Impressions of the Balzan Prizewinners 2025 interdisciplinary Forum
Participants at the registration desk.
Welcome address by Ursina Anderegg, representative for the city of Bern.
Carl June: Prizewinner for Gene and Gene-Modified Cell Therapy
Carl June: Prizewinner for Gene and Gene-Modified Cell Therapy
Christophe Salomon, Prizewinner for Atoms and Ultraprecise Measurement of Time
Christophe Salomon, Prizewinner for Atoms and Ultraprecise Measurement of Time
Q&A session with Carl June and Christophe Salomon.
Shared interest in the research topic: discussion between Carl June and Alberto Mantovani (Balzan General Prize Committee).
Exchange between scientists: discussion between Christophe Salomon, Maria Cristina Messa (President of the Board of the International Balzan Foundation "Prize") and Massimo Inguscio (Balzan General Prize Committee).
Discussions and exchanges continued during the lunch break.
Lively discussions at lunch break
At the publications desk.
Rosalind Krauss, Prizewinner for History of Contemporary Art
Rosalind Krauss, Prizewinner for History of Contemporary Art
Josiah Ober, Prizewinner for Classics: Athenian Democracy Revisited
Josiah Ober, Prizewinner for Classics: Athenian Democracy Revisited
Final discussion round among the four prizewinners.
From left to right:
Christophe Salomon, Prizewinner for Atoms and Ultraprecise Measurement of Time
Rosalind Krauss, Prizewinner for History of Contemporary Art
Yves Flückiger, President of the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences
Maria Cristina Messa, President of the Board of the International Balzan Foundation "Prize"
Josiah Ober, Prizewinner for Classics: Athenian Democracy Revisited
Carl June, Prizewinner for Gene and Gene-Modified Cell Therapy
Closing remarks from Maria Cristina Messa and Yves Flückiger.
On 13 November, the Balzan Prizewinners 2025 interdisciplinary forum took place at Bern City Hall. The prizewinners spoke about their careers, their motivation for research and presented their research perspectives.
The event showcased the diversity of this year's Balzan Prizes: from developments in gene therapy and genetically modified cell therapy to combat cancer and autoimmune diseases, to atomic fountains for ultra-precise time measurement and new perspectives on contemporary art history, to Athenian democracy and the lessons it teaches about the survival or collapse of democracies.
Discussions with participants at the event and the question-and-answer sessions highlighted the social relevance of scientific findings and the value of interdisciplinary exchange. Future developments in research were also discussed, in particular the influence of artificial intelligence on future research.