From November 5^th to 7^th, 2026, the “Cell Press Symposia: Biological function in 3D: Structure, dynamics, and AI” was held at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech). The symposium focused on the latest advances in our understanding of biological processes from the perspectives of emerging structural and computational technologies, attracting nearly 300 experts, scholars, and young researchers from top domestic and international universities and research institutes.

The symposium was co-hosted by SUSTech and Elsevier’s Cell Press. It was organized together by Mingjie ZHANG, Dean of the School of Life Sciences at SUSTech and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Nieng YAN, President of Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Karin Kühnel, Editor-in-Chief of Structure; Lara Szewczak, Editor-in-Chief of Molecular Cell and Consulting Editor of Cell; Lei TANG, Scientific Editor of Cell; and Wei WU, Scientific Editor of Molecular Cell.

Mingjie ZHANG and Lei TANG delivered the opening remarks. In her speech, Lei TANG pointed out that cutting-edge results in structural methods, imaging technologies, and artificial intelligence provide strong support for answering questions like how molecular machines assemble and change, and how molecular structures give rise to biological functions. This allows researchers to explore biological function mechanisms from individual macromolecules and protein complexes all the way to complex cellular environments, tissues, and even whole organisms. Cell Press hopes to bring together interdisciplinary scholars through this symposium to create opportunities for dialogue, sparking new ideas and collaborations. In his remarks, Mingjie ZHANG welcomed scholars from around the world to Shenzhen and expressed his hope that, beyond academic exchanges, everyone can enjoy the vitality and charm of the city.

Stefan Raunser, Professor at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, and Suliana Manley from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, and Shao FENG, Researcher at the National Institute of Biological Technology and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered keynote speeches. Their talks were titled “Unlocking the secrets of the cytoskeleton and heart muscle,” “Smart microscopy offers insights into the mitochondrial collective,” and “Pyroptotic Cell Death: Mechanisms & Therapeutics Potentials,” respectively. They explored topics ranging from the structural and functional mechanisms of the cytoskeleton and myocardium, and the application of smart microscopy in revealing mitochondrial collective behavior, to the molecular mechanisms of pyroptosis and its potential therapeutic applications.

Attending experts and scholars had in-depth exchanges on topics such as protein complexes in nuclei and other organelles, cytoplasmic and membrane proteins, signaling dynamics, structural virology and host-pathogen interactions, structural analysis beyond individual cells, progress in protein design, and future directions for structural analysis in situ.

Poster presentation session

Journal editors presenting certificates to Best Poster Award winners.

The seminar featured short presentations and poster preview sessions, providing a platform for young researchers to exchange ideas. Based on votes from participants and editorial evaluation, five young scholars won the Best Poster Award.