International Symposium in Metallomics (ISM-10)

→Metal ions (such as iron, zinc, copper, manganese, nickel, cobalt...) are essential to biology, playing a key part in fundamental life processes such as respiration, photosynthesis, cell growth, genome regulation or maintenance, enzymatic reactions, cell proliferation, immune function, oxidative stress in pathological conditions, etc. The rich physico-chemical properties of these metal ions bring a chemical diversity in terms of structure or reactivity, which is widely exploited by living systems. Indeed, over 40% of living proteins are believed to contain a metal essential to their activity.

Metallomics deals with the study of metals and metalloids in biology. The metallome refers to all the biologically active metal-based compounds, from low-molecular weight complexes such as simple M-aqua complexes to metal ions controlled by macromolecules such as DNA or proteins. Metallomics encompasses the study of the role of metals and impact in the fundamental mechanisms of life, analysis of their bio-distribution and specific dynamic, at different scales, molecular, sub-cellular, cellular, at the organisms or populations levels. It extends to the study of metal-based artificial systems, possibly bio-inspired by some components of the metallome, and their uses in health, energy and the environment. Other disciplines resort to techniques to analyze metallic speciation, structure, isotopic distribution and physico-chemical related properties: the cross-talk with geology or arts for instance can be fertilizing and we will take the opportunity of this congress to open up the frontiers of biology to other disciplines dealing with the characterization of metal ions.

This intrinsically multidisciplinary field of research is blossoming today, with many emerging techniques opening on new horizons. Nature is an endless reservoir of challenges and inspiration. The understanding of mechanisms involving metal ions in biology has guided scientists towards applications such as energy production and storage (artificial photosynthesis, dihydrogen production), CO2 reduction and the fight against global warming, the design of new drugs, the development of agents for imaging or therapy, hybrid or bio-inspired catalysts for green chemistry. Impressive breakthroughs have been made over the last twenty years, from both fundamental and applied perspectives. And with the shortage of the key metal ions for industry expected in the decades to come, questions about metal ions bioremediation are becoming crucial.

Metallomics is a field of research particularly dynamic and competitive, and is currently producing numerous spin-offs in the fields of green chemistry, energy, health, bio-remediation, and environment, all of which will be the focus of the congress that will be organized in the fall of 2025.

Dates, venues and audiences of previous editions

We have the ambition to adopt and to develop further the best ideas from the heritage of the nine former successful Metallomics Symposia started in 2007 in Nagoya and held since then biannually (Cincinnati 2009, Munster 2011, Oviedo 2013, Beijing 2015, Vienna 2017, Warshaw 2019, Kanazawa 2022, London 2024). Notably, the 2024 edition in London welcomed 225 attendees from 25 countries all over the world, and was organized in eight very diverse thematic sessions.

Note that the occurrence is usually every two years and that the symposium is usually held on an uneven year. Due to COVID, the 2021 session has been delayed to 2022. The International Committee asked to get back to an uneven year, and this is why the next event will be in 2025.
Websites of former symposium: IMS9, London 2024

The venue will be the Ecole Normale Supérieure – Paris Sciences et Lettres Université, in central Paris, campus Pantheon. Metals in biology are a red thread in diverse institutions of PSL (ENS-PSL, Chimie Paris, ESPCI-PSL, écoles des Mines). It will be a rare occasion for an historical journey on the steps of Jules Raulin, a collaborator of Louis Pasteur, who was one of the first researcher paying attention at the content in metal ions in the culture medium for microorganisms, eventually showing evidence that zinc is mandatory to the growing of a mold, Aspergillus niger.

The conferences will be held in the amphitheater Jean Jaurès, former historical “salle de la cinémathèque française” created in 1936 to salvage old films as well as costumes, sets, posters and other cinema treasures, and in lecture rooms all in the same building. The Campus Pantheon is located in the 5th district of Paris, famous for the Latin quarter. A historical venue for the 10th birthday of the International Symposium in Metallomics !

→ Find out more about the program