A day of Ancient Biomolecules at IMBB-FORTH, Heraklion/ October 9, 2026 – Save the date
Join us for a day of discovery at the IMBB, celebrating how ancient DNA and proteins illuminate the human past
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@ 15:00 – 18:00 EEST
IMBB International Symposium on Ancient DNA and Proteins
Title: Unfolding our history through ancient biomolecules
The Symposium on Ancient Biomolecules will accompany the Kafatos Lecture 2026, which this year will be delivered by Nobel laureate Svante Pääbo.
This special event will highlight recent advances in ancient biomolecular research, featuring four world-leading experts who will present overviews of their work using ancient DNA and proteins to reconstruct the human past. The symposium welcomes a wide audience interested in this research area, including students, academics, and professionals across the disciplines of archaeology, anthropology, biology, chemistry, and computer science.
Confirmed speakers are:
Eirini Skourtanioti
(Junior group leader, IMBB-FORTH, Heraklion)
Ancient human genomics and the population history of the Aegean
Mehmet Somel
(Professor, Middle East Technical University, Ankara)
Ancient human genomics and the population history of Anatolia
Katerina Douka
(Associate Professor, University of Vienna, Vienna)
Paleoproteomics of hominin fossil record and radiocarbon dating
Pontus Skoglund
(Senior group leader, the Francis Crick Institute, London)
Host-pathogen ancient genomics and dog domestication
Moderator: Nena Galanidou
(Professor of prehistoric archaeology, University of Crete)
All lectures will be held in English
The Symposium will be followed by coffee and refreshments.
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@ 19:00 EEST – 20:10 EEST
Kafatos Lecture 2026: Nobel Laureate Svante Pääbo
Lecture title: “A Neanderthal Perspective on Human Origins and Health:
How Ancient DNA Is Revealing New Insights into Disease and Biology”
The Kafatos Lecture returns in 2026 with a very special edition. Organized by EMBL, the Lecture honors the legacy of the distinguished Greek biologist Fotis Kafatos, founding Director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB).
In 2026, IMBB will host the Lecture, welcoming Svante Pääbo, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine (2022), as the keynote speaker. Renowned for his pioneering work on decoding Neanderthal DNA, Pääbo will explore how ancient genomes illuminate the biology and health of modern humans.
This lecture will bridge cutting-edge genomics with fundamental questions about what it means to be human.
The lecture will be held in English and will be broadcasted live.
More information and registration:
https://www.embl.org/about/info/alumni/events/2026-kafatos-lecture/
