The prestigious 2026 L'Oréal-UNESCO Young Talents For Women in Science Award has highlighted two promising young researchers from Sorbonne University. This award aims to recognize brilliant young scientists dedicated to solving major contemporary scientific challenges, whether environmental, medical, or technological.
Since its inception in 1998, the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science program has been committed to supporting women's careers in scientific research. This year, 35 French laureates were selected, including two doctoral students from Sorbonne University. Their work, recognized for its excellence, spans diverse fields such as the development of new therapies and the detection of brain diseases using artificial intelligence.
Fadma Lakhal, a doctoral student at the Dynamics of the Nucleus Laboratory of the Curie Institute, conducts research on Rad51, a key protein in DNA repair. Despite an aggressive bone cancer that interrupted her work for eight months, she has shown remarkable determination to resume her research at the Curie Institute in Paris.
Maëlys Solal, a doctoral student in the Aramis team at the Brain Institute, has developed artificial intelligence tools to assist physicians in identifying brain abnormalities and better understanding neurological diseases. Her interdisciplinary background led her from the École polytechnique to Oxford, and then to the Brain Institute in Paris.
These young talents, through the diversity of their backgrounds and research, underscore the importance of encouraging more women to pursue scientific careers, thereby contributing to more inclusive and equitable science.
