News

In 2025, the publications featured in the SIGMA-1EUROPE Archives reflected the broad scope of current sigma-1 receptor research - from medicinal chemistry and molecular imaging to cellular mechanisms, experimental disease models, pain, and cognition. Together, these seven publications illustrate how research on the sigma-1 receptor spans fundamental biology, drug discovery and potential therapeutic applications. …

On 3-4 September 2026, members of Working Group 2 (WG2) and Working Group 4 (WG4) met in Tbilisi, Georgia, for a two-day joint meeting focused on current scientific activities and future translational initiatives within SIGMA-1 EUROPE. One of the main topics was the development of a new literature database covering more than 2,700 publications on…

The 3rd Drug Discovery Conference will take place on 24-25 September 2026 in Riga, Latvia, bringing together leading researchers from academia and industry to discuss the latest advances in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, biologics, nanomedicine, and translational drug discovery. Organized by the National Institute of Research and Innovation (NIRI) and EU-OPENSCREEN, the conference serves as an international platform for scientific exchange…

The SIGMA-1 EUROPE COST Action CA23156 will co-organise the 34th GP2A Conference on Medicinal Chemistry, taking place in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 26 to 28 August 2026. The conference will be hosted by the City of Gothenburg, the Västra Götaland Region, and the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Gothenburg. The GP2A - Group for the…

The 6th Sigma Symposium took place on 9-11 June 2026 at Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, bringing together an international community of researchers exploring sigma receptor biology, pharmacology, and therapeutic opportunities. The Kraków meeting gathered 123 in-person participants from 24 countries, with strong representation from ITC countries. The program included keynote lectures, oral presentations, and poster sessions, providing many…

The 2nd WG1 meeting of the SIGMA-1 EUROPE COST Action took place at the History Museum of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, kindly hosted by Ioannis P. Trougakos and Konstantinos Palikaras. WG1 members gathered to review the progress achieved during the first year of the Action and to discuss recent advances in sigma-1…

The 1st Sigma-1 Europe Training School brought together 29 early-career researchers from across Europe for four days of intensive training, scientific exchange, and practical learning. The programme covered key aspects of Sigma-1 receptor research, including computational techniques, sustainable synthetic approaches, drug developability assessment, and methods for evaluating drug affinity and activity. Hands-on sessions gave…

The deadline for registration and abstract submission for this year’s meeting, which will take place on June 9-11, 2026, in Kraków, Poland, has been extended to 10 April 2026. This extension offers additional time for participants who are finalising their registration or preparing their abstracts. Registration is available via the official online registration platform. …

Registration is now open for this year’s meeting, which will take place on June 9-11, 2026, in Krakow, Poland. The symposium is held under the honorary patronage of the Rector of Jagiellonian University, the Vice-Rector for Collegium Medicum of Jagiellonian University, and the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Jagiellonian University Medical College. Participants…

On April 30th, 2026, the 2nd Working Group 1 (WG1) Meeting of COST Action CA23156, European Network for Sigma-1 Receptor as a Therapeutic Opportunity, will take place in Athens. Working Group 1 focuses on drug design, molecular modelling, and radiotracer development targeting the sigma-1 receptor, an emerging therapeutic target in the central nervous system and…

We are proud to announce the first edition of the SIGMA-1EUROPE Newsletter, recently sent to members of the network! This inaugural issue provides a comprehensive overview of the activities carried out during the 1st Grant Period of COST Action CA23156. It highlights the development and expansion of SIGMA-1EUROPE, the progress of the Working…

March 30 - April 2, 2026 The 1st SIGMA-1EUROPE Training School "Modern drug discovery approaches in the field of sigma-1 receptor modulators" is designed for Young Researchers, PhD candidates and post-doctoral fellows affiliated with institutions in COST Full Members, Near Neighbour Countries, and other participating countries. It's aim is to provide advanced scientific training on drug discovery methodologies…