Hundreds of CERN Scientists to Gather at Vilnius University for the First-Ever LHCb Week Conference in Lithuania

For the first time in Lithuania, Vilnius University (VU) will host the CERN LHCb (Large Hadron Collider beauty) collaboration conference from 14 to 18 September 2026. The event, LHCb Week Vilnius, will bring together hundreds of scientists, engineers, and early-career researchers involved in the LHCb collaboration, representing research institutions from around the world.

‘LHCb Week is much more than a scientific conference. It is a key strategic gathering where the collaboration sets research priorities, coordinates activities across institutions, and shapes the future direction of one of the world’s leading particle physics experiments. Around 200 participants will attend the event in person at VU, while several hundred more will join remotely, bringing total attendance to approximately 600 members of the LHCb collaboration,’ said Dr Mindaugas Šarpis, physicist at Vilnius University and head of the LHCb Vilnius group.

An important part of the programme will be dedicated to showcasing Lithuania’s achievements in science and technology, as well as the country’s growing high-tech ecosystem. The conference will open on 14 September at the VU Life Sciences Centre with a discussion on the Lithuanian AI Factory (LitAI) initiative and its role in connecting academia, industry, and international research infrastructures.

‘By strengthening the position of Lithuanian researchers within the international scientific community, we contribute to addressing global challenges and advancing scientific excellence. From laser technologies and life sciences to advanced engineering and the development of LitAI, Lithuania is steadily strengthening its position in the global research landscape. Growing participation in international scientific networks and research infrastructures is creating new opportunities for innovation and closer collaboration between academia and industry. Lithuania is pursuing full membership of CERN; it is important for us not only to participate in the science and technologies of the future, but also to help create them,’ noted Saulė Mačiukaitė-Žvinienė, VU professor.

During the conference, participants will take part in parallel sessions, working group meetings, specialised lectures, and discussions covering detector performance, data processing, software development, physics analyses, experiment upgrades, and future plans.

The LHCb collaboration is one of the four major experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Its mission is to address one of the most fundamental questions in modern physics: why the Universe is made predominantly of matter, even though the Big Bang is thought to have produced matter and antimatter in nearly equal quantities. The experiment represents a global effort to better understand the nature of matter and the fundamental laws that govern the Universe.

‘Meetings such as LHCb Week reveal how major scientific discoveries are made and offer Lithuanian students and researchers a unique chance to connect with some of the world’s leading scientists,’ remarked Prof. Ramūnas Aleksiejūnas.

In 2024, Vilnius University was admitted as an official institute of the LHCb experiment. The LHCb Vilnius group, led by Dr Mindaugas Šarpis, contributes to the development and characterisation of new detector technologies as well as the analysis of particle physics data.

The conference is organised by VU and held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda. Each year, LHCb Week is hosted in a different country, bringing together members of the CERN LHCb collaboration from across the globe. Last year, the conference was held in Beijing, China, and in 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland.

Lithuania has been an Associate Member of CERN since 2018 and is currently pursuing full membership of the organisation.

Lithuania’s ambition to become a full Member State of CERN is included in the Government’s programme. Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius has already written a formal letter to CERN’s leadership in support of Lithuania’s application for full membership, underscoring the country’s commitment to strengthening its role in international scientific research and innovation.