Talking medicine with Nobel laureates

This year, 15 young Australian medical researchers will take part in the 64th Lindau Nobel Laureates Meeting in Germany, which is dedicated to medicine this year.

The event brings together 600 students, doctoral students and postdocs from 80 different countries to meet with 37 Nobel laureates in physiology and medicine. A select number of participants will present and discuss their research in a master class hosted by a Nobel laureate.

The main focus of the lectures, panel discussions and masterclasses will be molecular, genetic and cellular mechanisms and their relevance to the prevention and treatment of disease.

The 15 Australian representatives went through a rigorous selection process put forward by the Australian Academy of Science. Overall, 20,000 researchers applied worldwide.

“Australia is still quite isolated, which makes international networking opportunities like this crucial for young researchers to establish relationships that carry through their careers,” said Academy President Professor Andrew Holmes.

Australia will host the International Day at the meeting this year, which will showcase Australian science, education and culture, including the serving of wines made by Australian scientists and a performance by Australian classical musicians.

Federal Trade Minister Andrew Robb and Australian Nobel Prize winners Professor Brian Schmidt, Professor Elizabeth Blackburn and Professor Barry Marshall will participate in the event.

There will also be a panel discussion on women in science hosted by Adam Spencer, the University of Sydney’s Mathematics and Science Ambassador, and involving the immediate past president of the academy, Professor Suzanne Cory. This year is the first time in the history of the meetings, which have been held annually since 1951, that the percentage of women participating is higher than men (52 to 48%).

A full list of the Australian researchers attending the meeting can be found here.