The event offered students and doctoral candidates from the five Hamburg universities - HAW, TUHH, HSU, UHH and UKE - a unique platform for cross-university exchange and networking with scientific institutions and industry representatives from the fields of life sciences, medicine and technology. Up to 250 participants took part in the conference, at which over 45 students presented their current research results.

In her welcoming address, Senator Blumenthal emphasized that the conference impressively brought together all of her authority's areas of responsibility - science, research and equality. She particularly emphasized the diversity of the audience, which she saw as a positive sign in the context of her responsibility for equality.

For Senator Blumenthal, who personally presented the prizes for the best presentations, short talks and posters at the end of the conference, the event was a successful start to her new role. During the personal exchange with the participants, she took the time to talk to young researchers and convince herself of the relevance and potential of interdisciplinary projects in the life sciences.

We would like to thank Senator Blumenthal for her visit and her visible commitment to young scientists in Hamburg.

A big thank you also goes to all participants. We are already looking forward to the 21st Life Science Student Conference Hamburg, which will be held at the HSU next year.

MORE INFO ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The program of the event impressively demonstrated the diversity and quality of student research in the field of life sciences at the interface between medicine and technology.

The award-winning contributions underlined the high standard of the work presented and at the same time provided an inspiring platform for scientific exchange.

In the long presentation category, Xenia Junimann (UKE, TUHH) was awarded 1st prize for her finite element-based analysis of the mechanical role of microcalli in trabecular bone. Themistoklis Paraschiakos (UKE) was awarded 2nd prize for the discovery of an evolutionarily conserved, short F-actin binding motif. Leona Schild (TUHH) won 3rd prize with her work on optimizing image-based pose estimation of surgical instruments using deep learning.

The short presentations also covered a wide range of topics. Nina Hinrichsen (TUHH) was awarded 1st prize for her presentation on the development of an additively manufactured head and neck phantom for quality assurance in computed tomography. Du Hanh Nguyen (UKE) devoted her 2nd prize-winning contribution to the influence of gender bias in autoimmune hepatitis. Felice Kendziorra (UKE, TUHH) investigated the age- and load-dependent adaptation of the osteocyte network in zebrafish - she was awarded 3rd prize for her work.