GlycoSeLect had the pleasure of attending this year’s Drug Discovery 2026 in October, marking the 20th anniversary of ELRIG’s flagship conference. The event brought together academic researchers, industry professionals and technology innovators at ExCeL London, to celebrate and reflect on two decades of scientific collaboration, innovation and inclusivity across the drug discovery community.

The anniversary provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on how far the field has progressed while looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities that will be the focus for the next 20 years. Discussions spanned a broad range of exciting developments, including AI-enabled drug discovery, multiomics, next-generation biophysics and emerging experimental approaches, highlighting the evolving technologies and collaborative efforts shaping the future of medicine.

Beyond the science, the event reinforced the importance of bringing people together to share knowledge, exchange ideas and build meaningful connections across academia and industry. It was particularly impressive to see the breadth of activities and sessions provided for every career stage, from students through to established researchers.

As ELRIG celebrates this important milestone, it is exciting to consider what the next 20 years might bring. With continued advances in technology and a strong spirit of collaboration, the future of drug discovery holds enormous potential.

It was a pleasure to be part of this event and we look forward to seeing how the ideas and connections it inspired contribute to the next chapter of drug discovery. We are excited to attend many more events organised by ELRIG in the future.