Friday 12 to Saturday 13 June 2026.
It is nearly 50 years since structural biology research at York began with the arrival of Guy and Eleanor Dodson in June 1976 to the Chemistry Department. The group grew rapidly during the 1980s and 1990s into the York Structural Biology Laboratory. More than 500 staff have been part of the lab (PhD students, post-docs, academics and technicians) over the years, as well as many hundreds of visitors and thousands of undergraduate and Masters students.
The research in the lab has made major developments in the methods that enable the determination and analysis of protein structures used by many thousands of scientists around the world. These methods have been applied at York to transform our understanding of the molecular basis of various areas of biology and also how to exploit protein structure in drug discovery and industrial biotechnology.
This event is by invitation and is to celebrate the achievements of the last 50 years, to look at the cutting-edge structural biology research currently ongoing at York, and to outline the vision and plans for the future. We are expecting about 200 attendees - the 85 or so current members of the lab, some 80 or so invited past members as well as current York collaborators and senior members of the University.
We will email attendees in Spring 2026 to confirm registration, dietary restrictions etc.
This website contains information about the event which over time we will update - it will also be a depository for presentations and memorabilia.
Programme
The event will take place at the Spring Lane Building from the morning of Friday 12 June until the afternoon of Saturday 13 June 2026. Lunch will be provided on both days. On Friday evening there will be a reception and dinner at the National Railway Museum.
The programme of talks for the Friday afternoon and Saturday morning will be confirmed in Spring 2026. Over the coming months, we will also post some of the background material we have been collating on the history of the lab.
Attendees from outside of York
Attendees are responsible for booking their own travel and accommodation. Our Transport, Maps and Parking pages are full of helpful information about getting to our campus.
On-campus accommodation
Franklin House - Alcuin Way, YO10 5NB
- Spring Lane Building: 7 minute walk
- Train station: 51 minute walk
City centre accommodation
There are also discount rates available at the other hotels listed below. You should have received the discount codes and instructions for using them in your invitation email.
Hotel Indigo - Walmgate, YO1 9TL
- Spring Lane Building: 30 min walk
- Train station: 21 min walk
The Hilton - Tower Street, YO1 9WD
- Spring Lane Building: 35 min walk
- Train station: 16 min walk
The Ibis Styles - The Mount, YO24 1BN
- Spring Lane Building: 49 min walk
- Train station: 9 min walk