LUND, March 26, 2026 — With the theme “A look through the lens,” the WCMM Research Day 2026 invited participants to explore science from multiple perspectives — from molecular mechanisms to patient outcomes and from early-career challenges to innovation pathways. Held at BMC Lund, the event brought together researchers, clinicians and collaborators in a day marked by curiosity, openness and networking.
A day framed by interdisciplinary keynotes
The programme opened with a welcome from Director Gunilla Westergren-Thorsson, who gave a brief overview the centre and stressed the success so far achieved by researchers affiliated to WCMM.
The first keynote by Carolina Wählby embodied this theme, demonstrating how computational methods and visualisation tools provide new ways of seeing biology. Her talk, “Bridging biology and computer science with pretty pictures – or what happened failing to get in to arts school?”, highlighted the growing convergence between data science and Life Science.
In the afternoon, Cristina Lo Celso offered yet another lens, using intravital microscopy to visualise dynamic processes in the bone marrow microenvironment, both in health and disease.
Research advancing patient care and new methodologies
Across multiple short talk sessions, young researcher from both preclinical and clinical research groups, presented work that reflects different “lenses” on human biology and disease.
The session “Advancing Patient Care & Outcomes” focused on clinically relevant perspectives, including immune adaptation following hormone therapy, imaging-based prediction of cancer outcomes, and novel immunological interventions.
Subsequent sessions, “Taking a New Approach” and “Our Body Under Stress,” highlighted methodological and mechanistic lenses. Presentations ranged from systems-level immune profiling and proteomics to biomaterial-based tissue models, gene regulation during development and sex-specific responses in cardiovascular disease.
Together, the sessions illustrated how combining diverse approaches can deepen understanding and accelerate translation to patient benefit.
Beyond the lab: career development through multiple perspectives
In line with the theme, the table discussions encouraged participants to reflect on their careers through different lenses.
Discussions on work–life balance, academic progression, publishing and innovation provided practical insights into navigating a scientific career. Contributors included both WCMM Fellows, WCMM clinical researchers and invited guests from Smile Venture Hub, Medicon Village, Stem Cell Center and Occupational Health Services.
These sessions highlighted that success in science depends not only on experimental results, but also on perspective, how researchers position their work, balance priorities and engage beyond academia.
Infrastructure enabling new ways of seeing
A dedicated session on research infrastructure further reinforced the theme by showcasing the tools that allow scientists to “see” more, from advanced imaging to large-scale data resources.
Speakers including Markus Heidenblad (CRI), Sebastian Wasserstrom, Ritha Gidlöf (both from LBIC) and Sophie Hellstrand (SciLifeLab Lund) highlighted the infrastructure ecosystem available to researchers at Lund University and beyond.
Community, curiosity and recognition
The day concluded with closing remarks from co-directors Lisa Rydén and Kristian Pietras, followed by the Best Talk Award ceremony.
This year’s awards recognised two standout presentations: Malavika Sreekumar Nair, from the Pereira Lab, received the prize for the 5-minute short talk, while Milica Dimitrijevic, from the Leigh Lab, was awarded for the 10-minute short talk.
Participants throughout the day noted the welcoming atmosphere, insightful questions and the value of informal exchanges — not least during the popular “Wallenbergare” lunch and the evening gathering at Kulturen.
A platform for the future of molecular medicine
By encouraging participants to look through different lenses — scientific, technological and personal — WCMM Research Day 2026 highlighted the strength and diversity of its research environment.
As molecular medicine continues to evolve, such perspectives will be essential for bridging disciplines, fostering innovation and ultimately improving patient care.
A sincere thanks to all speakers, organisers and participants who made the day possible!