Dear Colleague,
Molecular plant protection has entered a decisive era in which biology, regulation, technology, and entrepreneurship no longer advance in parallel, but converge into a single transformative force. Over the past two decades, advances in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, gene editing, RNA interference, peptide science, and microbial and symbiont engineering have fundamentally reshaped entomology, plant pathology, and weed science. These tools no longer merely describe biological systems; they actively direct molecular outcomes in agriculture. Sustainability, once an aspiration, is now emerging as a measurable and testable biological architecture.
Within this global transformation, the International Molecular Plant Protection Congress (IMPPC) series has evolved into one of the world’s leading platforms shaping the molecular future of plant protection.
IMPPC2019 (Adana) marked the first global declaration of molecular plant protection as a standalone scientific discipline, bringing together 42 keynote speakers and pioneering discussions.
IMPPC2023 (Bursa) expanded this vision with 87 keynote speakers and 41 participating companies and was defined by the Opening Lecture of Prof. Craig C. Mello, whose co-discovery of RNA interference directly connected fundamental biology to modern RNAi-based agricultural technologies.
Building on this accelerating legacy, IMPPC2027 will take place on May 23–27, 2027, at the Limak Limra Hotel in Antalya, Türkiye. The congress is co-organized by Ankara University and leading institutions of the Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, including the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies, the General Directorate of Food and Control, and the Department of Training and Publication.
IMPPC2027 will convene more than 100 keynote and invited speakers, together with senior regulators, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, forming one of the most comprehensive global gatherings ever assembled in molecular plant protection. Bringing together international experts in molecular entomology, molecular plant pathology, and molecular weed science, the congress serves as a unique platform where science, innovation, regulation, and implementation converge under the theme:
One Wor(l)d: Sustainability
The scientific foundation of the congress is strengthened by the participation of three Nobel Laureates whose work transformed modern molecular biology:
• Prof. Brian Kobilka (2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry) – pioneer of GPCR structure and function, with broad relevance to receptor-targeted molecular systems and peptide-based innovation.
• Prof. Craig C. Mello (2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine) – co-discoverer of RNA interference and the foundational science underlying RNAi-based crop protection.
• Prof. Martin Chalfie (2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry) – pioneer in the use of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) as a biological marker, transforming molecular visualization and diagnostics.
A flagship feature of IMPPC2027, the Molecular Futures Summit is a selective executive-level forum bringing together Nobel Laureates, CEOs, senior R&D and business leaders, innovators, and global agricultural decision-makers to address one defining question: What will the future architecture of plant protection look like over the coming decades?
The inaugural Summit will feature two complementary flagship discussions representing the major molecular technology families shaping the future of crop protection: The Future of Nucleic Acid Technologies in Plant Protection, encompassing RNAi and other gene-silencing approaches, gene editing, and related RNA- and DNA-based platforms; and The Future of Protein-Based Technologies in Plant Protection, encompassing proteins, peptides, enzymes, toxins, and receptor-targeted molecular systems.
Moderated respectively by Nobel Laureates Prof. Craig C. Mello and Prof. Brian Kobilka, these sessions will move beyond explaining how individual technologies work. Instead, they will examine the strategic questions that will determine whether molecular innovations become mainstream agricultural platforms, including commercialization, farmer adoption, manufacturing, scalability, investment, strategic partnerships, regulation, market integration, and long-term industry transformation.
Designed as live executive dialogues rather than conventional scientific sessions or formal company presentations, the Summit will connect scientific vision with commercial realities and explore how the convergence of multiple molecular platforms may redefine the future of global crop protection.
The IMPPC2027 scientific program spans RNAi- and peptide-based biopesticides, microbial and symbiont-based technologies, enzyme platforms, resistance management, molecular diagnostics, biotechnology, and regulatory science. Together, these areas define key elements of the emerging molecular architecture of sustainable plant protection and embody the congress vision of One Wor(l)d: Sustainability.
At the core of IMPPC2027 lies the Global Regulatory Roundtable on Next-Generation Biopesticides, a high-level forum designed to bring together regulatory authorities, scientific leaders, and industry decision-makers to discuss the future evaluation and harmonization of RNAi-, peptide-, and microbial-based technologies.
Moderated by Prof. Russell L. Groves (University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA) and Dr. Achim Gathmann (Regulatory Expert; formerly BVL, Germany), the Roundtable will bring together representatives of major regulatory authorities, including DG SANTE of the European Commission, MAPA of Brazil, MARA of China, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye, alongside IBMA and global industry partners.
Discussions will focus on regulatory frameworks, environmental risk assessment, non-target testing, resistance management, and the convergence of international evaluation systems. The Roundtable aims to strengthen dialogue between science, regulation, and implementation while contributing to the future governance of next-generation biological crop protection technologies.
Complementing the scientific and regulatory dimensions of the congress, Innovation Street returns as a flagship event curated and moderated by Dr. Pam Marrone, one of the most influential pioneers in the global biologicals industry.
Innovation Street will feature Andrey Zarur, Co-Founder, President and CEO of GreenLight Biosciences, in a candid conversation tracing the journey from scientific discovery to global deployment. Through discussions on entrepreneurship, fundraising, regulatory navigation, commercialization, and technology adoption, participants will gain unique insights into the realities of translating molecular innovation into real-world agricultural solutions.
IMPPC2027 is not merely a scientific meeting. It is a strategic global platform where discovery, regulation, entrepreneurship, and societal responsibility converge. Supported by leading scientific societies and international partners across entomology, plant pathology, weed science, biological control, molecular biology, and crop protection, the congress brings together a global ecosystem committed to redefining plant protection through molecular precision.
At IMPPC2027, One Wor(l)d: Sustainability becomes more than a theme. It becomes a shared commitment to advancing agricultural innovation, environmental stewardship, and global food security.
We look forward to welcoming you to Antalya for a congress that will not only showcase the future of molecular plant protection, but help define it.
Warm regards,
Early Registration Deadline: February 15, 2027
May 23–27, 2027
Limak Limra Hotel
3RD INTERNATIONAL MOLECULAR PLANT PROTECTION CONGRESS
Warm Hospitality and Excellent Service
