The more things change, the more they stay the same. For Beth Ryan, taking in views of Cayuga Lake from the 19th century McGraw Tower will soon be replaced by opportunities to take in views of Lake Constance and its backdrop of the Swiss Alps from the 12th century Mangturm in Lindau, Germany. 

Ryan, a graduate student in chemistry and chemical biology working in the Baskin Lab at Cornell’s Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology, has been selected as a Young Scientist to attend the 74th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting dedicated to Chemistry, to be held June 2025 in Lindau, Germany.

The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings bring together Nobel Prize recipients and approximately 600 exceptional young scientists from around the world for a week of “interdisciplinary exchange,” which include lectures, panel discussions, and small group interactions aimed at fostering scientific collaboration across generations and national boundaries. 

The conference is also expected to be attended by more than 30 Nobel laureates in the field, an unprecedented gathering of Nobel awardees.

Advised by Jeremy Baskin, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the College of Arts & Sciences and faculty at the Weill Institute, Ryan’s research focuses on enzymes that control the properties of cellular membranes. The lab studies special fat molecules called phospholipids. These molecules are important because they help build the outer layers of cells (membranes) and can affect many different things in the cell at once. They also help cells send signals to each other. 

“My project focuses on developing an optogenetic (light-controlled) enzyme that edits phospholipids in order to tune the properties of cellular membranes," Ryan said.

Her selection to attend the Lindau Meeting recognizes both her academic excellence and the potential impact of her research. 

“I am deeply honored to be selected for this extraordinary opportunity,” Ryan said. “Engaging directly with Nobel Laureates and fellow young scientists from around the world will be an unparalleled experience, and I look forward to the insights and connections that will arise from these exchanges.”

While the conference will be conducted primarily in English, she noted that the experience of traveling internationally and engaging with a global scientific community is an important part of the meeting’s broader mission.

“I am eager to engage with leading scientists, to explore new ideas, and contribute to the spirit of collaboration that defines the Lindau Meetings,” she said.

Henry C. Smith is the communications specialist for Biological Systems at Cornell Research and Innovation.