Join 2026 Texas Chemical Biology Conference
The 2026 Texas Chemical Biology Conference is organized as an event to bring together the community of researchers and scholars in chemical biology across Texas to foster a dynamic environment for the exchange of innovative research ideas, methodologies and emerging trends in the fields.
Host: Texas A&M University Drug Discovery Center
Co-Host: The University of Texas at Dallas, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Brian Belardi
The University of Texas at Austin
Xiaolu Lim Ang Cambronne
The University of Texas at Austin
Lauren Hagler
Texas A&M University
Quanbing Mou
Rice University
Speakers
Mahesh Narayan
The University of Texas at El Paso
Zihao Ou
The University of Texas at Dallas
Syed Muhammad Usama
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Aaron Wright
Baylor University
Shiqing Xu
Texas A&M University
Melissa Zastrow
University of Houston
Daohong Zhou
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Hojong Yoon
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center at Houston
Jin Wang
Baylor College of Medicine
Steven Millward
UT MD Anderson
Joseph A. Buonomo
The University of Texas at Arlington
Sheena D'Arcy
UT Dallas
Tai-Yen Chen
University of Houston
Yaxia Yuan
UT Health San Antonio
Jinfan Wang
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Brian Zoltowski
Southern Methodist University
Julea Vlassakis
Rice University
Bruce A. Posner
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Joseph Ready
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Despoina Mavridou
The University of Texas at Austin
May 19th, 2026
Session 4: TBD
07:00-08:00
Breakfast
08:00-08:25
08:25-08:50
08:50-09:15
09:15-09:40
09:40-10:00
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Coffee Break
Session 5: TBD
10:00-10:25
10:25-10:50
10:50-11:15
11:15-11:40
11:40-12:00
12:00-02:00
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Sponsor Presentations
Lunch, the 2nd Poster Session, and Vendor Shows
Session 6: TBD
02:00-02:25
02:25-02:50
02:50-03:15
03:15-03:40
03:40-04:00
04:00-04:15
04:15-04:45
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Coffee Break
Poster Pitches
The 2026 SynthX Texas Chemical Biology Young Investigator Lecture (TBD)
Closing Remarks
04:50-04:55
May 18th, 2026
11:00
12:00-01:00
01:00-01:10
Check-in
Box Lunch
Welcome Remarks (TBD)
Session 1: Imaging with chemistry (Moderator: Jack Russo, Baylor)
01:10-01:35
01:35-02:00
02:00-02:25
02:25-02:50
02:50-03:10
Zihao Ou (UT Dallas) - Achieving optical transparency in live animals with absorbing molecules
Lulu Cambronne (UT Austin) - Localized Realtime Biosensors for Metabolism
Brian Zoltowski (SMU) - Cryptochromes: Magnetoreception and Isoform Selective Drug Design
Session 2: TBD
03:10-03:35
03:35-04:00
04:00-04:25
04:25-04:50
04:50-05:10
05:10-07:00
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Sponsor Presentations
Dinner, the 1st Poster Session, and Vendor Shows
Session 3: TBD
07:00-07:25
07:25-07:50
07:50-08:15
08:15-08:40
09:00
TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD
Social Hours
The 2026 Texas Chemical Biology Conference Schedule
May 18th, 2026, 11:00 AM – May 19th, 2026, 5 PM
May 18th, Monday
May 19th, Tuesday
The 2026 Texas Chemical Biology Conference Schedule
May 18th, 2026, 11:00 AM – May 19th, 2026, 5 PM
Day 1: May 18th, 2026
Day 2: May 19th, 2026
Location / Direction / Parking / Lodging
University of Texas at Dallas
UTD Map
(pdf)
The Conference Location: Science Building – Room 1.220.
Address: 2600 Rutford Ave., Richardson, TX 75080
The Poster sessions will be in the Bioengineering Sciences Building
Main lobby, Fl. 2,3, and 4.
Address: 860 N. Loop Rd., Richardson, TX 75080
Shuttle Bus / Parking
A shuttle bus will be provided from the hotel, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dallas-Richardson, to the venue, Science Building. (Highly recommend the shuttle service)
Campus parking will be available at Parking Structure 3. Limited parking passes will be available on request only. For those participants who need to drive to the UTD campus, please indicate this during registration.
Lodging
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dallas – Richardson rooms are blocked for 2026 TCBC from Sunday, May 17 - Wednesday, May 20.
(click the link for the reservation information)
*If you are associated with Texas State University, please obtain a Tax Exemption Certificate from your university to have state tax exempted for your hotel bill.
Awards
Travel Awards
Travel awards are only given to Postdocs/Graduate students from outside of Dallas.
Five Travel Awards will be given: Each award will cover one night (5/18) hotel room cost for this conference.
* To be considered to win Travel Award, the poster presenter will need to submit the poster abstract and CV by April 15, 2026 from Submit Abstract & CV bar below or through email attachment to txchembio2026@gmail.com
Poster Awards
Three Poster Awards will be given: Each award includes a plaque & a gift card of $100.
* To be considered to win Poster Award, the poster presenter will need to submit the poster abstract and CV by May 1, 2026 from Submit Abstract & CV bar below or through email attachment to txchembio2026@gmail.com
Young Investigator Award
One Young Investigator Award will be given - Award includes a plaque & a gift card of $1000.
*Poster preparation - The maximum allowable poster dimension is 3’ in width and 4’ in height.
Sponsors
Thanks to the sponsors of the 2026 Texas Chemical Biology Conference:
Diamond Plus
Diamond
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Journal
