Matt Smola
Associate Director - RNA Biology Ribometrix
Seminars
Tuesday 10th November 2026
Moving Beyond Secondary Structures: Advancing RNA Structure Probing Technologies to Measure Small Molecule–RNA Interactions & Guide Optimization
11:00 am
A major challenge in RNA-targeted drug discovery is determining where small molecules bind on RNA, what structures they recognize, and whether those binding
events translate into functional outcomes. As structural, probing, and biophysical tools advance, the field still lacks standardized approaches for connecting RNA structure,
binding-site identification, and compound optimization.
Join medicinal chemists, structural biologists, RNA biologists, and teams improving structure-guided design to explore practical strategies for:
- Predicting RNA ligandability by identifying structures that can support selective small-molecule binding
- Prioritizing tractable RNA targets by linking function, binding pockets and confidence in on-target engagement
- Evaluating biophysical and structural methods to measure RNA ligand recognition, affinity and conformational change
Thursday 12th November 2026
Panel Discussion: Target-Focused vs High-Throughput Approaches for Discovering Therapeutically Effective RNA-Targeting Small Molecules
9:00 am
- What are the advantages and challenges associated with target-focused approaches?
- What are the advantages and challenges associated with high-throughput phenotypic or cell-based functional screening approaches?
- How is phenotypic RNA modulation connected back to a specific RNA target, binding site, or mechanism of action?
- How does each approach manage generating actionable SAR and program attrition?
