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Your 2026 TPD Conference Guide: 10 Meetings Defining the Future of Targeted Protein Degradation

The protein degradation field is asking different questions in 2026. It's no longer just about whether you can degrade a target. It's about whether you can develop it, scale it, and get it to patients. As the toolkit expands (LYTACs/PROTABs, AUTACs, RIBOTACs), teams are putting more weight on the fundamentals: robust screening and proteomics, mechanism-aware structural biology (including cryo-EM where it fits), and translational biomarkers that connect degradation to functional outcomes, early enough to avoid costly dead ends. The conferences below bring together the teams navigating these challenges in real time. 

27–29 January 2026 | Boston, MA, USA  – https://molecular-glue-summit.com/ 

What it covers: Industry-focused deep dive on molecular glue discovery, target selection frameworks, screening strategies, and clinical translation. Expect case studies from companies advancing glues into the clinic and panels on intellectual property, E3 ligase selectivity, and assay development. The meeting distinguishes between neosubstrate-recruiting molecular glues (IMiD-like mechanisms) and bifunctional induced-proximity degraders. 

Audience: Primarily industry (pharma and biotech discovery/development teams), with strong medicinal chemistry and structural biology representation. 

Event in a nutshell:

  • Attendees: 250–350
  • Academic vs. industry ratio: ~15% academic / 85% industry
  • Abstract deadline: Closed (event has occurred)
  • Early-bird registration: Closed (event has occurred) 

Key takeaways:  

  • Clinical-stage program updates: Expect updates and lessons from first-in-human studies, including resistance mechanisms and pharmacodynamic biomarker strategies
  • IP strategy panels: Navigating the patent landscape for PROTAC linkers, E3 ligase recruiters, and molecular glue scaffolds
  • E3 ligase diversity: Emerging E3s beyond VHL/CRBN (commonly including DCAF15, DCAF16, RNF4, RNF114, and VHL variants)
  • Poster sessions: Often feature unpublished industry data; scan early for emerging E3 ligases, non-oncology indications, and novel glue scaffolds 

29–30 January 2026 | Barcelona, Spain - https://www.asdevents.com/event.asp?id=25835 

What it covers: Advances in PROTACs, molecular glues, E3 ligase biology, and next-generation degrader platforms. Strong representation of extracellular and autophagy-based degrader modalities. Audience: Mix of European biotech/pharma discovery teams and academic labs with TPD programs. 


Event in a nutshell: 

  • Attendees: 150–250
  • Academic vs. industry ratio: ~30% academic / 70% industry
  • Abstract deadline: Closed (event has occurred)
  • Early-bird registration: Closed (event has occurred) 

Key takeaways: 

  • E3 ligase deep dives: Substrate specificity, structural determinants of ternary complex formation, and E3 hijacking mechanisms
  • European biotech perspectives: Updates across LYTACs, PROTABs, AUTACs, and other modalities for extracellular and membrane protein degradation
  • Workshop-style sessions (agenda-dependent): Case-study discussions on degrader design and decision-making 

2) Targeted Protein Degradation Barcelona Summit 2026

3) Keystone Symposia: Proximity Based Biology and Therapeutics 

23–26 February 2026 | Banff, AB, Canada  - hhttps://www.keystonesymposia.org/conferences/conference-listing/meeting/lodging/k62026 

What it covers: Fundamental and translational induced proximity science spanning degraders, molecular glues, stabilizers, transcription factor degraders, RNA-targeting chimeras (RIBOTACs), and emerging modalities. Strong academic representation and mechanistic biology, with sessions bridging ubiquitin biology, phase separation, and allosteric mechanisms. 

Audience: Roughly 50/50 academic and industry; expect cell biologists, chemical biologists, structural biologists, and medicinal chemists. 

Event in a nutshell: 

  • Expected attendees: 250–350 (Keystone meetings are typically capped)
  • Academic vs. industry ratio: ~50% academic / 50% industry
  • Abstract deadline: Check organizer site
  • Early-bird registration: Check organizer site 

Things not to miss: 

  • Late-breaking short talks: Often surface high-impact data ahead of publication
  • Cryo-EM structural sessions: Ternary complex structures, cooperativity, induced-fit changes, and unexpected substrate engagement
  • Workshops on emerging modalities: Transcription factor degraders, RIBOTACs, AUTACs, DUB-centered strategies, and targeted chromatin modulation
  • Poster sessions: High discussion depth due to the multi-day, on-site format 

4) 6th TPD & Induced Proximity Summit Europe 

10–12 March 2026 | London, UK - https://tpd-europe.com/about-event/

What it covers: Europe’s established proximity therapeutics forum spanning degraders, molecular glues, stabilizers, and extracellular degraders. Strong focus on translational challenges, ADME/PK, cellular permeability, and screening platforms; increasing coverage of autophagy-based and RNA-targeting modalities.

