The University of Almería has been selected as the host for XII REQOMED’26, a congress celebrating its twelfth edition and established as a premier forum for organic chemists and scientists in related research fields from across the Mediterranean region. The event, held every two years, commenced on Monday and will run until Wednesday with an intensive scientific program.
Rector José J. Céspedes welcomed the more than one hundred experts from the Mediterranean basin and other European countries gathered on campus. He was joined by Antonio Vargas, president of the organizing committee and Professor of Organic Chemistry at the UAL, and Ángela Sastre, who presided over the previous congress at the University of Elche in 2024. The meeting's objective is to create a space for the presentation and discussion of cutting-edge research, bridging specialized international and regional knowledge.
The congress covers theoretical and practical aspects of organic chemistry, including organic synthesis, catalysis, supramolecular chemistry, drug design and discovery, functional materials, photochemistry, natural products, and biological chemistry. Antonio Vargas highlighted that organic chemistry is dedicated to "building molecules" and, consequently, "materials," emphasizing that all societal advancements have involved chemistry, from biomedical development with pharmacologically active molecules to nanomaterials for solar energy or infrastructure construction.
The research shared among specialists during these three days at the UAL will result in an online publication accessible to everyone. The scientific program is designed to foster collaboration between established experts and young researchers, featuring nearly twenty lectures, six plenary sessions, and twelve invited talks, in addition to oral presentations and poster sessions. The aim is to facilitate dynamic scientific exchange and professional networking.
Vargas noted that most speakers come from scientific institutions, universities, or research centers in the Mediterranean, although there are also plenary speakers from other European countries. He praised the "international prestige" of the plenary speakers and the comprehensive "representation of organic chemistry" in the region through the twelve invited speakers. A total of 33 oral communications, five flash communications, and approximately 30 poster presentations have been submitted, with a focus on oral communication to encourage debate and interaction among participants.
The organization of the congress, which rotates among Mediterranean institutions, falls this year to the University of Almería due to the quality of its organic chemistry research groups, recognized for the quantity and quality of their publications and the international training of their scientists. All information is available at https://www.reqomed26.es/.
