November 4, 2019 | Register »
UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center
1675 Owens St.
San Francisco, CA
The Breakthrough Prize Symposium features presentations by world-class researchers working in the fields of physics, life sciences and mathematics. For information on all of this year’s winners, visit the Breakthrough Prize Foundation website.
Daytime Sessions | Talks
Welcoming Reception with Breakfast, Opening Remarks
Robertson Atrium
9:30 AM
Session 1: Talks
David Julius | 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
Beyond Opiates: Future Directions in Pain Therapy
10:30 AM
Jo Dunkley | 2020 New Horizons in Physics Prize
Signals from the Beginning of Time: Our Quest in the Next Decade
10:55 AM
Virginia Lee | 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Laureate
Transmission of Misfolded Proteins in Neurodegenerative Disorders: Where Do We Go From Here?
11:20 AM
Alex Eskin | 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics
Structure Hidden in Chaos: Past and Future
11:45 AM
Shep Doeleman | 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics
The Next-Generation Event Horizon Telescope: Making Black Hole Movies in the Coming Decade
12:10 PM
Lunch
Fisher Banquet Hall
12:30 PM
Session 2: Talks
Dan Freedman | 2019 Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics
Will Nature Confirm Supersymmetry and Supergravity?
1:35 PM
Arthur Horwich | 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
10 Year Vision: Improving Upon Natural Protein Quality Control in the Setting of Disease
2:00 PM
Ulrich Hartl | 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
Understanding Protein Folding in the Cell: Opportunities for Improving Human Life in the Decade Ahead
2:25 PM
Peter van Nieuwenhuizen | 2019 Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics
The Future of Supergravity: Dream of Reality?
2:50 PM
Coffee Break
Robertson Atrium
3:15 PM
Session 3: Talks
Sergio Ferrara | 2019 Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics
Supersymmetry: Reflections on the Future of a Symmetry from the Future
3:45 PM
Jeffrey Friedman | 2020 Breakthough Prize in Life Sciences
To Eat, or Not to Eat?
4:10 PM
Samaya Nissanke | 2020 New Horizons in Physics Prize
New Perspectives into the Universe in the Coming Era of Multi-Messenger Astronomy
4:35 PM
Closing Remarks
5:00 PM
Evening Session | Panel Discussions
1. Will Black Holes Give Up Their Secrets to Science?
Shep Doeleman | 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, Experimental Astrophysicist
Andrew Strominger | 2017 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, Theoretical Physicist
Samaya Nissanke | 2020 New Horizons in Physics Prize, Experimental Astrophysicist
Moderator: Derek Muller, Veritasium
5:30 - 6:00 PM
2. The Future of Cancer Therapy
Napoleone Ferrara | 2013 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, Cancer Biologist
Robert Weinberg | 2013 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, Cancer Biologist
Michelle Arkin | UCSF Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Co-Director of the Small Molecule Discovery Center
Moderator: Luke Timmerman, Timmerman Report
6:00 - 6:30 PM
3. How Do We Think About Higher Dimensions?
Alex Eskin | 2020 Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics, Geometer
Emmy Murphy | 2020 New Horizons in Mathematics Prize, Geometer
Terence Tao | 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics, Number Theorist
Moderator: Erica Klarreich, Mathematics and Science Journalist
6:30 - 7:00 PM