Falling Walls Foundation Announces Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year 2026 In 6 Categories

FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, DE

Georg Schett pioneered a curative approach for autoimmune diseases by creating “living drugs” from the body’s own immune cells, known as T-cells. By adapting a cell-based treatment originally developed for cancer, Schett demonstrated that CD19 CAR T-cells can remove the immune cells that drive autoimmune disease. This can effectively reset the immune system, enabling patients to achieve long-lasting remission without ongoing medication.

“This strategy moves beyond symptom control to target the root cause and enables sustained, drug-free remission instead of temporary symptom control and long-term treatment burden.” – Georg Schett

Read the full interview with Georg Schett here. | Official Website

Jury: Michael Schuetz, Queensland University of Technology Brisbane (Jury Chair) | Ricarda Gaentzsch, IQVIA | Ahmet Sinan Yavuz, ZS Discovery | Alicia Kowaltowski, University of Sao Paulo | Amy Bernard, The Kavli Foundation | Christian Hackenberger, Leibniz-Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology | Jack Szostak, University of Chicago | Nicole Rinehart, Monash University | Ralph Müller, ETH Zurich | Rob Knight, University of California, San Diego | Sirpa Jalkanen, University of Turku | Yik Ying Teo, National University of Singapore

PHYSICAL SCIENCES

University of Chicago, US

David Awschalom demonstrated for the first time that we can take proteins and turn them into qubits—the basic building blocks of quantum technology—with remarkable stability. Because these proteins can be genetically encoded into living cells, this breakthrough opens a new way to observe and study what is happening inside cells at the quantum level.

“These discoveries may offer health diagnostics at the single-cell level, providing levels of detection and preventative care orders of magnitude beyond what is available today.” – David Awschalom

Read the full interview with David Awschalom here. | Official Website

Jury: Cather Simpson, University of Auckland (Jury Chair) | Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop, The University of Queensland | Erna Frins, Universidad de la República Uruguay | Tammy Ma, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | Miho Janvier, European Space Agency | Jian Wei Pan, University of Science and Technology Of China | Suzana Nunes, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology | Stefan Jorda, Wilhelm und Else Heraeus-Stiftung | Joanne Hewett, Stony Brook University | Saw Wai Hla, Ohio University and Argonne National Laboratory | Ricky L. K. Ang, Singapore University of Technology and Design | Jennifer Barton, University of Arizona | Thomas Elsaesser, Max-Born-Institut für Nichtlineare Optik und Kurzzeitspektroskopie

ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

University of California, Los Angeles, US

Yu Huang developed a way to make hydrogen fuel cells last much longer while using far less platinum, a costly material needed to power them. Rather than altering platinum chemically, Huang protects it structurally through innovations such as graphene nanopockets and embedded oxide clusters.

“These discoveries overcome the conventional tradeoffs among performance, durability, and precious-metal loading, enabling catalyst lifetimes exceeding 200,000 hours under heavy-duty operating conditions.” – Yu Huang

Read the full interview with Yu Huang here. | Official Website

Jury: Rokia Raslan, University College London (Jury Chair) | Guihua Yu, The University of Texas at Austin | Lu Fang, Tsinghua University | Gerhard Fettweis, TU Dresden University of Technology | Vasilis Ntziachristos, Technical University Munich; Helmholtz Munich | Hui-Ming Cheng , Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science | Cao Thang Dinh, Queen's University | Tamlyn Sasha Naidu, University of Copenhagen | Jinxing Li, Michigan State University | Michael Johanning, Eleqtron | Young-Kee Kim, University Of Chicago | Stéphanie Lacour , Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) | Ka Yee Lee, University of Chicago

SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES

Chalmers University of Technology, SE

Using data on how energy technologies have been adopted over time, Jessica Jewell developed a framework that helps explain and predict how low-carbon technologies grow. The framework identifies four distinct phases, providing a way to understand where a technology is in its development and what may help it scale further.

“My research gives decision-makers a clearer picture of which energy transitions are not only techno-economically feasible but also which are most socio-politically feasible too.” – Jessica Jewell

Read the full interview with Jessica Jewell here. | Official Website

Jury: Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln, WZB Social Sciences Center (Jury Chair) | Louise McNally Seifert, Universitat Pompeu Fabra | Alexandros Kentikelenis, Bocconi University | Anu Realo, University Of Warwick | Douglas Gollin, Tufts University | Emily Caspar, Ghent University | Friederike Mengel, University of Essex | Jeremy Adelman, University of Cambridge | Myriam Denov, McGill University | Nora Kottmann, Volkswagen Foundation | Pablo Boczkowski, Northwestern University | Stefan Gosepath, Freie Universität Berlin | Rosita Henry, James Cook University | Yacob Mulugetta, University College London

ART & SCIENCE

Catholic University of Portugal, PT

At the intersection of art and science, Isidora Correa’s project raises awareness of the impact of lithium extraction on the largely invisible microbial ecologies inhabiting the lagoon systems of Chile’s largest salt flat, the Salar de Atacama. Combining sculpture, video, and sound, Correa explores new forms of ecological responsibility and more-than-human coexistence.

“By working with a bacterial strain from the Atacama Desert, the project explores how microbial metabolism can help recover lithium and other critical minerals from discarded lithium-ion batteries through bioleaching, demonstrating how biological processes can contribute to more circular material cycles and planetary health.” – Isidora Correa

Read the full interview with Isidora Correa here. | Official Website

Jury: Christina Landbrecht, Schering Stiftung (Jury Chair) | Yuko Hasegawa, Tokyo University of the Arts | Carsten Hucho, Paul-Drude Institut Berlin | Daniel Jay, Tufts University | Elaine Chew, Kings College London | Marcus Lobbes, Academy for Theatre and Digitality | Tiange Wang, Ideo | Bettina Kames, Las Art Foundation | Claudia Schnugg, Universe Pavilion Venice | Marco Barotti, Marco Barotti Studio | Jahnavi Phalkey, Science Gallery Bengaluru | Rosa Ferré, Tba21 Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary | Tomás Saraceno, Studio Tomás Saraceno | Honor Harger, Futures Imagined Ltd

WOMEN’S IMPACT AWARD

McMaster University, CA

Manali Mukherjee investigates autoantibodies and persistent inflammation in Long COVID, generating biological evidence for symptoms too often dismissed, particularly in women, as anxiety rather than illness. By doing so, she closes a critical diagnostic gap and advances equitable, precision-based care.

“The societal impact [of the research] is earlier recognition, fewer missed opportunities for care, and a more equitable pathway for patients whose symptoms have too often been minimised, particularly women. It may also improve use of health-care resources by supporting risk-based follow-up rather than a one-size-fits-all response.” – Manali Mukherjee

Read the full interview with Manali Mukherjee here. | Official Website

Jury: Omneya Attallah, Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) | Domiziana Francescon, Elsevier Foundation | Ylann Schemm, Elsevier Foundation | Fiona Moejes, The Mawazo Institute | Rana Dajani, Hashemite University

Interviews with the awardees and accreditation for the Falling Walls Science Summit can be requested at press@falling-walls.com.