Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s 21st Annual
Difficult-to-Express Proteins
May 11-12, 2026
Recombinant protein expression may not always get into the spotlight, but it underpins nearly every advance in protein science and biotherapeutic discovery. For many targets, the hardest work begins before structural analysis or functional studies can even start—expressing the desired protein. Complex folding, host toxicity, and purification barriers make difficult-to-express proteins (DTEPs) a persistent bottleneck. Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s 21st annual Difficult-to-Express Proteins conference highlights innovative strategies, tools, and technologies that enable researchers to overcome these obstacles, accelerate discovery, and advance the development of novel biotherapies.
Coverage will include, but is not limited to:
Expression Optimization and Yield Enhancement
- High-yield strategies: codon optimization, chaperone co-expression, secretion tags, and expression tuning
- Subcellular targeting: optimizing expression in cytoplasm, periplasm, or secretory pathways to enhance solubility and folding
- Misfolding and aggregation: mechanistic insights and interventions to reduce misfolding, aggregation, and inclusion body formation
Protein Classes with Intrinsic Challenges
- Membrane proteins: expression of GPCRs, ion channels, and transporters using bacterial, insect, and mammalian hosts; solubilization and stabilization strategies
- Enzymes: overcoming auto-proteolysis, activity-related toxicity, and folding barriers in caspases, proteases, and kinases
- Disulfide-rich proteins: improving oxidative folding, engineering redox conditions, and leveraging specialized host strains
- Designer proteins: recombinant production of engineered scaffolds, synthetic binding proteins, and non-natural protein architectures
Engineering and Purification Strategies
- Fusion tags and partners: MBP, GST, SUMO, and other fusions to enhance solubility and streamline purification
- Advanced purification: affinity capture, orthogonal purification schemes, and strategies to preserve structural integrity and activity
Technological Advances and Applications
- Emerging platforms: cell-free systems, high-throughput microfluidics, synthetic biology-based expression hosts
- Case studies: applied examples of successful expression and purification of previously intractable targets
The deadline for priority consideration is October 31, 2025.
All proposals are subject to review by session chairpersons and/or the Scientific Advisory Committee to ensure the overall quality of the conference program. Additionally, as per Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s policy, a select number of vendors and consultants who provide products and services will be offered opportunities for podium presentation slots based on a variety of Corporate Sponsorships.
Opportunities for Participation: