NextGenBiocat 2027

NextGenBiocat is an annual in-person conference dedicated to young researchers in biocatalysis. It brings together PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and early-career principal investigators to showcase their research and develop new collaborations within the international biocatalysis community.

The 7^th NextGenBiocat Symposium will be hosted by University College London at the UCL East campus, located in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and will welcome up to 150 participants.

Confirmed invited speakers:

• Sebastian Cosgrove, Keele University, UK
• Julia Reisenbauer, Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Austria
• Scott France, Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA

This year, the symposium will include a satellite event organised by the Preventing Plastic Pollution with Engineering Biology Hub (P3EB), a UKRI-funded, inter-institutional hub dedicated to tackling the global challenge of plastic waste by using enzymes to deconstruct and valorise plastic materials into value-added products. The satellite event will take place on 30 April 2027 at the same venue. Invited speaker: Joanne Saddler, Edinburgh University, UK

The scientific programme covers, but is not limited to:

• Applied biocatalysis;
• Elucidation of enzymatic mechanisms;
• Protein, reaction and metabolic engineering, including computational tools;
• Light-promoted enzymatic processes;
• Ultra-high-throughput screening methods for enzyme discovery and optimisation;
• Design of novel multi-enzyme cascade reactions.

Call for Abstracts: Abstract submissions will open on 3 November 2026.

Networking and the promotion of early-career researchers are central to the mission of NextGenBiocat. PhD students, postdoctoral researchers from academia and industry, and early-career PIs will have the opportunity to share their latest work through oral presentations (20 minutes) and poster presentations in a dynamic and interactive environment. Prizes will be awarded for the best oral and poster presentations. Attendance is intentionally limited to facilitate meaningful scientific exchange and peer-to-peer networking.

Venue: Marshgate Building, 7 Sidings Street, London E20 2AE, United Kingdom.

NextGenBiocat is organised by PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and early-career principal investigators. The conference is strongly committed to diversity and inclusivity.

The event is supported by the RSC Interest Group Biotechnology and P3EB Hub sponsors for the 2027 edition will be listed once confirmed.