Simons Foundation Lectures
Biology: Folding the Future: The Structural Biology Revolution
The 2026 lecture series in biology is “Folding the Future: The Structural Biology Revolution.” In this series, scientists will explore the rapid advances transforming how we visualize and engineer the molecular machinery of life. From breakthroughs in protein structure prediction to innovations in integrative structural biology, speakers will examine how these computational and experimental tools are reshaping drug discovery, synthetic biology, and our broader understanding of cellular function.
Past Lectures
The Function and Evolution of the Immune System in A. thaliana
Joy Bergelson, Ph.D.Executive Vice President, Life Sciences
Joy Bergelson, Ph.D.Executive Vice President, Life Sciences - Lecture
Where Did All the Dogs Come From? Dogs, Ancestors, Breeds and Genomes
Elaine A. Ostrander, Ph.D.Distinguished Senior Investigator and Section Head, National Human Genome Research Institute
Elaine A. Ostrander, Ph.D.Distinguished Senior Investigator and Section Head, National Human Genome Research Institute - Lecture
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Dynamic Evolution of the Spider Silk Gene Family
Cheryl Y. Hayashi, Ph.D.Senior Vice President and Provost of Science, American Museum of Natural History
Cheryl Y. Hayashi, Ph.D.Senior Vice President and Provost of Science, American Museum of Natural History - Lecture
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The Evolution of Darwin’s Finches
Peter Grant and Rosemary Grant, Ph.D.Professors Emeritus, Princeton University
Peter Grant and Rosemary Grant, Ph.D.Professors Emeritus, Princeton University - Lecture
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RNA-Guided Natural Genome Editing and the Emergence of Complex Genomes
Laura Landweber, Ph.D.Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics and of Biological Sciences, Columbia University
Laura Landweber, Ph.D.Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics and of Biological Sciences, Columbia University - Lecture
Real and Not Just Hopeful Monsters: Evolution by Very Large Jumps
Dmitri Petrov, Ph.D.Michelle and Kevin Douglas Professor of Biology, Stanford University
Dmitri Petrov, Ph.D.Michelle and Kevin Douglas Professor of Biology, Stanford University - Lecture
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