Berlin Science Week 2023
© Falling Walls Lab Foundation
DWIH San Francisco was delighted to support our Falling Walls Lab San Francisco winner, Teena Bajaj, from November 7-9th, 2023 at the Berlin Science Week! The week, coinciding with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, celebrates new “walls” that fall in relation to advancements in scientific discovery, knowledge, and cutting-edge innovation.
Teena’s research focuses on better understanding the SARS-COV-2 virus protein. Specifically, she has identified two proteins, Papain-like protease (PLpro) and Non-structural protein 15 (Nsp15) from SARS-CoV-2, which are essential for viral replication and evading the host immune response. She is a PhD student in Comparative Biochemistry at UC Berkeley.
On the first day, Teena and other international Falling Walls Lab winners attended a Research in Germany presentation in Potsdam, where they toured the labs of some of Germany’s leading science and research institutions. During the second and third days, the winners attended the conference at the Radial System Berlin, where they listened to presentations from top scientists around the world, took part in valuable networking during the lunch sessions, and pitched again in three minutes at the Grand Finale challenge.
The Berlin Science Week combines in person formats throughout Berlin with online and hybrid events. Our focus is on exchange and reflection: the program is based on interactive and often interdisciplinary formats ranging from panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, to VR-experiences, film screenings, music installations and much more. Internationally renowned scientists and institutions contribute to topic tracks reflecting the current challenges and debates in science and society.