Linh Tran heads to Berlin’s global finals after winning the Falling Walls Lab Atlantic Canada finale on September 14.
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia: Dalhousie University researcher Linh Tran has won the 2026 Falling Walls Lab Atlantic Canada pitch competition with a three-minute presentation entitled Breaking the Wall of Sample Volume: Big Diagnostics from Tiny Volume.
The competition was held at the Halifax Central Library’s Paul O’Regan Hall, where 14 participants from universities across Atlantic Canada competed for the top spot.
Tran’s breakthrough aims to eliminate repeated attempts to extract blood samples from subjects unable to provide the volume needed for traditional diagnostics. Through biomarker capture and detection, Tran’s research enables diagnostics using only half the usual volume of blood.
The biomarker targeting science could greatly improve the safety and speed of bloodwork involving infants, elders, and research subjects whereby larger samples are not possible.
”Winning Falling Walls Lab Atlantic Canada means so much to me because it gives me an opportunity to represent our province and share the work our lab has been so excited about,” said Tran.
“It’s a simple approach that could change diagnostic testing by pulling more information from a smaller sample, across nearly every area of disease. I hope this makes testing safer and more accessible for all.”
“The fourteen finalists presented some of our region’s best research ideas to solve important global challenges,” said Stefan Leslie, CEO of Research Nova Scotia. “We’re proud to send our Atlantic Canada winner to compete on the world stage in Berlin.”
Linh Tran will represent Falling Walls Lab Atlantic Canada at the Falling Walls Lab Global Finale in Berlin on November 6, 2026, as part of the at the Falling Walls Science Summit.
There, she will compete against 100 winners from Falling Walls Labs around the world for the title of “Breakthrough Winner” in the Emerging Talents category of Falling Walls, with the opportunity to appear on stage at the Falling Walls Breakthroughs of the Year alongside leading scientists, including Nobel Laureates.
Falling Walls Lab Atlantic Canada was held on September 14, 2026 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The event was hosted by Research Nova Scotia and supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). Fourteen participants from various disciplines competed in the competition, evaluated by a jury of experts from academia, business and government.
“Congratulations to Linh Tran on bringing your idea from a three-minute pitch in Halifax to the world stage in Berlin,” said Shannon Miedema, Member of Parliament for Halifax.
“Our region is home to exceptional talent tackling global challenges across key sectors. Opportunities like this build more connections, open doors and show the world what Atlantic Canada can do.”
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About Falling Walls Lab
Falling Walls Lab is a global pitch competition that brings together students, early-career researchers and innovators from all disciplines to present their breakthrough ideas in just three-minutes on stage. It offers a unique platform to present groundbreaking research, business models, and innovative ideas from all fields in a fast-paced format with a global reach.
Falling Walls Lab is organized by the Falling Walls Foundation and supported by the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG).
For more information, please visit www.falling-walls.com/lab.
About Research Nova Scotia
Research Nova Scotia supports, organizes, and coordinates the funding of research to increase economic growth and productivity in three priority sectors: 1) natural resources, climate change and clean energy; 2) life sciences and health sciences; and 3) construction and transportation.
CONTACT
Media contact:
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maggie.archibald@researchns.ca | 902.880.1748