In December 2025, ICC Belfast welcomed the British Pharmacological Society (BPS) for Pharmacology 2025, its flagship annual conference bringing together the global pharmacology community.
Hosted in partnership with the Irish Association of Pharmacologists (IAP), the event united researchers, clinicians, industry leaders and regulators from across the UK, Republic of Ireland and beyond, under the theme “Today’s Science, Tomorrow’s Medicines.”
Over three days, 785 delegates from 56 countries gathered in Belfast to share knowledge, showcase research and explore the future of pharmacology through a comprehensive programme of keynote lectures, symposia, poster presentations and networking events.
- Attendees
- 785
- Event Type
- Conference and exhibition
- Space Used
- Riverside foyer, Main Auditorium, Hall 1, Hall 2, Studio
Supporting the British Pharmacological Society’s mission
Pharmacology 2025 was designed to advance the British Pharmacological Society’s purpose of promoting and advancing pharmacology for the benefit of patients and society. The programme reflected this ambition, featuring 40 sessions, 115 speakers and 277 poster presentations, alongside specialist workshops such as a Publishing Bootcamp, discussions on careers in academia, and the launch of the updated BPS clinical pharmacology curriculum. ICC Belfast’s location, both within the UK and on the Island of Ireland, also offered the unique opportunity for both the British and Irish pharmacology societies to come together to showcase their research.
Monica de Gaetano, President, Irish Association of Pharmacologists, said:
“ICC Belfast provided the ideal setting to bring together the Irish Pharmacology institutions, allowing us to showcase the strength of Irish research and education to colleagues from the British Pharmacological Society.”
Key moments included the Sir James Black Award for Drug Discovery of the Year, high-profile keynote lectures and sessions focused on emerging innovations, clinical impact and the role of pharmacology in addressing global challenges.
Beyond the core conference sessions, Pharmacology 2025 offered a vibrant social programme that strengthened connections across the community. Events included a students and early-career reception in the adjoining Hilton No.4 Bar, and a welcome reception held in Hall 1 at ICC Belfast, providing memorable settings for networking, collaboration and celebration.
Championing environmentally sustainable conferencing
Hosting Pharmacology 2025 in Belfast reinforced the city’s growing reputation as a hub for research, education and sustainable events. Building on insights gained from measuring the event’s carbon footprint in 2024 using TRACE by Isla, the BPS worked closely with ICC Belfast, Visit Belfast and suppliers to further reduce environmental impact in 2025.
Isabel Brinsden, Head of Events and Partnerships, BPS commented,
One of the things we are doing this year, which the ICC Belfast team has helped us with, has been creating a delegate travel data form so we can get accurate travel information. We know there is more that we can do but it’s small steps and hopefully we will see improvements long term.
Practical sustainability initiatives included:
- Plastic-free badges and recycled lanyards, with reuse encouraged
- A digital-only programme via website and mobile app
- Exhibition graphics recycled from previous events
- Green Tourism-certified conference hotels
- Encouraging public transport use and introducing a minibus bursary to reduce flights
- Catering free from beef and lamb, with increased plant-based options, including one fully plant-based day
Any suitable leftover food was redistributed through ICC Belfast’s partnership with The People’s Kitchen Belfast, ensuring positive social impact beyond the conference itself.
A venue designed for scientific exchange
Pharmacology 2025 demonstrated how a large-scale international scientific conference can deliver academic excellence, meaningful collaboration and measurable sustainability outcomes.
Jennifer Yau, Head of Association Sales, ICC Belfast said,
"An event like Pharmacology 2025 means a lot to ICC Belfast. It's not just about us opening our doors, we want to become a hub for organisers to come together and share unique ideas, collaborate and build upon existing networks."
From our in-house production team to our ISO accredited hospitality partners, we essentially want to become an extension of your team to make it the best event experience possible.
ICC Belfast’s flexible, purpose-built spaces allowed Pharmacology 2025 to operate seamlessly at scale.
The Main Auditorium served as the focal point of the conference, hosting keynote lectures, prize presentations and plenary sessions that brought the full delegate audience together. Hall 1 was transformed into a central hub for the conference, housing the main exhibition, poster presentations and networking areas. This space enabled exhibitors, sponsors and poster presenters to engage with delegates throughout the event. Halls 2A and 2B were configured to host parallel scientific sessions and themed symposia, allowing the programme to run multiple specialist streams simultaneously. The Studio offered a dedicated environment for emerging research, specialist content and interactive discussions. The more intimate environment supported deeper audience interaction, Q&A sessions and focused debate, complementing the larger plenary sessions elsewhere in the venue.
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