Maths and Numbers in Biology
IQS – Barcelona Collaboratorium Joint Conference
June 17, 2026 · IQS, Barcelona
Exploring biology through mathematics, modelling and data
About the conference
Maths and Numbers in Biology is a one-day joint conference organized by IQS and the Barcelona Collaboratorium.
The event aims to bring together researchers working at the interface of mathematics, computational modelling, data analysis, and the life sciences, creating a space to share scientific ideas, foster new collaborations, and highlight the role of quantitative approaches in understanding complex biological systems.
The programme will include invited talks, short contributed presentations, a poster session, and opportunities for informal discussion and networking.
Key information
| Date | June 17, 2026 |
| Time | 9:00 – 17:30 |
| Venue | IQS, Via Augusta 390, Barcelona |
| Format | One-day in-person conference |
| Organizers | IQS and Barcelona Collaboratorium |
| Registration | Closed |
| Abstract submission | May 20, 2026 |
Programme
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 08:45 – 09:00 | Registration |
| 09:00 – 09:30 | Welcome and opening by Salvador Borrós, Director of IQS, and James Sharpe, Head of the Barcelona Collaboratorium |
| 09:30 – 11:30 | Session 1: “Molecular structure, function and evolution” – Xavier Biarnés: Enzyme discovery and design through molecular simulations – David John Eliezar Delima: Structural and computational evidence of the oxocarbenium-ion intermediate in glycosyltransferases (Short talk) – Nora Martin: How landscape structure shapes evolutionary paths – Burak Demirbas: How do environment and metabolism shape antifungal resistance in Candida? (Short talk) |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Coffee break |
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Session 2: “Information across scales” – Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo: Modeling decision making: from molecules to behavior – Francesca Pozzo: The Mathematics Behind Urban Butterflies: Population Dynamics in Barcelona (Short talk) |
| 13:00 – 14:30 | Lunch and poster session |
| 14:30 – 16:15 | Session 3: “Development” –Meritxell Sáez: Building developmental landscapes: a gene free approach – Jose Munoz: Inference of growth and material anisotropy in embryogenesis (Short talk) – James Sharpe: Quantitative data for qualitative understanding (modelling organogenesis) |
| 16:15 – 16:30 | Closing remarks and poster award |
| 16:30 – 17:30 | Coffee break |
| 17:20 – 18:00 | IQS facilities tour |
Speakers
The program includes invited speakers from IQS, the Barcelona Collaboratorium, and other institutions working at the interface between quantitative methods and biological systems.
Confirmed invited speakers
Xavier Biarnés
IQS
Nora Martin
Barcelona Collaboratorium
Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo
Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Meritxell Sáez
IQS
James Sharpe
EMBL – Barcelona Collaboratorium
Short contributed talks
The following participants have been selected for short contributed talks:
| David John Eliezar Delima | Universitat de Barcelona |
| Burak Demirbas | University of Amsterdam |
| Francesca Pozzo | IQS – Politecnico di Torino |
| Jose Munoz | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya |
Poster list
Posters will be presented during the lunch and poster session. Please find below the list of accepted poster contributions.
| Poster no. | Presenter | Affiliation | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Victor Maull Miquel | ICREA-Complex Systems Laboratory | Emergent Bioengineering |
| 02 | Ryan Abramowitz | CRG | Gene-Level Aging Rates Do Not Determine Phenotypic Aging Rate |
| 03 | Anna Clua Villas | IQS | Integrating Experimental and Computational Approaches in the Design of pBAE Nanoparticles |
| 04 | Kye Hunter | CRG | A minimal model of a Rough Mount Fuji landscape explains navigability in highly-rugged empirical landscapes |
| 05 | Shafaq Zahra | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya | Inference of cytoskeletal topology and intracellular stresses from TFM |
| 06 | Marco Accorinti | IQS – Politecnico di Torino | Bridging Experiment and Simulation: Investigating Polymer Architecture in Poly(β-amino ester) Synthesis |
| 07 | Davide Bazzani | IQS – Politecnico di Torino | Biocomputational Modelling of pBAE-mRNA Nanoparticles: Assessing Encapsulation Stability from pH 5.2 to pH 7.4 |
| 08 | Júlia Vicens Figueres | Universitat Pompeu Fabra | Modeling mechanical interactions in microbial communities |
| 09 | Xavier Viader Godoy | Universitat Pompeu Fabra | Can we really tame bacteria? Studying learning at the single-cell level |
| 10 | Étienne Porteu De La Morandière | École nationale supérieure de techniques avancées | Mechanical analysis of adhesion driven extrusion process in monolayers |
| 11 | Akhilesh Nandan | EMBL Barcelona | Multiple tipping points in multispecies ecosystems with cross-feeding |
| 12 | María Jinxue | Universitat Pompeu Fabra | Information dynamics and learning in gene regulatory networks |
| 13 | Xavier Banos | MIT | Optimal control for the inference of friction in worm locomotion |
| 14 | Laura Meiya Mazo Pirla | Universitat de Barcelona | Mechanism of selective acid β-glucosidase 2 (GBA2) inhibition by N-acyl aziridines for Gaucher disease |
| 15 | Joaquim Frigola Casals | EMBL Barcelona | An Active Surface Model Explains W-Shaped Folding of the Forebrain Roof Plate |
| 16 | Pietro Gadaleta | University of Amsterdam | The population density paradox: increased population density can also decrease eco-evolutionary feedback |
| 17 | Samira Al Sadi | Universitat de Barcelona | Molecular Insights into the Catalytic Mechanism of a Bacterial HMW1C-like N-Glycosyltransferase |
Call for abstracts
Participants are invited to submit abstracts for short contributed talks and/or poster presentations.
We welcome contributions related to the use of mathematics, modelling, computation, data analysis, and quantitative approaches in biology and the life sciences.
Topics may include, but are not limited to: mathematical modelling in biology, computational biology, quantitative developmental biology, systems biology, ecological and environmental modelling, biophysics and biomechanics, data-driven approaches in life sciences, artificial intelligence and machine learning in biology, and multiscale modelling of biological systems.
Selected abstracts will be invited for short oral presentations. Other accepted contributions will be presented as posters.
Abstract submission deadline: June 8, 2026
Notification of acceptance: June 9, 2026
Registration
Registration will be required to attend the conference.
Registration fee: 30€
Registration deadline: June 08, 2026
After completing the registration form, participants will be redirected to the official IQS payment platform to complete the payment.
Please note that registration will only be confirmed once the payment has been completed.
Participants interested in presenting a short contributed talk or a poster can submit their title and abstract. Otherwise, please enter “No” or “None” in these fields.
Venue
The conference will take place at IQS – Ramon Llull University, located in Barcelona.
IQS – Ramon Llull University
Via Augusta 390
08017 Barcelona
Spain
IQS is located in the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district of Barcelona and is easily accessible by public transport.
Organizers and contact
Maths and Numbers in Biology is jointly organized by IQS – Ramon Llull University and the Barcelona Collaboratorium.
Organizing team:
– Giovanni Dalmasso — IQS – Ramon Llull University
– Nora Martin — Barcelona Collaboratorium
For questions about the conference, please contact: giovanni.dalmasso@iqs.url.edu
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REGISTRATIONS ARE CLOSED