Audience: Industry-heavy (European and US pharma/biotech), with sessions tailored to discovery, early development, and platform technology teams.


Event in a nutshell: 

  • Expected attendees: 250–350
  • Academic vs. industry ratio: ~20% academic / 80% industry
  • Abstract deadline: Typically 4–6 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site)
  • Early-bird registration: Typically closes 6–8 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site)

Things not to miss:

  • Extracellular degrader sessions: LYTACs, AbTACs, PROTABs, and related modalities for secreted/membrane targets
  • ADME & developability panels: Oral exposure vs. cellular permeability, formulation constraints for beyond-rule-of-5 compounds, and CMC realities
  • Hook effect mitigation: Mechanistic understanding and SAR tactics to widen the window
  • Linker-free/minimalist designs: Strategies to reduce molecular weight and improve properties 

5) Drug Discovery Chemistry 2026 

13–16 April 2026 | San Diego, CA, USA - https://www.drugdiscoverychemistry.com/ 

What it covers: Broad medicinal and biophysical chemistry meeting with dedicated TPD programming (including the CHI degrader tracks below). Emphasis on hit-to-lead optimization, fragment-based design, structure-based drug design, and biophysical characterization of challenging targets. 

Audience: Medicinal chemists, computational chemists, biophysicists, and assay scientists from pharma, biotech, and CROs. 

Event in a nutshell: 

  • Expected attendees: 800–1,200 (across all tracks)
  • Academic vs. industry ratio: ~25% academic / 75% industry
  • Abstract deadline: Typically closes ~8–10 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site)
  • Early-bird registration: Typically closes ~8–10 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site) 


Things not to miss: 

  • Biophysical characterization sessions: NMR, cryo-EM, ITC, SPR, BLI applied to ternary complexes (cooperativity, stoichiometry, kinetics)
  • Computational approaches: AI/ML and physics-based modeling for ternary complex prediction and linker design
  • Exhibition hall: Screening technologies, compound libraries (including degrader-focused DELs), and CRO capabilities 

6) Degraders & Molecular Glues – Part 1 (Cambridge Healthtech Institute) 

​14–15 April 2026 | San Diego, CA, USA (within Drug Discovery Chemistry 2026)

https://www.drugdiscoverychemistry.com/protein-degradation-molecular-glues 

What it covers: Assays, screening strategies, and early discovery approaches for targeted degradation and induced proximity: target selection, E3 ligase prioritization, ternary complex assays, hit identification, and proteomics-based validation. 

Event in a nutshell: 

  • Expected attendees: 150–250 (track-specific)
  • Academic vs. industry ratio: ~30% academic / 70% industry
  • Abstract deadline: Typically closes ~8–10 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site)
  • Early-bird registration: Typically closes ~8–10 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site)

Things not to miss: 

  • Assay technology deep dives: TR-FRET, AlphaLISA, NanoBRET, plus orthogonal methods (MST, SPR, BLI) for cooperativity and stoichiometry
  • Proteomics-based profiling: Off-targets, neosubstrates (for glues), degradation kinetics (Dmax, DC50), and substrate motif discovery
  • Cellular target engagement: CETSA, NanoBRET TE, and live-cell validation strategies
  • DEL case studies: Binder-to-degrader triage and follow-up validation cascades 

​

7) Degraders & Molecular Glues – Part 2 (Cambridge Healthtech Institute) 

​15–16 April 2026 | San Diego, CA, USA (within Drug Discovery Chemistry 2026)

 https://www.drugdiscoverychemistry.com/protein-degradation-molecular-glues-part2 

What it covers: Lead optimization and translation: linker design, E3 selectivity, cellular permeability, oral exposure, and next-generation modalities and screening approaches. 

