Bind Research Launch Event: Opening New Frontiers in Drug Discovery
March 19, 2026
Laura Fletcher
On 19 March 2026, Bind Research officially launched to an audience of more than 300 scientists, investors, policymakers, clinicians and technologists at One Triton Square, London. The event was hosted by VentureCafé London, sponsored by ARIA.
The evening featured two keynote speakers. Professor Sheena Radford OBE FRS FMedSci spoke about why intrinsically disordered proteins remain one of the most fascinating and challenging frontiers in biology. These are proteins that defy the classical structure-function paradigm: they don’t fold into fixed shapes, yet they are central to some of the most important processes in human disease. The tools, she noted, are finally catching up with the biology.
Dr Dave Smith FIET FRAeS, UK National Technology Advisor, made a compelling case for why the Focused Research Organisation model matters, not just for science but for the UK’s ability to translate deep research into real-world impact. FROs exist to tackle problems that are too hard, too risky and too long-term for conventional funding structures and that is precisely why Bind exists.
The breadth of conversation in the room, spanning disciplines and sectors, reflected the growing recognition that IDPs represent a genuine and increasingly tractable therapeutic opportunity and the team at Bind would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who showed up and participated in the lively discussions.
