patterns and assessing their effects on the hypothalamus-pituitary axis.
EDC-MASLD investigates the impact of endocrine disruptors (EDCs) on the internal exposome from multiple perspectives, an approach that closely aligns with the objectives of HYPIEND, which aims to understand and prevent the impact of EDCs on more vulnerable populations.
José Luis Vallés’ participation in OpenTox 2024
The OpenTox 2024 conference was held from November 25th to 29th, offering a variety of activities, including thematic sessions, talks, and general discussions. During this virtual event, our colleague José Luis Vallés, senior researcher, delivered a webinar titled“Implementation of a Workflow for an Integrated Testing Strategy for Genotoxicity Using QSAR-Based Tools”.
Workshops on Publics in social and scientific communication
With the aim of analyzing the current state of science communication and defining effective strategies to connect with audiences traditionally distant from it, ScienceFlows organized EUROSCICOMM 2024 on December 2nd and 3rd. Our communication specialist, Ana Ambit, participated in these sessions, where she had the opportunity to engage in various organized activities and exchange views with industry experts.
Masterclass on molecular modeling in regulatory toxicology
On December 11th, the master’s degree in pollution, toxicology, and environmental health at the Universitat de València welcomed the participation of our senior researcher, José Luis Vallés, and our PhD student, Ágata Llobet. Both delivered a masterclass on molecular modeling in regulatory toxicology, sharing their experience and knowledge with the participants.
Laureano E. Carpio at Universidad Miguel Hernández
Our final event of the year was led by none other than our head of communications and senior researcher, Laureano E. Carpio. Laureano attended Universidad Miguel Hernández, where he was invited by IDiBE to give a talk about his professional journey after completing the master’s program at that university. His presentation provided future young researchers with valuable insights into the research path, sharing his experiences and viewpoints.
Every event in 2024 has been a step toward our goals and a reminder of the impact we can make. In 2025, we will continue working with dedication and commitment to make a difference.
