The 2013 Queenstown Molecular Biology Meetings in Shanghai and the 5th National Forum on New Technologies in Drug Discovery were held in Zhangjiang between March 11 and 12, 2013. This event was organized by Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Maurice Wilkins Center of New Zealand, the National Center for Drug Screening and the Chinese National Compound Library. During the course of preparation, it received support from the National Science and Technology Major Project Management Office, Biochemical Journal, Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration, Pudong Association for Science and Technology, Pudong Bioindustry Association, Pudong Engineers Association, Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica and a number of commercial sponsors. Over 300 attendants from universities, research institutes and biopharmaceutical companies were present. Of which, 1/3 were from other parts of China.

The meeting was jointly chaired by Drs. WANG Mingwei (Director of the National Center for Drug Screening) and Peter Shepherd (Professor of Maurice Wilkins Center). Drs. MA Hongjian,HUA Yutao and ZHAO Li (Deputy Director, Vice Division Chief and Program Officer of the National Science and Technology Major Project Management Office, respectively) attended this meeting, which was opened by Academician DING Jian (Director, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences). Twenty five senior scientists from USA, UK, New Zealand, Korea and China delivered lectures covering a variety of key research areas. They also made extensive exchanges with the participants during the event. Six representatives of international or domestic instrument/reagent/consumable vendors introduced various hot topics in drug discovery, ranging from new trends, new strategies, new technologies, new methods to new tools and new instruments.

Queenstown Molecular Biology Meetings are a well-known international forum with a history of 22 years, which have attracted the attendance of numerous scientists, students and entrepreneurs. This is the first time to hold such a prestigious meeting outside of New Zealand.