Nab attends AD/PD in Vienna, Austria

The AD/PD 2025 International Conference on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases and related neurological disorders was run on the 1st to 5th of April, 2025 in Vienna, Austria. Third year PhD student, Nab, attended and presented his poster on 'Dissecting the early mechanisms of Parkinson's disease onset in an immune-induced mouse model'.

Here is a summary of his experience:

Zizheng (Nab) Xian

It has been a wonderful week in Vienna. 

Arriving in the capital of music at dawn, I stepped into a city still half-asleep, its beauty unfolding as I rushed straight to the conference halls from the airport. Dizzy from travel and wonder, I found my footing among the rhythm of science. A brief rest during the first sessions was all it took—I soon recovered, and began to appreciate the elegance and precision with which the conference was arranged. 

Thanks to the digital conference app, I was able to plan my schedule effectively. Experts from around the world tirelessly presented their groundbreaking research. I hope that one day I can stand on that stage too. Speaking and presenting at such a prestigious event takes not only courage and pride but also readiness—every person in the audience is an expert. The questions asked were sharp, sometimes even considered too harsh. But that’s the nature of science: it’s attack and defence, spear and shield. Each strike of questioning ignites sparks—new ideas, fresh perspectives, and sometimes entire new research fields. 

The conference is a battlefield and a learning ground. You can almost hear the voices of the scientific forefathers of Europe echoing through the grand ceilings, reminding us young scientists what it means to do science, urging us to join the realm of discovery. 

Mornings are devoted to science, while the evenings belong to art. The Blue Danube flowed just as it had for centuries, steady and eternal, though those who walked its banks had changed—from kings and queens to the curious and the bold. Where the river flows, the cathedral stands. Gothic spires rise like questions to the sky, and music drifts through archways and alleyways, whispering the old tales of this storied land. 

In the evening, I rested in the embrace of wheat-scented air and the golden warmth of Vienna’s beer. A simple meal of pork, a breeze carrying music from afar, and the city itself became a lullaby. And as night gave way once more to dawn, the young scientist within me stood ready—renewed, inspired, and eager to explore again.