Best Poster Award for Julio Vieyto Nunez at the 2026 PSA Conference

The international conference brings together scientists from around the world to discuss current developments in the field of peptide self-assembly. Topics range from de novo design and synthesis of peptides to non-equilibrium assemblies and encompass both basic research and applied research, materials science, catalysis, and sustainable chemistry.

In his award-winning poster, Julio Vieyto Nunez explores how the G-protein-coupled receptor 15 ligand (GPR15LG) binds to the CXCR4 receptor. CXCR4 plays an important role in immune responses, inflammatory processes, and cancer, among other things, and is therefore a relevant target for drug discovery.

Based on these investigations, a novel peptide with an antagonistic effect on CXCR4 was developed and characterized using computer-aided methods. The computer-designed drug candidate was subsequently validated experimentally. 
The work was conducted as part of a long-term collaboration between the Computational Bioengineering research group at the BCI and Dr. Mirja Harms and Prof. Jan Münch from the University of Ulm.

Some of the research findings have already been published in the journal *Cell Communication and Signaling *. The publication is titled “GPR15LG binds CXCR4 and synergistically modulates CXCL12-induced cell signaling and migration” (DOI: 10.1186/s12964-025-02231-x).

The peptide drug candidate that was developed has also already been registered with the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA). The patent is titled “Peptides with antagonistic activity against CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4)” and was filed in 2024 under number DE102024139033.

The award at the PSA Conference 2026 thus recognizes research that combines computer-aided drug design with experimental research and opens up new approaches for the development of peptide-based active ingredients.

For more information on the PSA Conference 2026:
www.psacon2026.com