The hallmark of living organisms is their responsiveness to the environment. Key processes of life such as cell growth, cell differentiation and cell death require a carefully balanced regulation, media-ted by an intricate network of interacting biomolecules. At molecular level regulatory biomolecules interact with other biomolecules as a means of communication in order to transmit signals. Molecular signaling is the subject of the 2nd Sino-German Symposium on Chemical Biology. Molecular signaling in this symposium refers to two topics, signaling or analysis of signaling i) by small molecules that are binders or substrates of biomolecules to sense or modify biomolecule activity and ii) by modification of biomolecules such as conferred by the attachment or detachment of phosphate, sugar or lipid groups, or by conformational reorganization.

Typical questions in the field are: Which chemical methods allow the most efficient coverage of che-mical space for modulating biomolecular signaling? How can molecular signaling and cellular trans-port be detected or visualized in vitro and in vivo? Which methods allow rapid access to post-translationally modified proteins and which modifications are suited to probe biomolecular signaling?

The 2nd Sino-German Symposium on Chemical Biology will provide a platform to share insight into the newest methodology. The exposure to complementary expertise will allow for the identification of partners, which will strengthen and intensify Chemical Biology in the two countries.