Proteins may be microscopic, but their impact on scientific research is enormous. They power essential functions throughout the body and form the foundation of many of today’s most advanced medicines. Yet despite their small size, they present one significant challenge: stability.
Even the most promising treatments can lose effectiveness if proteins clump together, change shape or begin to break down before reaching the target area of a patient. To explore solutions to one of pharmaceutical science’s most complex challenges, leading researchers came together at the 2026 Colorado Protein Stability Conference hosted by the University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The bi-annual conference, now in its 32nd year, was organized by CU Anschutz Pharmacy Professor Emeritus John Carpenter, PhD, and Professor Krishna Mallela, PhD and welcomed close to 240 researchers from around the world representing academia, industry and government/regulatory agencies.
Protein-based therapies play a critical role in a wide range of medical advances, from cancer treatments and autoimmune disease therapies to vaccines and medicines. Ensuring these therapies remain stable is essential to their safety and effectiveness in patients. As innovations in medicine continue to evolve, collaboration across researchers has become increasingly important. Since 1994, the Colorado Protein Stability Conference has served as a forum for researchers to exchange ideas, share discoveries and advance research that helps shape the future of drug development and patient care. More than three decades later, the conference continues to provide a unique opportunity for discussion among scientists studying protein behavior, therapeutic development and emerging technologies shaping the future of healthcare.
Throughout the conference, speakers highlighted the growing role and importance of protein science in modern medicine. Presentations highlighted efforts to better understand how protein-based treatments behave and remain safe, effective and stable throughout development, manufacturing and patient use. Together, these efforts aim to address the challenges that impact treatment quality and reliability of new therapies for patients around the world.
While the topics presented throughout the conference spanned a wide range of protein themes, one common goal connected each discussion: advancing therapies in an ever-evolving field to ultimately improve patient outcomes.
A highlight of the conference was the graduate student poster competition. CU Pharmacy PhD graduate and post-doctoral researcher Alexandra Lucas (3rd from left in photo) won Best Poster for her research, "Long-Range Allosteric Communication in SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein." Lucas was one of five winners from 42 student posters and earned a $1000 award.
By bringing together leading researchers and experts, the Colorado Protein Stability Conference continues to foster the collaboration needed to address the complexities of protein-based therapies and drive innovation. As the host of the conference, CU Pharmacy remains at the center of conversations that are shaping the future of protein science and helping move promising discoveries from the laboratory toward real-world outcomes.
View highlights from the 2026 Colorado Protein Stability Conference here.