2nd MITGEST training week (Netherlands)
The second MITGEST Training Week took place from 22-30 July 2024 in Nijmegen, Netherlands and was hosted by Hans Spelbrink and his team from the Radboud Center for Mitochondrial Medicine. Building on last year’s success, doctoral candidates (DCs) reconnected and discussed their research advancements with peers and Principal Investigators (PIs), world-class academic experts in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) maintenance and expression. The MITGEST network is committed to fostering professional and personal development through scientific and transferable skills educational courses. To this end, a comprehensive six-day training was organized, focusing on biostatistics and enhancing effective researcher skills.
The training began with insightful presentations on the DCs’ work progress over the past year, followed by inspiring talks from invited speakers. A highlight of the event was the participation of the Lily Foundation, one of MITGEST’s Associated Partners – a MITO patient association dedicated to raising awareness about mitochondrial disease and sharing patients’ perspectives. The presence of representatives from the Lily Foundation was an exceptional opportunity to remind all participants about the ultimate goal of the project and research efforts: developing novel treatments and ultimately saving lives.
Programme
09:00-09:15 Welcome & Introduction, Carlo Vascotto (IMol) and Hans Spelbrink (Radboud)
9:15-10:35 DC presentations, Part I Progress update (15min presentation + 5min questions per DC) DCs 11-8 (4 DCs) WP1-4
10:35-11:00 Coffee break
11:00-12:00 DC presentations, Part II Progress update (15min presentation + 5min questions per DC) DCs 5-7 (3 DCs) WP1-4
12:00-13:00 Lunch break
13:00-13:30 SB meeting Carlo Vascotto (IMol) WP7
14:30-15:30 “Mitochondrial complex complexification”
Dr. Martijn Huynen, Radboud Center for Mitochondrial Medicine (The Netherlands), Radboudumc
15:30-16:30 “In vitro reconstitution of mitochondrial genome maintenance – the role of EXOG, a versatile RNA/DNA nuclease, in preserving DNA integrity”
Dr.Anna Karłowicz, University of Gdansk (Poland)
15:30 End of day 1
18:00 Network dinner
9:20-10:20 DC presentations, Part III Progress update (15min presentation + 5min questions per DC) DCs 2-4 (3 DCs) WP1-4
10:40-11:15 “Adult Mitochondrial disease”
Dr. Mirian Janssen, RadboudUMC
11:15-11:55 “Childhood mitochondria disease)
Dr. Robert McFarland, Welcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Newcastle University
11:55-13:00 Lunch Break
13:00-14:00 “An introduction to Lily Foundation with the highlight on how they collaborate with patients”
Katie Waller & Maria O’Hanlon (LILY)
14:00-15:00 Outreach session Part I Ms. Joanna Plesniak, Accelopment –accelCH
(Switzerland)
15:00-15:15 Coffee break
15:15-16:00 Outreach session Part I Ms. Joanna Plesniak, Accelopment –accelCH (Switzerland)
16:00-17:00 Scientific discussion – round table DCs and PIs
17:00 End of day 2
19:00 Network dinner Restaurant De Waagh; Grote
9:00-12:30 Lesson 1: Working with data (in R)
Dr. Chiara Mimmi (UNIPV)
12:30-13:30 Lunch break
13:30-16:00 Practice Session 1
16:00 End of day 3
9:00-12:30 Lesson 2: Inferential statistics
Dr. Chiara Mimmi (UNIPV)
12:30-13:30 Lunch break
13:30-16:00 Practice Session 2
16:00 End of day 4
9:00-12:30 Lesson 3: Inferential statistics
Dr. Chiara Mimmi (UNIPV)
12:30-13:30 Lunch break
13:30-16:00 Practice Session 3
16:00 End of day 5
9:00-12:30 Lesson 4: Inferential statistics
Dr. Chiara Mimmi (UNIPV)
12:30-13:30 Lunch break
13:30-16:00 Practice Session 4
16:00 End of day 6
FREE DAY
09:30-10:25 “Welcome and introductions. Introduction to research impact; Enterprising idea and stakeholder engagement”
Dr. Alina Congreve (CRAC/Vitae)
10:25-10.35 Break
10:35-11.45 “Stakeholder management”
11:45-12.00 Break
12:00-12.30 “How to engage more effectively”
12:30-13:30 Lunch break
13:30-14.55 “Social media – tools and techniques PPT with Q&A; Working with policymakers and influencing policy; Communicating impact.”
