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Conference June 25-27, 2026, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway

under the INDO-NORWEGIAN project "Sustainable Synthesis of Drug Targets, Machine Learning, Chemoenzymatic Resolution and Advancing Tech-transfer Chemical Education in India and Norway" funded by HK-dir (Norway-INCP2) and University Grants Commision (USG, India).

As of early 2026, the state-of-the-art in sustainable pharmaceutical synthesis is defined by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), biocatalysis, and continuous manufacturing to create "Safe and Sustainable by Design" (SSbD) processes. The focus has shifted from mere waste reduction to a circular economy approach that minimizes environmental impact from drug discovery through to production, driven by regulatory pressure and the need for improved efficiency. 

Based on the 2016 WHO report on the major causes of death, the top two killers in the world are 'Ischemic Heart Diseases (IHD) and stroke'. In other words, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world, an estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2016, representing 31% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% are due to heart attack and stroke. Hypertension is a major contributor to cardiovascular diseases, being responsible for at least 45% of deaths due to heart diseases. The WHO estimates that by 2030, the death toll due to cardiovascular diseases will rise to around 24 million. 

The outreach activity aims to increase the awareness for the topic and encourage others to join the project activities. The conference will be held in Auditorium R5 at NTNU Gløshaugen, and is free to join for students and faculty.

ACS Report on Greening The Pharmaceutical Industry Open to Public

Programme

Programme for the Sustainable Drug Synthesis-State of the art conference 2026

Specially Invited Plenary Lecturers (download abstracts by clicking on the photos)

Professor Sergio Riva Research Executive, Instituto de Scienze e Technologie Chimiche Giulio Natta, Milano, Italy
Lecture title: "Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of pharmaceuticals: examples from a forty years research activity"

Professor Jennifer Littlechild University of Exeter, Exeter, UK

Professor Debayan Sarkar IIT, Indore, India
Lecture title: "Precision Dearomatisation With Arene – π- Tribromide Complex and Visible Light Catalysis"

CEO Dr. Wei Zhu Syncozymes Co, LTD, Shanghai, China

Professor Armando Cordova Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden
Lecture title: Heterogeneous catalysis and selective programming of polysaccharides.

Professor Marcelo Christianini State University of Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Lecture title:  "High-Pressure Processing: A Gentle Strategy for Tailoring Polymer Functionality and Extracting Sensitive Bioactives"

Senior R&D Director Huiling Liu Chiron AS, Trondheim, Norway
Lecture title: "Synthesis of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)"

CSO Susanta Samajdar Aurigene Oncology, India
Lecture title: Discovery and Development of Proximity Inducing Agents: Aurigene Oncology´s Contribution to Neo-PPI Driven Pharmacology

Scientific Committee

Elisabeth Jacobsen, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway Treasurer of European Society of Applied Biocatalysis (ESAB)
Debayan Sarkar Department of Chemistry, IIT, Indore, India
Roland Wohlgemuth, Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland President of ESAB
Jennifer Littlechild University of Exeter, Exeter, UK Vice President of ESAB

Local Organising Committee

Elisabeth Jacobsen Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Science (IKB), NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
Morten Andre Gundersen Department of Chemical engineering, NTNU (IKP), Trondheim, Norway
Mathilde Herring Aanerud, IKB, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
Christina Glenna Pettersen, IKB, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
Ivar Skogvik, IKB, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
Truls Rossbach Hammer, IKB, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
Alexandre Murat, IKB, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
Kristofer Gunnar Paso, IKP, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway

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