< Stowers Research Conferences
Stowers Research Conferences: AI-Driven Approaches to Emergent Protein Behaviors
Organized by Randal Halfmann, Ph.D., Jay Unruh, Ph.D., Arvind Pillai, Ph.D., and Danielle Tullman-Ercek, Ph.D.
Oct 22-242025
Kansas City, MO
Registration and abstract submission will open April 1. Check back for details.
Stowers Research Conferences is an innovative meeting series designed to highlight the latest research advances while promoting the career development of future leaders in the field. In addition to poster sessions, invited speakers, and talks selected from abstracts, a distinguishing feature of these meetings is the delivery of “tandem talks,” where mentors and mentees share the stage to communicate their most important discoveries together.
The AI-Driven Approaches to Emergent Protein Behaviors conference will focus on the transformative potential of AI to revolutionize our understanding of complex protein behaviors such as amyloid polymerization, phase separation, and signaling complex assembly. We aim to bring together leading experts to explore the following key questions:
How can we leverage recent breakthroughs in AI-driven bioinformatics and protein structure prediction to tackle the challenges of protein self-assembly?
Can generative AI be harnessed to design protein assemblies with novel material and kinetic properties?
Can AI guide us through the complex energy landscapes of protein aggregation to predict and control these processes?
How can experimental workflows be adapted to generate the high-throughput data needed for training AI models and validating their predictions?
Confirmed Speakers
Arvind Pillai
University of Washington
Key Dates and Deadlines
Key Dates:
- Conference Dates: October 22-24, 2025
- Abstract Submission Deadline: September 5, 2025
- Early Bird Registration Price ends: September 5, 2025
- Hotel Group-Rate Deadline: book by September 30, 2025
- Registration Deadline: October 17, 2025
Registration prices:
Early bird pricing: available April 1 - September 5:
Undergraduate Student - $25 USD
Graduate Student / Technician - $175 USD
Postdoc / Staff Scientist - $225 USD
Faculty / Other - $350 USD
Regular Pricing: available September 6 – October 17:
Undergraduate Student - $25 USD
Graduate Student / Technician - $225 USD
Postdoc / Staff Scientist - $350 USD
Faculty / Other - $450 USD
Registration fee covers:
- Welcome party
- Attendance at all scientific talks and poster sessions
- Coffee/snacks during all breaks
- Continental breakfast on Thursday and Friday
- Lunch on Thursday and Friday
- KC Joe’s BBQ Dinner on Thursday
- Closing reception
Please note that travel and lodging are not included.
Registration Opens April 1
Check back soon for details on the event, including a full program.
Conference Venue
Stowers Institute
Our 10-acre campus is situated in the heart of Kansas City. Located next to the University of Missouri-Kansas City and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, our members are part of an academic neighborhood. You can immerse yourself in the arts, visit landmarks such as the Linda Hall Scientific Research Library, and find inspiration to fuel creative thinking.
At the Stowers Institute you are also within walking distance to Loose Park, the Trolley Trail, the Brookside Neighborhood, and the Country Club Plaza. You have convenient access to some of the best coffee shops, restaurants, and shopping the city has to offer.
Kansas City, Missouri
Beyond the science, registration for this event allows you to experience Kansas City hospitality with an authentic Kansas City-style barbecue dinner at Jack Stack's historic Freight House in the Crossroads Art District and a visit to the internationally renowned Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
Kansas City may be located in the heart of the country, but it’s certainly not flyover country. Known fondly as the “City of Fountains” and “The Paris of the Plains,” you’ll fall in love with Kansas City’s unique architecture, stunning beauty, and dynamic culture. Thanks to explosive growth in the past decade and a strong sense of Midwest pride, more than 2 million people call Greater Kansas City home, making it one of the top 30 most populated metros in the U.S., situated conveniently between both coasts.
Lodging Options
Book at the Kansas City Marriott - Country Club Plaza by Sept. 30, 2025 to receive a special group rate.
Learn more about Stowers Research Conferences
Bringing together scientists from across the world. Inspiring collaborations that result in significant scientific findings.
Stowers Research Conference: Developmental Cell Biology - October 2024.
Stowers Research Conference: Molecular Cell Biology - RNA Regulation - April 2023.
Stowers Research Conference: Stem Cells, Tissue Plasticity, and Regenerative Biology - October 2023.
Essential Meeting Information
Conference details
Location: Stowers Institute for Medical Research – 1000 E. 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110
For turn-by-turn directions to the Institute from where you are, click here.
Arrival: Check-in & Poster set up will start on Wednesday, October 22nd at 12:30pm. Opening remarks and announcements will begin promptly at 2:00pm.
Nearest Airport: Kansas City International Airport
Lodging: Book at the Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza by September 30, 2025, to receive a special group rate.
- Book your group rate for Stowers Institute Room Block
- There are several other nearby hotels located within 2 miles of the institute.
Parking: Visitor parking is available in the parking structure located between the Administration Building (to your right as you enter the campus) and the Research Building (to your left). Please, park on the 5th floor of the parking garage and take the elevator down to the 1st floor to enter the Research Building.
Speakers and Sessions: A full list of speakers is available on the SRC website
Agenda: The conference will be a 2.5-day meeting starting in the afternoon on Wednesday, October 22nd and ending in the evening on Friday, October 24th. A more detailed agenda will be posted as the meeting approaches.
International Attendees: Send requests for Visa letters to conferences@stowers.org. Registration is required prior to issuing the Visa letter.
Departure: The meeting will conclude with an on-site closing reception on the evening of Friday, October 24. We welcome you to stay and explore Kansas City throughout the weekend!
Questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out to conferences@stowers.org
Registration details
Registration prices:
- Early bird pricing: Available April 1 - September 5:
Undergraduate Student - $25 USD
Graduate Student / Technician - $175 USD
Postdoc / Staff Scientist - $225 USD
Faculty / Other - $350 USD
- Regular Pricing: Available September 6 – October 17:
Undergraduate Student - $25 USD
Graduate Student / Technician - $225 USD
Postdoc / Staff Scientist - $350 USD
Faculty / Other - $450 USD
- Registration fee covers:
- Welcome party
- Attendance at all scientific talks and poster sessions
- Coffee/snacks during all breaks
- Continental breakfast on Thursday and Friday
- Lunch on Thursday and Friday
- Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que Dinner on Thursday
- Closing reception
Please note that travel and lodging are not included.
Registration Deadline: October 17, 2025.
Abstract submission details
Abstract Submission: Everyone is welcome to submit an abstract. On the submission form, you may choose to be considered for a short talk. There will be 14 talks chosen from abstracts. The remaining abstract submitters will be invited to present a poster at one of two poster sessions.
Abstract Deadline: September 5, 2025.
Poster Dimensions: All posters should be horizontal in orientation.
Maximum poster dimensions: Width – 6 ft. (182 cm), Height – 4 ft. (121 cm)
Shipping and Printing: Local FedEx Office – 554 Westport Rd, Kansas City, MO 64111 US
