INL Hosts First Edition of Falling Walls Lab Portugal, Showcasing Bold Ideas with Global Potential
June 12, 2025
Yesterday afternoon, June 11, the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), in Braga, proudly hosted the first edition of Falling Walls Lab Portugal, bringing to the stage five semi-finalists with bold, breakthrough ideas aiming to shape the future of science and society.
The event is part of the global Falling Walls initiative, a renowned competition that gives early-career researchers, innovators, and visionaries the opportunity to present their work in just three minutes, in a dynamic and high-impact format.
The semi-finalists at the INL edition presented proposals ranging from novel treatments for breast and lung cancer, to strategies addressing neuroinflammation, promoting scientific inclusion in schools, and creating new pathways to connect art, science, and communities.
The event was hosted by Marisol Dias, INL researcher and 2024 Falling Walls Lab global finalist, who brought both energy and inspiration to the session. After the pitches, the audience enjoyed a coffee break and networking session, followed by the highly anticipated jury deliberation and announcement of winners.
The winner of this first edition of Falling Walls Lab Portugal was Leonor Ribeiro, with her project “Breaking the Wall of Lung Cancer with a Beam of Light” – a promising approach using photonics to improve lung cancer treatment. Leonor will represent Portugal at the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin this November, joining an international community of changemakers and thought leaders.
The runner-up was Thomas Soares Mullen, who impressed the jury with his project “Breaking the Wall to Inspire Diverse Scientific Minds Through Art and Community Knowledge Exchange”, highlighting the power of cultural dialogue to democratize science.
The jury was composed of distinguished professionals from academia, innovation, and industry, reflecting a broad spectrum of expertise — from European science policy and nanotechnology to the humanities and musicology, science communication, and medical technology — underscoring the event’s interdisciplinary character:
– Rebeca de Sancho Mayoral – Innovation and Investment Advisor at the EU/EC
– Prof. Pedro Gómez – Researcher at iCN2
– Prof. Giovanni Varelli – ERC Fellow, expert in musical notation and digital musicology
– Dr. Joana Moscoso – Co-founder and Director of Native Scientist
– Dr. Juan Román – Business development specialist in medical technology
This event marked a significant milestone for INL, reinforcing its role as a hub for scientific excellence, innovation, and international collaboration. “It was an incredible afternoon of creativity and courage. We are proud to host a platform that celebrates fresh perspectives and brings science closer to society,” said Prof. Ado Jório, Deputy Director-General at INL.
The first Falling Walls Lab Portugal at INL set a high standard and opened the door for future editions that will continue to amplify breakthrough thinking from Portugal to the world.
Text and Photography by Gina Palha, Communication, Conferences & Marketing Officer
