30.09.2021
On 30th September/1st October 2021, CaReSyAn members attended their final workshop and ITN meeting. Unfortunately, once again due to Covid-19 pandemic, all seminars and presentations were delivered over Zoom. An omics workshop kicked off the integrated programme, presented by researchers and PIs from Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, Universität Heidelberg and University of Montpellier. The first section of the programme gave a detailed overview of omics approaches, i.e., transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, etc., and how each scientific study can be applied to basic scientific research, with specific dedicated examples. A presentation was then given describing the use of animals specific to chronic kidney disease (CKD). This was particularly interesting, and perhaps the most relevant topic for CaReSyAn participants since most early stage researchers (ESRs) use animals in their research, thus learning about alternative CKD models to study different sequalae of CKD was insightful. Lastly, a more detailed lecture on omics data integration was given, highlighting different statistical approaches and application of pathway enrichment analysis.
After a much deserved break, CaReSyAn members broke away to a separate Zoom call to conclude the CaReSyAn programme. Over the past three years, colleagues have met at host institutes to present new data, have fruitful open discussions and collaborate with groups with different expertise, but the same common goal: to better understand cardiorenal syndrome. Since ESRs were at different stages of their PhDs (some European countries require three years of work while others four), it was encouraging to see the progress made by everybody involved, in particular those who planned to defend their thesis in the coming weeks. One by one, each ESR presented an overview of data generated over the past three years, really hitting home the importance of such research in a complicated disease that lacks efficacious therapies. A special mention should go to Ana and Tianlin, who both successfully defended their theses, and now move on to pastures new.