IV Bio.Natural-Bioactive Natural Products Research Meeting: Pharmacology Perspectives

Natural products have long been a cornerstone of pharmaceutical innovation and biotechnological development. Compounds derived from terrestrial plants, marine organisms, and minerals have historically yielded numerous lifesaving medications and bioactive agents. Advances in analytical chemistry, molecular biology, and computational drug design have reinvigorated the exploration of natural molecules as sources of new therapeutics and functional ingredients. In recent years, rational drug design and semi-synthesis have enabled the refinement of natural leads into potent drugs against cancer, infectious diseases, and other complex health conditions. Simultaneously, there has been significant investment in researching the role of natural products in non-pharmaceutical sectors, particularly in cosmeceuticals, nutraceuticals, and medical devices. Evidence continues to accumulate regarding the preventive and therapeutic benefits of nutrients and supplements derived from natural sources. This renewed focus reflects not only the chemical diversity and biological relevance of natural compounds but also their environmental sustainability and societal value. Against this backdrop, IV Bio.Natural 2025 provides an essential platform for presenting state-of-the-art research, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and identifying new directions for the utilization of natural products across healthcare and industry.

The primary goal of the IV Bio.Natural 2025 conference is to foster an interdisciplinary platform for scientists and professionals working on the chemistry, biology, pharmacology, and application of natural products. This conference aims to stimulate discussions and collaborations among participants focusing on the diverse applications of natural products. These naturally derived compounds are at the forefront of drug discovery, either serving directly as drug leads or as scaffolds modified through rational drug design and semi-synthesis. The conference will highlight innovative therapeutic solutions targeting challenging diseases such as cancer and infectious diseases. It will also address the use of marine, herbal, and mineral-based agents in cosmetics, medical devices, and functional foods. IV Bio.Natural 2025 aspires to unite experts and foster translational research, from laboratory investigations to commercial applications, ensuring that the latest advances in natural products contribute to improved human health and wellness. By facilitating knowledge exchange and showcasing new technologies and breakthroughs, the conference aims to accelerate the pipeline from discovery to effective therapeutics and bioactive products.

IV Bio.Natural 2025 invites original research, comprehensive reviews, and case studies relevant to the discovery, development, and application of natural products. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
• Discovery and structural elucidation of natural or nature‐inspired molecules with biological activity.
• Rational structural modification of natural scaffolds
• In silico/in vitro evaluation of molecular modes of action, e.g. ROS scavenging by phenols/polyphenols.
• Novel sources of bioactive compounds, marine organisms, microbes, minerals.
• Research into antioxidant compounds as ingredients in nutraceuticals, skin care, food additives, or biomaterials.
Biomaterials & technology platforms enabling natural product research
• Innovation in extraction, screening, computational design, or analytical technologies.
• Studies linking computational or mechanistic insights to real world applications: drug lead optimization, formulation, bioavailability, safety or efficacy pathways.
• Work addressing toxicology, compliance, ecological sourcing, best practices, or sustainable utilisation.

Early-career investigators are particularly encouraged to submit their work to showcase new perspectives in this expanding field. Studies need to comply with the best practice guidelines of the leading journals for pharmacological studies on plant extract / natural products including the Four Pillars of Best Practice in Ethnopharmacology and follow the standards established in the ConPhyMP statement Front. Pharmacol. 13:953205. A detailed description of the material studied, its extraction and processing is essential and manuscripts which lack such a description will be desk-rejected. You can freely download the full version here. Please self-assess your MS using the ConPhyMP tool: https://ga-online.org/best-practice/