Université Paris Cité in the spotlight for the 75th edition of the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings

For the 2026 edition, three young talents from Université Paris Cité have been selected to take part in the prestigious Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings in Lindau, Germany. This is a unique opportunity for Federica Namor, Marie Robert and Luca Ferrini to engage with leading figures in global science, made possible thanks to the support of Université Paris Cité’s SMARTS-UP Graduate Schools program.

Since 1951, the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings have offered a unique annual forum by fostering exchanges between scientists from different generations, cultures and disciplines. From June 28 to July 3, 2026, more than 70 Nobel laureates and over 600 young scientists from around the world will gather to help shape the future of science together.

“It is an exceptional and unique opportunity to meet these individuals who, through their work, have contributed to scientific progress and the advancement of knowledge,” says Marie Robert, a recent PhD graduate from Université Paris Cité.

A unique opportunity for young scientists

This year, three young researchers from Université Paris Cité were selected following a call for applications launched by Udice, the network of France’s most research-intensive universities, which coordinated a national recruitment campaign. Their selection reflects the excellence and vitality of the research carried out in our laboratories:

• Federica Namor, a PhD candidate at the Saint-Louis Research Institute (IRSL — Université Paris Cité/Inserm) in Dr Lina Benajiba’s team. Her research focuses on identifying new therapeutic targets in acute myeloid leukemia.
• Marie Robert, a recent PhD graduate from the Inflammation Research Center (CRI — Université Paris Cité/Inserm/CNRS/AP-HP) and the Institut Pasteur (Translational Immunology — Institut Pasteur/Université Paris Cité), who defended her thesis in December 2025 and is also a medical resident at AP-HP. Her work aims to study the role of the immune system in diseases such as sarcoidosis and tuberculosis, improve their diagnosis, and develop innovative treatments.
• Luca Ferrini, a recent PhD graduate from the Population and Development Center (CEPED — Université Paris Cité/Université Sorbonne Paris Nord/IRD/Inserm), who defended his thesis in October 2025. His sociological research examines the deconstruction of the political discourse surrounding European military intervention in Mali and Niger from 2013 to 2022.

The 2026 edition highlights interdisciplinarity and encourages dialogue across fields such as medicine, physics and chemistry. The various sessions, lectures, discussions, workshops and round tables are designed to stimulate the sharing of knowledge, ideas and experience in an enriching and dynamic environment for both Nobel laureates and young scientists.

“As a young researcher with a firmly European perspective and ten years of field experience in Africa, I would like to use this opportunity to explore concrete examples illustrating how social balances emerge and shape the potential for peace,” says Luca Ferrini.

Meeting Nobel laureates from around the world

“If I could spend time with each and every one of them, it would be a joy!” says Marie Robert.

For these young researchers, the Lindau Meetings are not just a conference; they are also a space for transmission and exchange. The program includes meetings, small-group discussions and informal moments of conversation with Nobel laureates.

“I am particularly interested in meeting Katalin Karikó, the Hungarian scientist who received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the development of mRNA vaccines, which underpin COVID vaccines. I would be curious to hear her views on how the role of women in research is evolving, given that among the 72 Nobel laureates attending the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, only 4 are women,” says Federica Namor.