BIP details:

Title: Xth Advanced in Silico Drug Design Workshop 2027 (XADD)

Type of Participants:

• Students
• Staff

Priorities Addressed:

• Digital transformation
• Other – Health

Objectives and Description: 

• XADD workshop is focused on using in silico tools and approaches in drug design. We cover both structure-based drug design (molecular docking, molecular dynamics, structural bioinformatics tools) and ligand-based drug design (QSAR, pharmacophores, deep learning) with lectures and on-hand tutorials.
• The workshop is jointly coordinated by partner institutions, with a distribution of tasks in programme development and content delivery with majority of the program organized by Palacký University Olomouc. International experts will contribute to lectures and workshops, ensuring a diverse learning experience. While core participants are funded through Erasmus+, additional attendees, including local and international professionals, are welcome to join on a self-funded basis. The hybrid format allows for both in-person and virtual engagement, ensuring broad accessibility.

Methods and Outcomes:

• XADD will employ a blended learning approach, combining in-person and virtual activities to maximize accessibility and engagement. The programme will integrate lectures, hands-on workshops, discussions, and finally collaborative projects, ensuring a balance between theoretical knowledge and practical application.
• Methodologies and Delivery
  • Interactive Lectures – Experts will introduce key topics in both structure-based drug design (molecular docking, molecular dynamics, structural bioinformatics tools) and ligand-based drug design (QSAR, pharmacophores, deep learning.
  • Hands-on Workshops – Participants will engage with drug design tools themselves, applying concepts to real-world educational challenges.
  • Poster Discussions – In order to help participants to break the ice, we will host a poster session with poster flash talks to initiate discussions among the participants.
  • Group Projects – Team-based problem-solving on the last day will help to fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange upon prospective drug design challenge.
  • Hybrid Learning – A combination of physical and virtual participation ensures inclusivity and broader outreach. While physical participation will enable access to lectures, virtual participation via YouTube streaming platform, discussion on a dedicated Discord server and availability of hands-on materials will allow to retain gathered knowledge and contacts even after the course.

Field of Education:

• 0512 Biochemistry
• 0611 Computer use
• 0914 Medical diagnostic and treatment technology

Level of study:

• Master/Ph.D./Postdoc

Start Date/End Date:

• 01/02/2027–05/02/2027

Virtual Component Timing:

• Before Physical
  • Discord server to help with registrations, introductions and scientific questions
    (low intensity, but continual participation)
• During Physical
  • YouTube streaming of lectures (high intensity – 5 days)
  • Discord for questions, tutorial hands-on materials online (low intensity, but continual participation)
• After Physical
  • Discord server to help to discuss scientific lectures even after the course (low intensity, but continual participation)
  • Virtual Challenge for students on the selection of prospective compounds for experimental in vitro testing ending with Feedback session (group project – high intensity, final feedback session to present group selection procedures – 2h day when experimental results are available)

Virtual Component Description:

• While physical participation will enable access to lectures, virtual participation via YouTube streaming platform, discussion on a dedicated Discord server and availability of hands-on materials will allow to retain gathered knowledge and contacts even after the course.

Virtual Component Duration:

• 25/01/2027–29/01/2027, 08/02/2027–19/02/2027

City of the Venue: Olomouc

Country of the Venue: Czech Republic

Main Teaching/Training Language:

• English

Number of ECTS Credits Awarded:

• 4 ECTS credits awarded to students participating in the blended intensive programme.

Key Dates & Registration

Physical component: 1–5 February 2027

Virtual component:

• First part: 25–29 January 2027

• Second part: 8–19 February 2027

Nomination deadline: 04/12/2026

Partner universities are kindly asked to send the list of nominated students to marie.rakova@upol.cz by this date.

Application deadline: 18/12/2026

Nominated students who have been selected for the programme must submit their applications by this date by completing the online registration in the UP study portal and OLA.

More information about the event you can find here.