The 2026 SCS Syngenta Symposium in Stein focused on AI and its application in R&D
The 8th SCS Syngenta Symposium explored how artificial intelligence is transforming the practice of chemistry. AI-augmented chemistry amplifies human expertise, empowering researchers to navigate infinite chemical spaces, identify non-obvious solutions, and focus their creative energy on where it matters most. The program highlighted these breakthroughs, featuring generative models for small molecule generation, de novo protein design, AI-guided retrosynthesis and cutting-edge machine learning approaches to property prediction. These technical sessions are grounded in real-world examples of how augmented workflows are currently accelerating discovery in both academic and industrial settings.
After the welcome message by the local hosts and symposium organizers, Amandine Kolleth and Fides Benfatti, both from the Syngenta research team in Stein, the morning lectures were given by Asst. Prof. Patrick Bryant, Stockholm University, «De novo design of functional peptides with non-natural chemistry», Dr. Nadine Schneider, Novartis, «AI-augmented chemistry: from generative models to decision-making in drug discovery», Prof. Martin Pačesa, University of Zurich, «Probing biology using computational binder design» and Dr. Teodoro Laino, IBM Zurich,
«From molecular transformers to quantum-enabled chemical discovery».
During Lunch break the event offered the opportunity to visit the poster session or to network in the inspiring surroundings of the Syngenta Research Center.
After lunch another three lectures competed the attractive program. The lectures were given by Prof. Philippe Schwaller, EPFL Lausanne, «Chemistry in the age of foundation models», Prof. Leroy Cronin, University of Glasgow, «Agentic Verification of Chemical Makeability and Synthesis with Chemputation» and Prof. Abigail G. Doyle, UCLA, «Enabling chemical synthesis via machine learning»
The symposium concluded with closing remarks and the Best Poster Award ceremony.
The winners of the Best Poster Award are:
Yves Grandjean, University of Bern
«RXNMapperv2: updated validation and evaluation on expanded chemical space»
Omid Mokhtari, University of Lorraine
«Dynamics-Aware Geometric Deep Learning for Protein-Protein and Protein- Ligand Binding Site Prediction»
Photos copyrights: Synganta
David Spichiger, SCS
28.10.2026
Fascinating Connections Between Chemistry, Discovery and Switzerland: a fun quiz to celebrate the SCS anniversary
To celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Swiss Chemical Society (SCS), Ferdinand Wild has created ten exciting chemistry quizzes. You can access the quiz on the website of ChemistryViews on https://www.chemistryviews.org/fascinating-connections-between-chemistry-discovery-and-switzerland/
The individual questions were published on the ChemistryViews website between September 7 and 18, 2026 and are summarized in the article collection via the link above.
From ancient pigments and alchemy to polymers, hydropower and Nobel Prize experiments, there are exciting stories and fascinating facts all connected to Switzerland and chemistry. The 10 topics of the quiz questions are:
- Ancient Blue Pigments
- From Barges to Boats
- Hydropower and History
- Who Invented Epoxy Resins?
- Cheese, Alchemy, and the First Plastics
- A Hidden Link to Switzerland
- The Experiment That Secured a Nobel Prize
- The Hunt for Gold-Makers
- Scientific Excellence and Moral Courage
- Mother’s Little Helper
I hope you enjoy the quiz questions and the discussions with your colleagues. We welcome any feedback to the SCS, Ferdinand Wild, or ChemistryViews.
David Spichiger, SCS
29.09.2026
SCS Anniversary Game Competition 2026: These are the winners!
As part of the 125th anniversary program of the Swiss Chemial Society, we established the SCS Anniversary Game Competition where participants were asked to create their own chemistry game app. The three finalist (max. 2 persons per team) are invited to the Swiss Chemistry Science Night in Bern on September 18, 2026, to present their games to the audience in a live demo. The audience will vote on the winner.
Format
From a simple 2D one-person-game offline app to a complex multi-player online game, anything was possible.
The winners of the game competition
1. Price Elementle – The daily periodic table game
Created by Stefan P. Schmid and Magdalena Lederbauer
2. Price Mystery on the Chemistry Express
Created by Yueqing Shen
3. Price Periodic Scrabble: Synthesis!
Created by Martin Schwill
Evaluation Criteria
Functionality, creativity, and surprise of the game as well as a compelling presentation scored high points.
Prize Money
The winning teams received CHF 1’000, 750 and 500.
Swiss Chemistry Science Night, Casino Bern, September 18, 2026, 17.00-23.00h
The “Swiss Chemistry Science Night” was the official event marking the 125th anniversary of the SCS and also serves to honor the 2026 SCS award winners. In addition, we looked back on our history and ahead to the next 125 years.
Céline Wittwer, SCS
25.09.2026
Review Swiss Chemistry Science Night 2026 - A Celebration of Chemical Research and the 125th Anniversary of the SCS
On September 18, 2026 the sixth Swiss Chemistry Science Night took place at Casino Bern! More than 110 award winners and invited guests followed the invitation and enjoyed the evening to celebrate excellence in chemistry. Dr. Maud Reiter, dsm-firmenich and Prof. Jeremy Luterbacher, EPFL Lausanne, guided through the evening as moderators and presented the guests and awardees in dialogue with the SCS president, Prof. Christian Bochet, in a competent and highly entertaining manner. Prof. Ed Constable, professor at the University of Basel, and Dr. Marc Cadisch, director of Spiez Laboratory, opened the evening with their welcome messages before no less than 13 winners for 10 prizes and 2 honorary members of the Swiss Chemical Society were awarded. The evening also featured the finals of the SCS Anniversary Game Competition. The three finalists presented their games before the guests voted to determine the rankings of the three winners.
The event honored the winners of the 2026 Swiss Chemical Society Awards in front of distinguished leaders from industry and academia as well as representatives from politics and was a celebration of discovery and innovation in the chemical sciences. The gala was very much appreciated by the community and provided a networking platform for industry and academic members.
Some of the award winners gave their award lecture at the SCS Fall Meeting on August 27-28, 2026.
After five years of service, Prof. Christian Bochet will step down as SCS President at the end of 2026 and was honored by David Spichiger, Director of the SCS, for his impact and achievements. Next year Dr. Yves Auberson will take over the mandate and will be the host of the 7th Swiss Chemistry Science Night.
Links
- Photos of the 6th Swiss Chemistry Science Night
- News message SCS Award Winners 2026
- SCS Partnership Program
- SCS Fall Meeting 2026
Céline Wittwer, SCS
23.09.2026
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