14:55-15:10 Break
15:10-16:00 “Your communication plan; Evaluating your impact; Reflection, final questions and feedback”
16:00 End of Day 8
9:30-10.50 “Introduction to the programme; Thinking about your next 90 days; Establishing personal learning preferences – Human scales task; Introducing Covey prioritisation model”
Dr. Alina Congreve (CRAC/Vitae)
10:50-11:10 Break
11:10-12:30 Individual and pairs activity – allocate tasks on current to-do list according to Covey model; Group activity – what happens if you spend all your time in one box; Secrets of a successful PhD
12:30-13.30 Lunch break
13:30-15:00 Working with others – key concepts and group activity based on scenarios; International teams and remote collaborations – tools and techniques
15:00-15:20 Break
15:20-16:20 Project management tools; Tools and tips for personal resilience
16:20 Wrap up and close
A glimpse into the training week
Insightful scientific talks
Special guests during the training week included esteemed scientists Martijn Huynen and Anna Karłowicz, who delivered enlightening talks that enriched attendees’ understanding of evolutionary mitochondrial biology and molecular biology. Adding to the depth of the program, renowned clinicians Mirian Janssen and Robert McFarland also joined the sessions, offering PIs and DCs valuable clinical insights into mitochondrial diseases.
Lily foundation
Katie Waller and Maria O’Hanlon, the research and Patient Engagement and Advocacy managers of the Lily Foundation, provided valuable insights into the foundation’s mission and their daily work. Their presentation was particularly engaging as it offered consortium members a deeper understanding of patients’ perspectives and their informational needs. This is crucial, considering that mitochondrial diseases are not widely recognized, leaving many patients feeling lost due to the limited available treatments and a lack of understanding about their conditions.
R4biostats: biostatistics summer school
During the second MITGEST meeting, our DCs also participated in a comprehensive four-day biostatistics course, organized to support their professional and personal growth. The course, based on the renowned training offered by R4biostats and led by Dr. Chiara Mimmi, combined theoretical sessions in the mornings with practical applications in the afternoons. The curriculum covered a range of essential topics, including Working with data (in R), Inferential statistics, Modeling correlation and regression, and Intro to machine learning. While some formulae and computational elements were included, the primary focus was on applying these concepts to real-life scenarios faced by research scientists. Through this intensive and interactive course, the doctoral candidates gained valuable skills to enhance their research capabilities.
Effective researcher: Communication and Impact on Research
Vitae, an organization committed to advancing the professional development of researchers globally, plays a vital role in nurturing the next generation of professionals poised to make meaningful contributions to their fields. In this spirit, Dr. Alina Congreve led a dynamic workshop designed to equip our DCs with the critical skills needed to excel as researchers. On the first day, participants were introduced to entrepreneurial concepts and stakeholder engagement, supported by interactive activities aimed at enhancing their communication and engagement abilities. The second day offered a comprehensive exploration of essential skills, including effective planning using the Covey model. Through a highly interactive and practical approach, the doctoral candidates were able to apply the valuable insights shared by Dr. Congreve, solidifying their learning experience.
Overall, the first MITGEST network meeting was a success establishing a sound basis for fruitful scientific collaboration. The event concluded with participants vowing to maintain their newfound connections and work together beyond the event to ensure ongoing knowledge sharing and collaboration amongst the members of the network.
