This year, we had a booth at the Mainz Science Fair for the first time, and it certainly won’t be the last. We were overwhelmed by the tremendous interest shown by everyone, from the very young to the very old!

Whether it was the blood cell scavenger hunt under the microscope or the personality test to find out which immune cell superhero you’d be, everyone had fun learning about the immune system.

The 2026 Science Market took place from September 11–13 at Platz der Republik in Mainz. As a long-standing member of the Mainz Science Alliance, the market’s organizer, we actively helped shape this year’s event not only through sponsorship but also by participating in a joint booth with our future cluster, curATime.

Our goal was to raise awareness of the important topics of the immune system, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.

On Friday, the fair was open exclusively to school classes. We were able to share new knowledge with everyone from elementary school students—who enthusiastically searched for cells in blood smears—to high school students who were already familiar with the basics of tumor development.

Over the weekend, the market was open to everyone, and our booth was visited not only by children but also by adults who were open to learning something new.

It’s always a pleasure to chat with the people of Mainz!