PhD Summer School – Intrinsically Disordered Proteins in Health and Disease

Exploring Structure, Dynamics, and Drug Discovery Challenges

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and regions (IDRs) play essential roles in cellular regulation and disease, yet their highly dynamic and flexible nature makes them among the most challenging biomolecules to study. Unlike well-folded proteins, IDPs exist as ensembles of interconverting conformations that escape the reach of traditional structural biology tools such as X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. Understanding their complex behavior requires a combination of advanced methodologies, including NMR spectroscopy, single-molecule techniques, computational modeling, and bioinformatics.

This summer school provided participants with a comprehensive introduction to the experimental and computational approaches used to investigate IDPs and IDRs. Through a unique set of lectures, hands-on sessions, group work, and discussions with world-leading experts, students gained both theoretical knowledge and practical experience in cutting-edge IDP research.

Program Highlights

• Lectures by 14 international experts covering the latest theoretical and methodological advances in IDP research
• Hands-on practical sessions introducing participants to experimental and computational techniques
• Group discussions and journal clubs analyzing landmark scientific papers, often presented by their original authors
• Poster presentations to share and discuss individual PhD projects with peers and faculty
• Industry engagement, including applicative lectures from professionals working on IDP-targeted drug discovery

Topics Covered

• Computational generation and modeling of IDP ensembles
• Integrative approaches to study phase separation and biomolecular condensates
• Principles and applications of single-molecule fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy (solution and solid-state)
• Kinetic models describing IDP interactions and mechanisms
• High-throughput screening and deep-mutational scanning to identify IDP binders
• Chemical biology tools for modulating IDP interactomes
• Molecular mechanisms of IDP-related diseases
• Molecular barcoding and next-generation disease modeling for drug discovery

Hands-On Experience

• Bioinformatic analyses of IDPs using state-of-the-art software
• Computational modeling of disordered protein ensembles
• Analysis of real experimental data from high-throughput assays, single-molecule FRET, NMR, and stopped-flow kinetics
• Online NMR analyses of IDP structure and interactions

Workshop and Networking

The summer school also features an interactive intra-group journal club where participants presented and discussed high-impact research papers, fostering collaboration and critical thinking. A poster session allowed students to showcase their own research, receive expert feedback from the leaders, and network with peers and invited speakers throughout their stay.