Congratulations to UCSF postdoctoral scholars Maggie Horst, PhD, and Niek van Hilten, PhD, and PhD candidate Stefanie Piña Escudero, who were selected this spring as UC President's Lindau Nobel Meeting Fellows for 2026 and will soon travel to Germany to participate in the 75th Annual Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting from June 28 to July 3.
This year’s interdisciplinary meeting brings together the Nobel scientific disciplines and will draw about 75 Nobel Laureates and hundreds of young scientists from around the world to focus on the key themes of resilience, information, integrity, and life, emphasizing the interconnected challenges that shape our world.
These three UCSF trainees were nominated by the Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs dean’s office based on demonstrated excellence and engagement in their field of research, as well as enthusiastic support from mentors. They were selected by Lindau and an advisory group appointed by the UC President from a UC system-wide pool of nominees and will join 27 other UC learners plus hundreds of young scientists from all over the world participating in this year’s interdisciplinary meeting and interacting with Nobel Laureates.
Learn a little more about Maggie, Niek, and Stefanie, and what they’re looking forward to at Lindau:
Maggie Horst, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Mentor: William F. DeGrado, PhD
Research Focus: My research focuses on designing proteins from scratch with new functions, like the ability to locally deliver therapeutics in response to sensed metabolites through protein allostery.
“I look forward to the convening of an internationalist community of scientists that is committed to using technology to improve the lives of everyone globally. Like past Lindau meetings, I hope this conference can bring awareness to the urgent need for all nations to sustain a commitment to interdisciplinary, international research, to renounce military force, and to limit greenhouse gas emissions.”
Niek van Hilten, PhD
Postdoctoral Scholar
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Mentor: Michael Grabe, PhD
Research Focus: I apply computation and molecular simulation to understand protein-membrane interactions. I am particularly interested in lipid scramblase proteins that shuttle phospholipid molecules from one side to the plasma membrane to the other to trigger a plethora of signaling pathways involved in blood coagulation, immune regulation, and cancer.
“The Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting will be a fantastic opportunity to learn from and be inspired by some of the best scientists in the world. I also look forward to meeting all my fellow junior researchers and immerse myself in exciting discussions about science and its societal impacts across all different disciplines.”
Stefanie Danielle Piña Escudero
PhD Candidate
Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics PhD program
Mentor: Jennifer S. Yokoyama, PhD
Research Focus: My research focuses on understanding how genetic variation on the X chromosome influences Alzheimer’s disease risk in Latin American populations, an understudied but highly diverse population group.
“I am seeking inspiration from some of the world’s leading scientists and from interactions with an exceptionally diverse group of early-career researchers. Exposure to different perspectives, research approaches, and scientific journeys will help shape my future career development and generate new ideas for addressing complex challenges in my research.”
Begun in 1951, today the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting brings together more than 600 university students and postdoctoral fellows from around the world who spend one week in Lindau, Germany, absorbing lectures by Nobel Laureates and interacting with them in small groups to discuss their own research. This summer’s 75th meeting will have an interdisciplinary focus. With the theme of “educate, inspire, and connect,” these meetings are places where students and postdocs not only learn but begin to build the research networks that will enrich their lives and help create the broadest sense of community.
Learn more about the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings. The Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs invites applications from eligible PhD students and postdocs each year in late summer.