[Nobel Week] International MOF Symposium Celebrating the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry Held in Stockholm

From December 8 to 9, the "International Symposium on MOFs – A Celebration of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2025" was held at the Swedish Museum of Natural History at Stockholm University. This symposium was organized to commemorate the Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to research on Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs), bringing together researchers involved in MOF research from around the world.

The first session on the opening day featured lectures by researchers closely associated with this year's Nobel Laureates. These speakers spoke about their respective research careers, their relationships with the laureates, and the progress of their own MOF research.

During the sessions, there was a surprise visit from Distinguished Professor Susumu Kitagawa of iCeMS and Professor Omar Yaghi of the University of California, Berkeley, who had just completed their Nobel Lectures at the university. Professor Kitagawa expressed his joy, stating, "I am truly happy to meet my MOF-loving friends, colleagues, and the younger generation in this way". The venue was filled with applause and cheers at the appearance of these unexpected special guests.

In the following session, iCeMS' Professor Shuhei Furukawa gave a lecture titled "Kitagawa Ranch", reflecting on his approximately 25-year research career alongside Professor Kitagawa. He described the process from when he joined the laboratory as an undergraduate just after Professor Kitagawa arrived at Kyoto University, through a period of trial and error in a small laboratory, to the field's major development. The lecture naturally conveyed a laboratory culture where members are free to take on challenges and grow, leaving the audience in laughter. It left a deep lingering impression of the long-standing human connections and the passion for research.

Throughout the first and second days, the venue maintained a peaceful atmosphere as various lectures and panel discussions took place. The symposium proved to be a precious opportunity to celebrate the Nobel Prize in Chemistry while sharing the history of MOF research and the experiences and thoughts of those involved.