On September 26, the second edition of the symposium “Emerging Leaders in Biomedicine” took place, hosted by the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) in the teaching pavilion of the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital. The initiative, promoted by eight Catalan research centers to offer a space to postdoctoral researchers and new research group leaders from various biomedical centers in Catalonia.
The initiative was born with the aim of generating a network of new group leaders who are beginning this new stage in their scientific career, in which to share scientific knowledge, challenges presented by leadership, projects and seek new collaborations.
Both scientific and institutional collaboration has been the basis of this initiative, jointly promoted by the Catalan biomedical research centres of excellence: the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC-CERCA), the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO-CERCA), the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC-CERCA), the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG-CERCA), the Institute of Molecular Biology of Barcelona (IBMB- CSIC), the Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS) of the Pompeu Fabra University, the Institute of Biomedicine of the University of Barcelona (IBUB), and the Barcelona Institute of Biomedical Research (IRBB).
The director of the scientific management area of VHIO, Alejandro Piris, was in charge of opening this day in which more than 120 researchers from various areas of oncological research linked to Catalan research centres participated. It also included the opening conference by Dr. Laura Soucek, director of the Experimental Therapeutics Programme and head of VHIO’s Antitumour Therapy Modelling Group: “The Long (and bumpy) Journey to Develop a Clinically Viable MYC Inhibitor”.
The day included three blocks of “Short Talks” in which emerging leaders presented the latest advances in genetics and epigenetics, new approaches in oncological research, stem cells or modelling, followed by a round table on technology transfer, spin-offs and industry. To close the day, the researchers participated in an interactive workshop focused on reflective development.
“This second edition, with more than 120 participants, consolidates the Emerging Leaders in Biomedicine Symposium as a meeting point where researchers who have made the leap to leading their own research group can share progress and results in search of synergies with other groups and institutions and create a network of scientific excellence that will be established in the future” explains Dr. Francisco Barriga, head of the VHIO Genomic Engineering Group, who, together with Dr. Natalia Czerniak from the scientific management area of the same centre, formed part of the organising committee on behalf of VHIO.
This event was supported by: AstraZeneca • HaploX Global • BD Biosciences • Miltenyi Biotec • ESTEVE • Grupo Bestours
