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The ÂÌñÉçÇø Practical & Lecture Course ‘Advanced Lipidomics Technologies to Study Lipid Biology’ will take place from 24–28 May 2027 in Dresden, Germany, and will be hosted by the Center for Membrane Biology and Lipid Research at Technical University Dresden.

Lipidomics is one of the fastest-growing omics disciplines, with applications spanning bioanalytical chemistry, lipid biochemistry, cell biology, biomedical research, and clinical translation. The rapid expansion of the field is reflected in the increasing number of research projects that rely on mass spectrometry (MS)-based lipidomics as a core technology for enabling fundamental biological discoveries and providing clinically relevant insights into human disease. However, lipidomics remains a technically demanding discipline that requires specialized training to ensure accurate, reproducible, and robust data generation and interpretation.

This course will provide participants with a comprehensive overview of current strategies for lipidome analysis, data processing, and integrative data interpretation. It is designed as an advanced educational and training platform for biochemists, cell biologists, clinicians, analytical chemists, and computational scientists working in lipid research and MS-based lipidomics.

Participants will be guided through all major steps of the modern lipidomics workflow, from experimental design and sample preparation to the selection of appropriate MS acquisition strategies, data processing, statistical analysis, and biological interpretation. The course will highlight recent methodological advances, including structural lipidomics and mass spectrometry imaging, providing both a solid theoretical foundation and hands-on training in state-of-the-art lipidomics technologies.

A central objective of the course is to promote interdisciplinary exchange and networking among early-career researchers, advanced PhD students, postdoctoral fellows, and leading international experts in lipidomics. The program combines lectures, focused tutorials, interactive question-and-answer sessions, and hands-on laboratory training to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of advanced lipidomics technologies and their broad applications in modern lipid research.

The website for this course is under construction. Read this for more information from the co-organizers.

Organizers: Maria Fedorova, Valerie O'Donnell, Rosario Domingues

Sphingolipids are well-established regulators of cellular organization, signalling, metabolism, and disease. Far from serving solely as structural membrane components, these molecules actively shape membrane properties, coordinate communication between organelles, integrate metabolic and environmental signals, and influence cellular fate. At the same time, advances in lipidomics, chemical biology, spatial mass spectrometry, biosensors, and high-resolution imaging are revealing an increasingly complex and dynamic sphingolipid landscape.

The 4^th edition of the ÂÌñÉçÇø Special Meeting on Sphingolipid Biology: Architects of the Cellular Landscape will provide a focused international forum for presenting and discussing the latest developments in the field. The meeting will bring together researchers working across structural biophysics, membrane biology, lipid metabolism, systems biology, and pathophysiology, fostering dialogue between disciplines that have traditionally approached sphingolipid biology from different perspectives.

The scientific programme will explore the molecular and analytical tools transforming sphingolipid research, the role of sphingolipids in membrane asymmetry and trafficking, their contribution to organelle communication and cellular architecture, and their function as metabolic circuits controlling cellular decisions. It will address how disruption of these processes contributes to human diseases while highlighting emerging opportunities for therapeutic intervention. A forward-looking final session will create space to discuss unexpected findings, unresolved questions, methodological limitations, and new directions for the field.

Extended discussion periods, poster sessions, flash presentations, and interactive panels will promote active participation across career stages, giving early-career researchers opportunities to engage with established investigators and contribute to the scientific dialogue. By combining broad scientific coverage with an inclusive and highly interactive format, the meeting aims to support the next generation of Sphingolipid researchers and help shape future directions in the field.

The meeting will take place from 6–11 June 2027 at the MH Atlântico Congress Centre in Peniche, Portugal. Its integrated conference and accommodation setting will provide an ideal environment for scientific exchange and informal interaction throughout the week.

We look forward to welcoming you to Peniche for an inspiring week of science!

The website for this course is under construction. Read this  for more information from the co-organizers.

Organizers: Liana C. Silva, Chris Clarke & Giovanni D’Angelo