The 49th FEBS Congress, held in Istanbul, brought together over 2,000 scientists.
- More than 84 speakers and 1,300 posters
- A meeting point for researchers from 67 countries and a programme packed with cutting-edge science and cultural highlights
The 49th Congress of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS): Bridging Continents to Advance Life Science, a collaboration between the Turkish Biochemical Society (TBS) – a FEBS Member Society – and FEBS, took place in Istanbul from July 5 to 9 2025, attracting over 2,000 scientists from more than 67 countries.
Professor Miguel A. De la Rosa, the Secretary General of FEBS, delivered the opening ceremony speech.
The 49th FEBS Congress commenced with a speech by the FEBS Congress Counsellor, Prof. Piotr Laidler, followed by remarks from Prof. Miguel A. De la Rosa, FEBS Secretary General, and Prof. Ferhan G. Sağın, Congress Chair and Co-Chair of the host society, TBS. Prof. Miguel A. De la Rosa highlighted the contributions of FEBS to the scientific community and presented its strategic direction for 2025 and the years to come.
This year’s scientific programme included 84 invited speakers and featured 13 plenary lectures, 17 research symposia, and 6 special sessions. In addition, 32 short talks and 66 speed talks were selected from submitted abstracts and presented alongside over 1,300 posters.
As in every FEBS Congress, support for early-career researchers was a central focus. FEBS contributed approximately 180 bursaries and around 100 YSF grants, while TBS supported 120 additional early-career attendees. The participants were provided with a mobile app for the event, and the abstracts are published in a supplement of FEBS Open Bio.
As in every FEBS Congress, support for early-career researchers was a central focus. The 24th FEBS Young Scientists’ Forum (YSF) preceded the Congress and was held in Sapanca from July 2 to 5, 2025. The YSF brought together over 100 selected PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from 31 countries. Under the motto Inspired by Nature, Driven by Science, the YSF programme featured keynote lectures, career skills sessions, and opportunities for participants to present their research, exchange ideas, and build their professional network. A highlight of the forum was the mentoring sessions with FEBS Excellence Awardees, who were attending a parallel meeting in Sapanca. FEBS supported 100 participants with YSF grants covering Congress registration, accommodation for both the YSF and the Congress, and most travel expenses. In addition, two participants were sponsored by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB), and two by the UK Biochemical Society.
Throughout the 49th FEBS Congress, several prestigious distinctions were awarded, including the FEBS Sir Hans Krebs, Datta, and Theodor Bücher Medals, and the FEBS|EMBO Women in Science Award, as well as prizes from the FEBS journals and other FEBS recognitions such as the Education Award, the Israel Pecht Award, and the Anniversary Prize (of the GBM).
FEBS Sir Hans Krebs Medal awardee Prof. Annette G. Beck-Sickinger (Leipzig University, Germany), who delivered the opening plenary lecture on ‘G protein-coupled peptide receptors: structure, function and innovative therapeutic concepts’.
FEBS Datta Medal awardee, Prof. Mübeccel Akdis (Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), Davos-Wolfgang, Switzerland), who spoke on ‘Mechanisms of food allergy and the role of allergen-specific B cells’.
FEBS Theodor Bücher Medal awardee , Prof. Andrea Ballabio (Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Pozzuoli, Italy), who delivered a plenary lecture on ‘Lysosomal signaling in metabolic adaptation and tumorigenesis’.
FEBS Press journals played a prominent role at the Congress, sponsoring plenary lectures by René Bernards on cancer treatment regimens and Jan Potempa on the role of bacterial proteases in chronic inflammatory diseases. The journals also celebrated outstanding research published in 2024 by presenting The FEBS Journal Richard Perham Prize to Matteo Brindisi and Luca Frattaruolo and the FEBS Letters Award to Arno Alpi and Peter Murray.
Throughout the Congress, the FEBS Press Editorial staff engaged closely with meeting attendees, judging poster and speed talk presentations to select prize winners, and holding personal meet-the-editor chats. A dedicated FEBS Press session featured presentations by the Editors in Chief of the four journals owned by FEBS, followed by lively group discussions with early-career researchers on topics such as choosing the right journal for publication and effectively promoting your research after publication. A highlight of the session was a full-house presentation by graphic illustrator Matteo Oliverio, who provided guidance on how to design effective graphical abstracts for scientific articles.
During the Congress, FEBS enhanced its strategic partnerships beyond Europe by signing collaboration agreements with esteemed scientific organizations:
- The Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB)
- The Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (KSBMB)
Prof. Miguel A. De la Rosa, FEBS Secretary General, and Prof. Joon Kim, FAOBMB President
Prof. Miguel A. De la Rosa, FEBS Secretary General, and Prof. Bong-Kiung Kaang, KSBMB President
Industry and sponsor engagement played a key role in the success of the Congress: in total, the Congress hosted 25 exhibitor sponsors and an industry session, providing spaces for dialogue between academia and innovation leaders.
The social programme of the Congress included a striking performance by the internationally acclaimed Fire of Anatolia during the opening ceremony, the Women in Science lunch, two Bosphorus cruises (one of which hosted the official Congress dinner), and a special interdisciplinary event co-organised with the 32nd Istanbul Jazz Festival. Titled Groove on the Brain: How Jazz Shapes the Mind, a session that brought together scientists and musicians in a live performance that explored the relationship between music and the brain, stood out as one of the creative highlights of the week.
The 49th FEBS Congress stood out not only for the quality of its science but for the sense of community and inspiration it fostered throughout. With thanks to all who made it possible, FEBS looks forward to the 50th FEBS Congress: Biochemistry for the next 50 years, which will take place in Maastricht, The Netherlands, from July 4 to 8, 2026, and is co-organized by FEBS and the Netherlands Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (NVBMB).
Photos from the 49th FEBS Congress can be viewed at: https://2025.febscongress.org/photo-galleries
Watch The 49th FEBS Congress, Istanbul – a look back by video
