Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting opens

The 64th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting was opened on Sunday afternoon in southern German city of Lindau, attracting 37 Nobel laureates and more than 600 selected young scientists from around 80 countries and regions.
The program is devoted to the Nobel Prize discipline of physiology or medicine, with an emphasis on areas such as body's own immune system defense against infection, advances in cancer research and intelligent drug research, according to the organiser.
"The high number of Nobel laureates attending the meeting, which borders on a new record, shows how much value they attach to inspiring and motivating the next generation," said Bettina Bernadotte, president of the meeting's council.
Dialogue lies at the heart of the meeting, with the intention that an open and personal exchange of views between generations should provide a source of inspiration, she continued in her opening address.
German Federal Minister of Research Johanna Wanka also welcomed the participants on behalf of the German Federal Government.
"The function of Lindau is above all to facilitate the exchange of ideas, precisely the kind of exchange that brings new and decisive momentum to science and helps to advance research." Wanka said.
It is for the first time that the number of female young scientists exceeded that of their male counterparts, the organizer said.
Thousands of undergraduates, doctoral students and post-docs worldwide had applied to attend the meeting, lasting from Sunday to Thursday, which provides young scientists with plenty of opportunities for an intensive exchange of ideas.