UniCamillus University is hosting the World Congress on Carnosine and Beta-Alanine (WCCB 2026) in Rome from 22nd to 24th September 2026, a global congress dedicated to research on carnosine, β-alanine and related imidazole dipeptides. These are small molecules naturally present in the body, particularly in the muscles and brain, and have long been the focus of studies on ageing, sports performance and certain chronic diseases.
The event brings back to Italy, nine years after the previous international edition, a leading scientific community from Europe, the United States, Australia, Brazil and numerous other countries. The congress marks the sixth edition of an international scientific series that began in 2000 and has continued over the years with meetings in Moscow, Ghent, Tokyo, Gabicce Mare and Louisville.
International Guest Speakers
Among the invited speakers are six scholars from leading European institutions: Jan Haavik (University of Bergen), who will discuss the role of the enzyme GADL1 in the production of β-alanine and carnosine; Arshad Majid (University of Sheffield), who will address the potential neuroprotective role of carnosine in stroke and cerebrovascular diseases; Mark Turner (Nottingham Trent University), who will present new carnosine-like molecules with potential pharmacological applications; Giancarlo Aldini (University of Milan), who will focus on the antioxidant mechanisms of carnosine; and Verena Peters and Benito Yard (Heidelberg University), who will speak respectively on therapeutic perspectives and on the vascular role of the molecule in diabetes-related complications.
They will be joined by members of the WCCB International Scientific Committee: Giuseppe Caruso, Barbora de Courten, Wim Derave, Shahid P. Baba, Craig Sale and Guilherme G. Artioli. A dedicated session will also bring research from the laboratory to the playing field, featuring Maria Luisa Cravana, nutritionist with the Performance Team of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), working primarily with the Italy Under-21 national team, who will explore the relationship between nutrition, research and athletic performance.
A platform for young researchers
The WCCB 2026 places a strong focus on the next generation of scientists, with prizes for the best posters and oral presentations, as well as the special ‘Gianni Galliano Award’ for the best oral presentation delivered by a young researcher. Travel grants are also available to support the participation of PhD students and early-career researchers.
UniCamillus at the heart of the initiative
Hosting WCCB 2026 is an important recognition of UniCamillus’s role within the international scientific community.
“A congress like this does not happen by chance: it is the natural consequence of a university that has made openness to the world part of its identity”, says Gianni Profita, Rector of UniCamillus. “Seeing scholars from Europe, the United States, Australia and Brazil come to Rome to discuss science within our university is the clearest confirmation of the path UniCamillus has chosen to follow: that of a university with a truly international outlook, creating tangible opportunities for dialogue, collaboration and growth for the scientific community and for our young researchers”.
The conference is organised under the guidance of Professor Giuseppe Caruso, a lecturer in Pharmacology at UniCamillus and a member of the WCCB International Scientific Committee, whose research focuses on the therapeutic potential of carnosine, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. On 22 September at 15:30, he will deliver a presentation on these topics.
“Today, research on carnosine and β-alanine no longer focuses solely on muscle metabolism and physical performance, but also extends to processes linked to ageing, neuroprotection, and metabolic and cardiovascular health”, emphasises Professor Giuseppe Caruso. “WCCB 2026 aims to foster dialogue between basic, translational and clinical research, distinguishing between established evidence and areas that still require further investigation, while promoting new international collaborations. The challenge in the coming years will be to transform our growing understanding of the biological mechanisms of these molecules into concrete, scientifically validated applications for human health”.
Three days, one goal: transforming research into innovation
The programme is structured around three thematic sessions: biological and chemical mechanisms (22nd September), production, applications and industrial perspectives (23rd September), and the behaviour of these molecules in the body and cardiovascular health (24th September).
The conference will take place at the UniCamillus campus at Via di Sant’Alessandro 8, Rome, in line with the University’s international outlook, where 22% of students come from abroad. The event will bring researchers from different countries to the University, fostering new opportunities for networking and collaboration among lecturers, researchers and early-career scientists.
The organising committee brings together numerous UniCamillus lecturers and researchers, including Barbara Tavazzi, Francesca Klinger, Matteo Guzzini, Stefano Palermi, Giacomo Lazzarino, Lucia Buccarello, Sabina Di Matteo, Renata Mangione and Alessio Ardizzone, together with Giuseppe Carota and Lucia Di Pietro from the University of Catania, Giuseppe Caruso (Pharma R&D – Life Sciences Consultant) and Vincenzo Cardaci from CRA Mirabilis.
The conference is ECM accredited and awards 20 CME credits, as a 20-hour residential programme, for physicians, chemists, pharmacists, biologists and nurses.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Save the Children.
Full programme and information: www.wccb2026.com