This year ISI launched its 1st Early Career Researchers Meeting. This was an in-person event, held on November 25th in Dublin and was kindly sponsored by our partners Fluidigm, BioSciences, MSC, Aligent, STEMCELL and AssayGenie. 

 

The event was aimed at PhD students, postdoctoral scientists, and young immunologists, and facilitated a platform upon which they could showcase their research in a vibrant, friendly, and stimulating atmosphere.

 

A number of abstracts were selected for presentation, all of which were delivered at an outstanding level, with Katie Mayne (QUB) winning the PhD student session, and Dr Stephen Fitzsimons (RCSI) winning the postdoctoral session.

 

The inclusion of both academic and industry focused career sessions allowed stimulating discussion and provided an opportunity for participants to get an insight into various career options. Panel discussions included those by Dr Mark Robinson (MU), Dr Stephen Lalor (UCD), Dr Annie Curtis (RCSI), Prof Kingston Mills (TCD) and Prof Catherine Godson (UCD), who provided invaluable insights into their experience of becoming a PI and the challenges they encountered. Dr Alice Dubois gave an encouraging presentation on her experience as a postdoctoral researcher and the transition to her current role as Head of the Postdoctoral Development Centre (QUB).

 

This was followed by an insightful panel discussion “Maximizing your postdoc potential” with Dr Kevin Lynch (Becton Dickinson), Dr Simon Lawless (PPD), Dr Aoife Corcoran (UCC) and Dr Sarah Corcoran (ONK Therapeutics/Achilles Therapeutics).

 

The event closed with an inspiring keynote lecture from Dr David Finley (TCD), who not only shared the exciting ongoing research of his lab, but importantly, challenges that life as an academic can bring and the importance of celebrating success in research. 

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