Special initiatives
Finja König. Photo: private.
When we speak, Finja König has already begun her journey by train to Lindau, an island in Lake Constance in Germany. Meetings between Nobel Laureates and early-career researchers have been held here every summer since 1951. But when Finja König first heard about this year’s meeting, she wondered whether it was even worth submitting an application.
“Information had been circulated by email at my department, and a few years ago another PhD student from here attended the meeting. She told me how fantastic it had been. I asked my professor, who encouraged me to apply, even though we realised that competition for the places would probably be very strong. I’m delighted that I was given the opportunity.”
Interdisciplinary focus
The fact that this is also an anniversary year with an interdisciplinary focus makes the meeting particularly appealing to Finja König. Her research focuses on a protein in the respiratory chain of certain bacteria. It is pure basic research, but as she is based at the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, she has a broad interest in science.
“I find physics really exciting as well, and I’m looking forward to meeting researchers from many different fields and hearing how they view their work. From what I understand, several of the panel discussions will also address the role of science in society more broadly. It will be fascinating to hear leading researchers’ perspectives on these issues,” she says.
Exciting to hear
Among the participating Nobel Laureates, there is one she is particularly looking forward to hearing – and perhaps even having the opportunity to speak with: John Jumper, who received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He was awarded the prize for developing the AI model AlphaFold, which can be used to predict protein structures.
“AlphaFold is something we use every day, and it has really changed the way we work. It will be very exciting to hear about his experiences of AI technology and developments in the field.”
Text from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting
For 75 years, Nobel Laureates and young researchers have come together at meetings in Lindau. This year’s meeting, held from 28 June to 3 July, brings together all the scientific disciplines represented by a Nobel Prize or the Prize in Economic Sciences: physics, chemistry, medicine and economic sciences. The Swedish participants are Pablo Martínez Crespo, Chalmers University of Technology; Efthalia Preka, Karolinska Institutet; Mark Rambaran, Lund University; Pol De La Cruz Sanchez, Stockholm University; Allan Zhao, Karolinska Institutet; Mark Chernyshev, Uppsala University; Muyi Zhang, Linköping University; and Finja König, Stockholm University.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (the Academy) nominates students, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers aged 35 or younger for consideration. The Lindau Review Panel makes the final selection. The foundation provides funding for the Swedish participants.
Read more about the history of the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings.
