The CSCB Symposium- ‘Recent Advances in Synthesis and Chemical Biology XVII’ took place on Friday 7th of December in RSCI. Brilliant talks were delivered by Professor Jonathan Nitschke (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom), Professor Chris Braddock (Imperial College London, United Kingdom), Professor Kevin Booker-Milburn (University of Bristol, United Kingdom), Professor Ed Tate (Imperial College London, United Kingdom) and Professor Helma Wennemers (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) . Well done to all the group members who presented posters, and congratulations to the attending PhD students who won poster prizes. Thanks to all involved in the organisation of the day.