A selection from the programme: 

Posters and short presentations

A particularly appealing element were the three-minute presentations of selected posters. These ‘pitches’ gave a good impression of the research and invited further discussion during the poster sessions. The spacious set-up and generous lunches then offered plenty of time to view and discuss all the posters.

Edith Heard, epigenetics and X-inactivation

Edith Heard (Francis Crick Institute, UK) studies X-chromosome inactivation and showed that this is a dynamic process. In her lecture she demonstrated how differences between the sexes influence development, disease and health. Much attention was devoted to the escape genes: genes on the silenced X-chromosome that nevertheless remain active. This applies to about 15% of X-linked genes and can lead to higher expression in women. These differences may contribute to sex differences in, among others, autoimmune diseases, cancer and the response to drugs. 

NVBMB Prizes and NVBMB Lecture: Mihai Netea, trained immunity

In an impressive and accessible lecture, Mihai Netea of RadboudUMC showed that the innate immune system, too, possesses a form of memory. His group demonstrated that the BCG vaccine, through epigenetic and metabolic reprogramming of innate immune cells, can strengthen the response to later infections. Netea also showed how trained immunity can be deployed against cancer. 

Ahead of the NVBMB Lecture, the annual NVBMB prizes were awarded to Danny Sahtoe (NVBMB Prize 2025) and Rik Lindeboom (NVBMB Prize 2026) in recognition of their exceptional scientific achievements as young researchers. On 23 November 2026, Danny will organise the NVBMB Fall Symposium in Utrecht: Protein structure, mechanism and design. 

Emmanuelle Charpentier, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020

During the FEBS congress, Emmanuelle Charpentier received the very first FEBS Rita Levi-Montalcini Medal for her groundbreaking work on CRISPR-Cas9. In her lecture ‘Transforming life sciences through the power of microbiology’ she not only looked back on the development of CRISPR-Cas9 but also stressed the importance of science communication. Her message was “talk about science”: with politics and society, but also with those around you and with your family.

Wellbeing in times of change: Finding balance in an unbalanced academic world

A dedicated education session focused on wellbeing in academia, against a backdrop of rising workload, uncertainty about funding and careers, and rapid changes such as the emergence of artificial intelligence. Cormac Taylor spoke about the position and visibility of LGBTQIA+ scientists. One eye-opener was that even in highly educated and relatively progressive settings, including the Netherlands, visible gay and transgender role models are scarce. Taylor showed how a lack of visibility and of perceived safety can affect the wellbeing and functioning of scientists and students. 

As the NVBMB, we are proud to have been able to organise this special congress in Maastricht together with FEBS. We now look ahead to our centenary on 15 October 2027, which we will celebrate with an anniversary symposium in Utrecht. 

Photos: Bart Willemsen Fotografie

The Maastricht Tuna provided the musical opening of the congress.

Mihai Netea during his compelling presentation

Plenty of room for discussion during the poster sessions

After the congress, Emmanuelle Charpentier (right) took time to talk with young scientists

During the NVBMB session, the NVBMB prizes were presented to Rik Lindeboom (second from left) and Danny Sahtoe (second from right) by the chair of the NVBMB, Janine Post (right), and the secretary of the NVBMB, Anne Wentink (left). Luc Brunsveld (centre, back) gave the laudatio for the NVBMB speaker Mihai Netea (centre)

(left to right: Anne Wentink (Leiden), Rik Lindeboom (NKI), Mihai Netea (RadboudUMC), Luc Brunsveld (TU/e), Danny Sahtoe (Hubrecht), Janine Post (chair NVBMB, UT))