Research Fellow of the UP at the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
Donát Alpár, Research Fellow of the University of Pécs in Cancer genetics won the opportunity to meet Nobel Prize winners at a week-long event in Germany.
He was selected from thousands of applicants as one of the 600 young researchers World-wide given the opportunity to participate in the 64th Lindau Meeting dedicated to 'Physiology or Medicine'.
The event gave researchers the chance to meet with 37 Nobel Laureates and discuss relevant topics related to global health, also including cancer and AIDS research, novel challenges in immunology and future approaches to personalized medicine.
"It is hard to put into words the atmosphere at the event. It was absolutely amazing and I can honestly say that it was the most memorable scientific event of my life. The Nobel Laureates were all really friendly and completely approachable throughout the meeting. The lectures were thoroughly enjoyable - even those on topics I was not particularly familiar with. Besides the historical stories, many Laureates presented recently published or unpublished data." said Donát about his experiences at the meeting.
“At the opening ceremony Professor Johanna Wanka, the Federal Minister of Education and Research, Germany, welcomed the Laureates and attendees; Professor Hans Rosling from the Karolinska Institutet gave a very spectacular, TED-style interactive lecture on Global Health issues and astronaut Alexander Gerst, participant of a previous Lindau Meeting sent us his greetings from the Columbus module of the International Space Station, 400km above the Earth. He wore his old Lindau Meeting badge which looked exactly like ours in the conference hall.”
Over the course of the week, Donát attended the presentations of the Nobel Laureates, took part in discussion sessions, participated in master classes and seminars, and went to academic dinners.
On the last day, a boat took the Laureates, attendees and special guests over the Bodensee to the Mainau Island for the last open-air panel discussion session on ‘Science for the Benefit of Mankind’ and closing ceremony.