Cluster Science Days 2015: A meeting to remember

The Cluster Science Days 2015 (photo: ImmunoSensation Cluster)

Fascinating talks and poster presentations, networking with spirited fellow students and broadening our horizons were the main attributes of this year’s perfectly organized Cluster Science Days.

For two days the ImmunoSensation members, including many doctoral candidates and postdocs, group leaders of the University Hospital Bonn, the LIMES and caesar institutes and the DZNE, as well as invited guests, gathered in a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.

lively discussions during poster sessions at the CSD 2015 (photo: ImmunoSensation Cluster)

The main difference between this meeting and previous conferences was that these days were all about the intriguing and inspiring research projects of junior researchers. The talks covered five scientific topics, namely “Immune Sensing Receptors and Molecules,“ “Local Context Sensing,“ “Metabolic Sensing and Nervous-Immune System Interactions,“ “Integration of Immune Sensory System Input on the Cellular and Subcellular Level,“ and “Consequences of Immune Sensing for Sterile Inflammation in vivo“. Experienced scientists introduced these research areas to the audience and gave a very informative and compromised overview. Following these introductions, the young researchers took center stage. Graduate students and postdocs presented their diverse work in more than 50 fascinating talks or on one of 85 interesting posters. In the course of a technical session experts introduced different techniques, their facility and equipment. Additionally, during the evening sessions experts from academia and industry gave insights into their life and work environment. The sessions aimed to help us young researchers form our own opinion of whether we want to stay in academia or rather work in industry after our PhD. Questions like if doing a post-doc abroad is recommended were discussed and it was pointed out how it is all about the personal drive to do innovative science.

Many thanks to all of those who contributed to this great meeting. Since I just started my PhD project I am very much looking forward to present, share and discuss my own data with the committed fellow students, postdocs and group leaders enrolled in this Cluster in 2016.

Author: Larissa Mühlenbeck