Jesús Angulo studied Chemistry at the University of Seville (Spain), obtaining his PhD in Chemical Sciences in December 2002, working on 3D structures and dynamics of oligosaccharide models of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) by NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. After three years as a postdoctoral researcher in the group of Prof. Thomas Peters at the University of Lübeck, Germany, he returned to Seville (CSIC) in 2006 as a "Juan de la Cierva" postdoctoral researcher, and from 2008 to 2013 as a prestigious "Ramón y Cajal" research fellow. In August 2013 he created his first independent research group at the School of Pharmacy of the University of East Anglia (Norwich, UK) starting as Research Fellow, and being promoted to Lecturer in 2016 and Associate Professor in 2017. In 2020 he returned to Spain, taking up a prestigious contract as a Beatriz Galindo Distinguished Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Organic Chemistry at the University of Seville. In December 2021 he took up a position at the Spanish National Research Council (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC) in the scale of “Investigador Científico – CSIC” (Group Leader) at the Institute for Chemical Research, in Seville. Dr Angulo's laboratory focuses his research interests on the structure, dynamics, and interactions of biologically active molecules. His research is based on the use of advanced ligand-based NMR spectroscopy and computational techniques, and recently his research group has contributed with new advances in STD NMR spectroscopy to characterise the interactions of small molecules and macromolecular receptors (spin-STD NMR, DEEP-STD NMR) with high relevance for drug discovery. He is currently Scientific Director of the Biomolecular Interactions Platform at CSIC, and Presidend of the Specialised Group of NMR Spectroscopy of the Spanish Royal Society of Chemistry.

Irene Díaz-Moreno (Spain) is Full Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Institute of Chemical Research of the Scientific Research Centre Isla de la Cartuja – cicCartuja, in Seville. She was awarded her PhD by the University of Seville with International mention, and was an EMBO postdoctoral fellow (2006–2008) at the NIMR-MRC in London (UK), working on the regulatory mechanisms of mRNA decay by RNA-binding proteins. In 2010, she got a permanent position at the University of Seville, where she is developing research projects in the biointeractomics field, as well as on the post-translational regulation of biological macromolecules in the crosstalk between the nucleus and mitochondria in human disease. She has served as Chair of the 'FEBS Committee on the Careers of Young Scientists' since the start of 2018, and is Vice-Chair of Evaluation Panels for MSCA Actions (H2020 and Horizon Europe) in the Life Sciences Panel. She is VicePresident of the Spanish Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Society and Editor-in-Chief of BioFactors, an IUBMB journal.

Carmen Ortiz Mellet studied Chemistry at the University of Seville, where she received her doctorate in 1984 in the field of glycoconjugate synthesis and pursued postdoctoral training with Prof. Jacques Defaye at the Center for Nuclear Studies in Grenoble, France, where she acquired skills in supramolecular chemistry and synthesis of bioactive complex oligosaccharides. Upon her return to the University of Seville, she assumed the direction of the Group of Bioorganic Chemistry of Carbohydrates, being promoted to Full Professor of Organic Chemistry in 2009. She has been Visiting Professor at the École Normale Supérieure de Cachan (Paris-Saclay University), at the University of Picardie in France and at the University of Hokkaido in Japan. Her field of work and the research lines of her group revolve around the general theme "Carbohydrates for health and well-being" with a clear focus on the development of new therapies, both for orphan diseases and global health problems. The ongoing projects centre in the application of the “chemical mimic” concept to the design of glycoconjugate mimetics as drug candidates or diagnostic probes for metabolic diseases (lysosomal storage disorders), age-related diseases (Alzheimer disease), cancer (tumor-associated carbohydrate mimetics) and immunomodulation (adjuvants, lectin ligands and anti-inflammatory compounds). She has been awarded the “Premio Fama” for her research career and the “Knowledge Transfer Award” of the University of Seville in the area of Natural Sciences.

Pedro M. Nieto Mesa holds a Ph.D. (extraordinary doctorate award) in Supramolecular Chemistry from UAM (1994) and conducted post-doctoral research at the National Institute for Medical Research, specializing in multidimensional protein NMR. In 1997, he joined the Carbohydrates Group in Seville, assuming the leadership of the structural studies of biologically relevant carbohydrates by NMR and molecular modelling; and their interaction with biologically relevant proteins.

Securing a Ramón y Cajal contract in 2001 marked Dr. Nieto's transition to independent researcher. By 2002, he became Research Scientist, and established the Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) team at the Glycosystems Laboratory. He promotes to Senior Researcher in 2010. Dr. Nieto has consistently secured funding for projects involving the 3D structure of carbohydrates and their interactions with proteins via NMR and calculations. His studies include GAGs (heparin, CS, HA) and their interactions with Growth factors (FGF-1, langerin, midkine, pleitrophine), as well as the 3D structure of mannosides and their interaction with DC-SIGN and langerin, and other collaborations.

From 2000 to 2012, Dr. Nieto supervised the NMR Laboratory at the IIQ. In 2012, he assumed the role of Scientific Supervisor of the Biomolecular Interaction Platform at cicCartuja, overseeing its design, funding acquisition, and startup until 2021.

Beyond his research endeavors, Dr. Nieto has played pivotal roles in the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSEQ), serving as Vice President (2012-2021), Secretary (2008–2012), and Board Member (2004–2008) of the Specialized NMR Group (GERMN). Since 2012, he has contributed as a Board Member for the West Andalucía Section.

Biographical sketch Elena M. Sánchez Fernández
Elena M. Sánchez-Fernández received her PhD degree at the University of Granada (Spain). Then she moved to the Institute for Chemical Research (IIQ, Seville) funded with a postdoctoral contract from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). In 2010 she got a Marie Curie Fellowship at the Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford (UK). In 2013 she was granted with a four-year postdoctoral Marie Curie Reintegration Grant Fellow (CIG) to join the University of Seville, where she promoted to Lecturer in 2019. Her main interests focus on the synthesis of glycodrugs and their applications in therapies for cancer, infection and inflammation.