Thank You for Making Extremophiles 2026 Truly Memorable

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

As we bring Extremophiles 2026 to a close, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who joined us in Seoul and helped make the 15th International Congress on Extremophiles such a memorable gathering.

With a total of 406 registrations, Extremophiles 2026 brought together 366 attendees from 35 countries at Yonsei University over five memorable days. Together, we shared new discoveries, exchanged ideas, renewed old friendships, and built new ones. From the Open Lectures and scientific sessions to the Flash Talks, posters, workshops, excursions, and social gatherings, the enthusiasm and engagement throughout the Congress were truly remarkable.

We were particularly delighted to see so many young scientists actively participating in the meeting—not simply attending, but presenting their work, asking questions, exchanging ideas, and enjoying being part of this international community. Their energy reminded us that the future of extremophile research is not only scientifically exciting, but also in very good hands.

More than bringing the community together in Seoul, we hope Extremophiles 2026 helped restore a sense of momentum, excitement, and confidence in the future of our field—particularly among the next generation of scientists.

Since the first International Congress on Extremophiles in 1996, our field has continued to evolve—from exploring life at the limits to understanding its molecular principles, predicting biological responses, and increasingly translating those discoveries into new technologies and solutions. Thirty years later, it was especially meaningful to see our community gathered in Seoul to reflect on how far we have come and, even more importantly, to imagine where we can go next.

A congress of this scale is never the work of one person or one organizing team. Our deepest thanks go to all of our speakers, session chairs, panelists, poster and Flash Talk presenters, sponsors and supporters, organizing committee members, staff, students, and volunteers. Above all, we thank every participant who brought their science, curiosity, friendship, and enthusiasm to Seoul. You were the ones who gave this Congress its energy and spirit.

It has been a tremendous privilege for us to welcome you to Seoul and Yonsei University and to share these memorable days with you. We sincerely hope that the scientific discussions, new collaborations, friendships, and memories created here will continue long after the Congress itself.

Our meeting in Seoul may have come to an end, but our community continues to move forward. We very much look forward to seeing you all again at Extremophiles 2028 in Yerevan, Armenia—with new science, new ideas, and new stories to share.

Until we meet again in Yerevan, thank you for being part of Extremophiles 2026 and for making Seoul such a memorable chapter in the story of our community.

With our warmest regards,