Overview
The 25th FEBS Young Scientists’ Forum (YSF 2026) will commence on Thursday, 2nd July 2026, in Wageningen, starting with an opening lecture and welcome cocktail. The scientific programme will cover diverse scientific topics, with talks from renowned keynote speakers and opportunities for participants to showcase their own work through oral presentations and posters. In addition, the ‘Career Skills’ sessions will provide advice on core competencies, soft skills, and career options. Throughout the YSF, participants will have many opportunities to grow their international connections and engage in discussions with peers and senior scientists, and show their own work. On Saturday, 4th July 2026, we will transfer to Maastricht, ready for the start of the FEBS Congress!
Keynote lectures will feature Luca Scorrano (University of Padova, Italy) on mitochondrial pathophysiology; Joanna Sułkowska (University of Warsaw, Poland) on structural biology and biological systems modelling; Tom de Greef (TU Eindhoven, Netherlands) on synthetic biology strategies for DNA-based data storage; and Philippe Glaser (Institut Pasteur, France) on the evolution of antibiotic resistance. Career speakers will include Alain van Gool (Radboud University Medical Center, Netherlands) on choosing your career path; Jana Christopher (FEBS Press, Germany) on publishing integrity and the impact of generative AI; Keith Elliott (University of Manchester, UK) on CV preparation; and Jason Perret (Free University of Brussels, Belgium) on good scientific practice.
Find introductions to YSF speakers here.
Preliminary Schedule*
| Thursday 2 July 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 15:30 – 18:00 | Arrival and Registration | |
| 18:00 – 18:30 | Opening Remarks | |
| 18:30 – 19:15 | Opening Lecture | |
| 19:30 | Welcome Reception | |
| Friday 3 July 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 08:30 – 09:15 | Keynote lecture | |
| 09:15 – 10:30 | Short talks 1 | |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Coffee Break | |
| 11:00 – 11:30 | Career session 1 | |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Career session 2 | |
| 12:00 – 12:30 | Career session 3 | |
| 12:30 – 14:00 | Lunch Break | |
| 14:00 – 14:45 | Keynote lecture | |
| 14:45 – 16:00 | Short talks 2 | |
| 16:00 – 18:30 | Poster Party | |
| 19:00 | Social programme and dinner | |
| Saturday 4 July 2026 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 09:00 – 09:40 | Career session 4 | |
| 09:40 – 10:15 | Career session 5 | |
| 10:15 – 10:45 | Coffee Break | |
| 10:45 – 11:30 | Closing lecture | |
| 11:30 – 12:00 | Closing Remarks & Prizes | |
| 12:30 | Transfer to Maastricht (lunch in transit) | |
Prizes at the YSF 2026
YSF prizes are being funded by the journals FEBS Open Bio and BioFactors.
