Twenty Researchers and Seven Experts Generate 16 New Reviews at the 10th Chemical Probes Hackathon

On 27 May 2026, the Chemical Probes Portal held its 10th Chemical Probes Hackathon as part of the Joint EUFEPS–SITELF Meeting, “Advances in Pharmaceutical Sciences”, hosted at the University of Naples CESTEV (Center for Life Sciences and Technologies).

The event brought together 20 participants, primarily PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from chemistry, biology, and related disciplines, alongside 7 expert reviewers from academia and industry. Working in small groups, participants learned how to critically evaluate chemical probes and inhibitors used in biomedical research and contributed directly to the Chemical Probes Portal’s mission of improving the quality and reproducibility of life science research.

Despite running for just half a day, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, participants reviewed compounds, discussed the strengths and weaknesses of published studies, and produced an impressive 16 new probe reviews for inclusion in the Portal.

The Hackathon began with an introduction to chemical probes and the Chemical Probes Portal, followed by collaborative review sessions in which each participant had the opportunity to present and discuss compounds with expert mentors. The reviews generated during the event will help researchers worldwide make better-informed decisions when selecting compounds for biological studies. 20260527_091950 Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Of the respondents, 95% reported that they enjoyed the event or considered it a great event, while nearly all reported that they had gained a better understanding of chemical probes. Many participants described the exercise as challenging but stimulating and highlighted the value of working directly with experts to assess the quality of compounds and the evidence supporting their use. 20260527_112625 We are particularly grateful to the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences (EUFEPS) and the Italian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences (SITELF) for hosting the Hackathon as part of their scientific meeting and for providing an excellent environment for discussion, collaboration, and networking. The Naples hospitality was also memorable: unlike some conference coffee breaks, participants were treated to coffee prepared on a real Italian espresso machine, which helped keep discussions lively throughout the morning. 20260527_113016 The Naples event demonstrates the continuing success of the Chemical Probes Hackathon format. Since the first Hackathon, these events have introduced hundreds of early-career researchers to the principles of chemical probe assessment while making a tangible contribution to the Chemical Probes Portal. The 16 reviews produced in Naples will help researchers around the world select better tools and ultimately improve the quality of biomedical research.

A huge thank you to all participants, expert reviewers, EUFEPS, SITELF, and the local organisers for making the 10th Chemical Probes Hackathon such a success.

Interested in hosting a future Hackathon? We would love to hear from academic institutions, companies, conference organisers, and student groups interested in helping researchers learn how to evaluate chemical probes and contribute reviews to the Chemical Probes Portal.

The 10th Chemical Probes Hackathon Comes to Naples