Registration for the BioExcel Summer School on Biomolecular Simulations 2025 will open soon

Dates: 8 – 13 June 2025
Venue: Science and Technology Park of Sardinia, Pula, Italy
Participation: open application with selection limited to 30 participants.
Registration fee (entitles participants to accommodation, all meals, social events and transport to/from the airport & course venue and must be paid after the selection process): 650 EUR (including VAT)

Important dates:
Registration opens: 1st December 2024
Registration closes: 14th February 2025
Notification of acceptance: 3rd March 2025
Payment deadline: 30th April 2025

The annual flagship event provides a comprehensive combination of lectures and tutorial sessions on biomolecular modeling and simulations using modern applications and tools. The School has been run very successfully multiple times between 2018 and 2024 and as per tradition it will take place in Sardinia, Italy as an on-site event and will supported by Sardegna Ricerche. Get a feel for what the School has to offer by watching the following video:

Audience and Prerequisites

  • The BioExcel School is intended primarily for PhD and post-doctoral researchers using or planning to use biomolecular modeling and simulation in their everyday research.
  • Familiarity with Linux and basic knowledge of molecular modelling software is a requirement.
  • We can only accept participants from EuroHPC Joint Undertaking member institutions (unfortunately excluding the UK).
  • We highly encourage applications from industrial entities, women and underrepresented groups.

The BioExcel Code of Conduct will apply during the event.

Participation fee waivers

BioExcel will be providing a limited number of participation fee waivers to support life science academic researchers in attending this Summer School. If you would like to be considered for the waiver, please state your interest in the registration form and check the detailed information in the “How to Apply” tab. If you are selected for the waiver, you need to provide us with a copy of your travel documents by 1st April 2025 at the latest, as proof of attendance (to prevent no-show), or we will reallocate the waiver.

For general enquiries, please contact: training@bioexcel.eu

For registration related issues, please contact: event-support@csc.fi

The summer school will include lectures and hands-on sessions on the following topics (subject to change):

  • Molecular dynamics simulations
  • Biomolecular docking
  • Free energy calculations
  • Advanced sampling methods
  • BioExcel Building Blocks (BioBB)

The summer school will include lectures on the following topics (subject to change):

  • Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM)
  • Machine learning

During the hands-on practicals you will learn how to use the BioExcel flagship software: GROMACS, HADDOCK, PMX and BioBB. The trainers, developers and experts will provide guidance and support in using the software. The School is also a great opportunity to discuss your own research and build your professional network with other participants.

To apply you will need the following information:

  • Support letter from your supervisor or a senior co-worker explaining why you should be selected for this course (in word or pdf format)
  • Poster abstract (limit: 250 words – you will be able to present and discuss your research during the course)
  • A text with your biography and work history (limit: 200 words)

The support letter is attached to the application as a word or pdf file. The abstract and the text with the biography and work history are introduced in text boxes in the application form. We can only accept applications from individuals based at  EuroHPC Joint Undertaking member institutions (unfortunately excluding the UK, which was not a member, when BioExcel-3 was funded). Please complete the application process by midnight (CEST) on Friday 14 February. Incomplete applications will not be considered. All applicants will be informed of the status of their application (successful, waiting list, rejected) by Monday 3 March. If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact event-support@csc.fi

Tips for a good application

1) During the selection process we focus on:

  • Do you have the pre-requisite knowledge?
  • Will your research and research group benefit from what you learn in this course?

So, please pay special attention to the following 3 questions on the application form:

  • How you fulfill the pre-requisite knowledge
  • Describe your research interests
  • Describe how this course will benefit your own research or your group

2) You are asked to add a (poster) abstract about your research to be presented during the BioExcel school. If you do not have any results yet, you can write your abstract as a short introduction to the topic and a working plan. The poster and final abstract will be submitted later, closer to the School.

The lectures and hands-on sessions will be given by internationally recognised leaders in the field of computational biomolecular research.

Speakers and Trainers (preliminary)

  • Mohd Athar (University of Cagliari, Italy)
  • Federica Battistini, BioExcel (IRB Barcelona, Spain)
  • Sudarshan Behera, BioExcel (Max Planck Institute, Germany)
  • Alexandre Bonvin, BioExcel (University of Utrecht, The Netherlands)
  • Bert de Groot, BioExcel (Max Planck Institute, Germany)
  • Adam Hospital, BioExcel (IRB Barcelona, Spain)
  • Emiliano Ippoliti (FZ Jülich, Germany)
  • Erik Lindahl, BioExcel (KTH, Sweden)
  • Giuliano Malloci (University of Cagliari, Italy)
  • Victor Reys (University of Utrecht, The Netherlands)
  • Atte Sillanpää, BioExcel (CSC – IT Center for Science, Finland)
  • Alessandra Villa, BioExcel (KTH, Sweden)
  • Attilio Vittorio Vargiu (University of Cagliari, Italy)

Organisers

  • Otto Andersson, BioExcel (CSC – IT Center for Science, Finland)
  • Rossen Apostolov, BioExcel (KTH, Sweden)
  • Alexandre Bonvin, BioExcel (University of Utrecht, The Netherlands)
  • Marina Bouianov, BioExcel (CSC – IT Center for Science, Finland)
  • Giuliano Malloci (University of Cagliari, Italy)
  • Richard Norman, BioExcel (Norman Consulting, Norway)
  • Atte Sillanpää, BioExcel (CSC – IT Center for Science, Finland)
  • Attilio Vittorio Vargiu (University of Cagliari, Italy)
  • Alessandra Villa, BioExcel (KTH, Sweden)

Thank you to our Summer School 2024 sponsors:

Stichting NMR, Utrecht

The Summer School 2024 is organised in collaboration with:

Sardegna Ricerche, Pula