There is a rising generation of scientists, pushing up with innovative approaches and native users of next-generation methodologies. To put them under the spotlight, and give them the opportunity to share their excellent science, the junior group leader committee of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute decided to put them together.

The committee, composed by Laura Belver, Sergi Cuartero, Biola M. Javierre, Eduard Porta, Verónica Rodilla and José Luis Sardina, worked hard to create a unique and ambitious event: a five-day international symposium, completely online, with lectures delivered by 16 emerging experts in leukemia, immunotherapy, epigenetics, immune system ageing and immunogenomics. Besides the talks, 19 posters and 12 flash talks were also presented during the symposium, in a networking oriented virtual space.

The event counted with renowned international figures as keynote speakers for the opening and closing lectures, like professor Brian Huntly, from Cambridge University, and professor Anna Bigas, from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute, respectively. In their talks, Huntly shared the latest news on acute myeloid leukemia and Bigas outlined the current knowledge on hematopoietic stem cells development.

At the end of the symposium, the organizers showed their satisfaction about the event, that went on without any major technical issue despite having so many people together online. Actually, the registration closed with over 400 people attending the conferences. About the experience, they highlighted the quality of the research shared by the speakers and were confident that, despite being at the beginning of their careers as independent researchers, putting the emerging young talent together can catalyze new future opportunities.

They are young and well prepared. Only time will tell how high will they fly and how bright will they shine, but as Irene Cara sung in the eighties, just remember their names.