For the first time, the CERN LHCb collaboration conference is being held in Lithuania, beginning on September 14th at Vilnius University. The event brings together hundreds of scientists and engineers from around the world focused on unraveling the mystery of matter’s dominance in the universe.
Vilnius University was officially admitted as an LHCb experiment institute in 2024, a development highlighted by hosting this international gathering, with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda welcoming participants to the VU Life Sciences Center. “This is the first time the collaboration has gathered in Lithuania, and this is the largest international meeting in fundamental science that our country has ever hosted,” says VU rector prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas.
LHCb Week Vilnius: First Lithuanian Hosting of Global Collaboration
President Gitanas Nausėda formally welcomed attendees at the opening of LHCb Week Vilnius on September 14th, signaling Lithuania’s growing commitment to high-energy physics research and its role within the CERN collaboration. This high-level reception underscored the national importance placed on hosting the largest international fundamental science meeting the country has ever seen, a distinction achieved through Vilnius University’s recent integration into the LHCb experiment, the company says.
The conference, bringing together hundreds of scientists and engineers, marks a significant expansion of Lithuania’s participation in unraveling the mysteries of matter and antimatter. Vilnius University’s admission as an official LHCb institute in 2024 facilitated this inaugural hosting opportunity, a development Rector Rimvydas Petrauskas described as a “compliment” to the university’s dedication.
The LHCb Vilnius group, under the direction of Dr. Mindaugas Šarpis, is actively involved in both the advancement of detector technologies and the detailed analysis of particle physics data, contributing directly to the experiment’s core objectives. This work focuses on understanding the imbalance between matter and antimatter in the universe, a question central to modern physics and the LHCb experiment’s mission. Petrauskas affirmed Vilnius University’s ongoing commitment to CERN, anticipating deeper collaboration through data analysis, student education, and contributions to future experiment upgrades extending into the 2030s.
The selection of Vilnius University as the 2026 host follows conferences held in Glasgow, Scotland in 2025 and Beijing, China in 2024, demonstrating a deliberate effort by the LHCb collaboration to broaden its geographic reach, according to the company. Lithuania’s status as an Associate Member of CERN since 2018, with a current application for full membership underway, further solidifies its position within the international scientific community.
CERN itself is increasingly integrating advanced technologies into its research, including quantum computing, partnering with companies like Qilimanjaro Quantum Tech and IBM Quantum to apply these tools to LHC data analysis and superconducting magnet development. This connection between particle physics and quantum technology is reflected in CERN’s recent patent activity, with ten patent families and five publications in the last twelve months, and its participation in the EU Quantum Flagship initiative.
The organization, employing over 17,000 individuals, also recently saw a University of Liverpool-led project receive funding to advance beam technology over the next twenty years, and a UChicago team win an award for an AI filter used at the collider.
Lithuania’s CERN Membership Pursuit and VU’s LHCb Contributions
Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius has already sent a letter of support to CERN leadership, reinforcing the nation’s dedication to international scientific collaboration and innovation. This level of national endorsement signals a strategic investment in research infrastructure and talent development beyond the existing Associate Member status attained in 2018. CERN’s increasing integration of quantum technologies into its research, including applications of quantum computing to LHC data and transfer of superconducting magnet expertise to qubit development, aligns with Vilnius University’s own research strengths, the company says.
CERN’s recent involvement in the Geneva citywide quantum network and the University of Liverpool-led 20-year beam technology project demonstrate a long-term vision for innovation. The conference, running from September 14th to 18th and held under the patronage of President Nausėda, provides a platform for hundreds of scientists and engineers to exchange findings and refine approaches to these fundamental questions.
The event’s success highlights Lithuania’s capacity to host large-scale international scientific gatherings and reinforces its position as a rising force in particle physics research. 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 Glasgow, Scotland, and in 2024, in Beijing, China.
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