Event in a nutshell: 

  • Expected attendees: 150–250 (track-specific)
  • Academic vs. industry ratio: ~25% academic / 75% industry 
  • Abstract deadline: Typically closes ~8–10 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site)
  • Early-bird registration: Typically closes ~8–10 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site)


Things not to miss: 

  • Linker chemistry & SAR: Exit vector optimization, linker length/flexibility, and minimalist/linker-reduced approaches 
  • Cellular permeability vs. oral bioavailability: Practical strategies (passive diffusion, transport, formulation) for beyond-rule-of-5 degraders 
  • Hook effect mitigation: Mechanism-driven SAR to avoid U-shaped dose responses 
  • Kinetics-first optimization: Using Dmax, DC50, and degradation half-life to prioritize leads beyond kD 
  • Emerging modalities: Homo-bifunctional designs, RIBOTACs, DUB-centered strategies, and autophagy-targeting chimeras (AUTACs) 

8) Ubiquitin & Friends Symposium 2026 

​29–30 April 2026 | Vienna, Austria - https://www.protein-degradation.org/symposium/

What it covers: Ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like (Ubl) biology, proteasome function, autophagy, and protein degradation systems. Foundational science that increasingly matters as TPD expands beyond proteasomal degradation. 

Audience: Primarily academic cell biologists, structural biologists, and biochemists; smaller industry presence than drug discovery-focused meetings. 

Event in a nutshell: 

  • Expected attendees: 150–250 
  • Academic vs. industry ratio: ~75% academic / 25% industry
  • Abstract deadline: Typically closes ~6–8 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site)
  • Early-bird registration: Typically closes ~6–8 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site)


Things not to miss: 

  • E3 ligase mechanism talks: Substrate recognition, receptor domains, chain topology, and allosteric regulation 
  • Ubiquitin linkage selectivity: K48, K11, K63, K27, K29, K33, plus mixed/branched chains and their cellular consequences 
  • DUB biology: Substrate and chain-type selectivity, localization, and how DUBs modulate degradation pathways 
  • Proteasome and autophagy mechanisms: Proteasome architecture, p97/VCP biology, and autophagy receptor pathways 

9) RSC-BMCS/SCI Targeting Protein Degradation 2026 (#ProtDeg26)

​21–22 October 2026 | Hatfield, UK - https://www.rscbmcs.org/events/protdeg26/

What it covers: Multidisciplinary TPD meeting spanning design, biology, chemistry, ADME, and translation across PROTACs, molecular glues, and beyond. Strong UK/European academic and SME presence, with a workshop-style format and candid scientific discussion. 

Audience: Mix of UK/European academics, biotech, and pharma discovery teams; particularly strong medicinal chemistry community. 

Event in a nutshell: 

  • Expected attendees: 150–200 
  • Academic vs. industry ratio: ~45% academic / 55% industry 
  • Abstract deadline: Typically closes ~8–10 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site)
  • Early-bird registration: Typically closes ~8–10 weeks before the event (confirm on organizer site)


Things not to miss: 

  • Young investigator talks: Often surface novel chemistry and emerging biology early
  • ADME/PK sessions: Practical, failure-inclusive optimization lessons (permeability, efflux, metabolic stability) 
  • Resistance mechanisms: E3 ligase mutations, proteasome alterations, and compensatory pathways 
  • IP landscape discussions: Particularly useful for academic groups and SMEs planning partnerships 
  • Smaller-scale networking: High signal-to-noise for collaboration building 

10) 9th Annual TPD & Induced Proximity Summit (Boston) 

​Date TBD (2026) | Boston, MA, USA  -  https://proteindegradation.com/ 

What it covers: Major US industry forum for targeted protein degradation and induced proximity across discovery, screening, and translation. 

Audience: Industry-heavy with invited academic speakers. 


Things not to miss: 

  • Track it for late-year program updates and platform announcements 
  • Translational sessions (biomarkers, PK/PD, resistance) if on the agenda 
  • Assay/screening case studies and vendor technology showcases 
  • Boston-based networking (often high density of TPD teams) 

Turning TPD insights into decision-ready data 

​Conference attendance accelerates learning, but progress comes from rapidly testing new hypotheses with high-quality evidence. As TPD iterates faster—from ternary complex characterization and cooperativity measurement to degradation kinetics and off-target profiling—teams increasingly win by shortening the loop between a conference insight and defensible biophysical data.

NanoTemper platforms supporting TPD challenges: 

  • Affinity & ternary complex characterization: Dianthus enables in-solution affinity measurements for challenging binary and ternary complexes, including stoichiometry and cooperativity (α) measurements. Dianthus uHTS extends workflows to 1,536-well format for higher-throughput ternary complex screening. 
  • Binding affinity with minimal sample: Monolith quantifies interactions in free solution without immobilization—useful when sample is limited or when orthogonal confirmation is needed. 

Event dates and links were checked on 5 February 2026. Attendee counts, academic/industry splits, and deadline timing are based on prior editions—always confirm details on the organizer site before booking. 

1) 4th Molecular Glue Drug Development Summit 2026