The GIMM Festival is an annual event in Lisbon that embodies the spirit of exploration and innovation at the heart of the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine (GIMM). More than another scientific meeting, it is conceived as a space for collective reflection on scientific areas with deep societal implications, bridging science and society through dialogue, discovery, and engagement.

GIMM Fest 2026 will take place from September 17–19, 2026, under the overarching theme “Questions of the Future”, with a special focus on Microbes. This edition will explore how microbes shape health, ecosystems, technology, and society, addressing both fundamental biological mechanisms and their broader global impact.

Scientific Focus – The 2026 programme will examine transformative questions surrounding:
– Host–microbe interactions and immune regulation
– Microbial evolution and antimicrobial resistance
– The role of microbes in human health and disease
– Microbial engineering and biotechnology

By bringing together leading researchers in fundamental and applied biomedical sciences – alongside thought leaders from complementary fields such as social sciences, engineering, public health, and the arts – the festival promotes interdisciplinary perspectives on complex global challenges.

Objectives
– Identify the most critical unanswered scientific questions that can guide discovery and collaboration in the years ahead
– Foster meaningful exchange between fundamental and applied research communities
– Strengthen connections between science and society
– Inspire reflection, awareness, and action around the evolving frontiers of knowledge

Over the course of three days, the festival explores these pressing questions of the future – two days dedicated to the scientific community, followed by one day open to the general public, reinforcing dialogue beyond academia.

Confirmed Keynote Speakers
– Charles Rice, Rockefeller University
– Yasmine Belkaid, Institut Pasteur

Invited Speakers
– Bonnie Bassler, Princeton University
– Carolina Lucas, Yale University
– Carolina Tropini, University of British Columbia
– Daniel Mucida, Rockefeller University
– Jeffery Barrick, Michigan State University
– Joy Bergelson, New York University
– Karina Xavier, GIMM
– Luísa Figueiredo, GIMM & Lisbon School of Medicine
– Marco A. Coelho, Duke University Medical Center
– Matthew Chang, National University of Singapore
– Miguel Soares, GIMM & Lisbon School of Medicine
– Roy Kishony, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology