The University of Basel hosted a most successful 2nd ITN Training School in September 2014 and a huge thank you goes to Ton, Nicole, Lilly and Llucia.
Day one saw the biologists and chemists sharing their project updates. Each Fellow had 30 minutes for their presentation, followed by comments, questions and discussion. Although it was a long day, all agreed that presentations were best suited to the beginning of the Training School to allow Fellows to enjoy the rest of the week.
On the evening, all were treated to a delightful dinner at the “Hotel Krafft”. Luckily the weather had been warm and sunny during the day so the meal was outside alongside the Rhein and everyone was able to relax and enjoy their meal.
Tuesday’s training had more of an industry focus with presentations from Christophe Burkhart and Paul Manley from Novartis followed by Ulf Grawunder, CEO of SME NBE Therapeutics.
During the afternoon, the DECIDE team of 12 Marie Curie Research Fellows and management were treated to a guided tour of the Novartis Headquarters. The tour showcased Novartis’s impressive Campus, workplace to thousands of employees including scientists and doctors from around the world. The innovative architecture and art displayed amazed the group and information provided gave DECIDE researchers insight of the company’s work ethos.
DECIDE associates Misha and Daniela gave superb, informative talks on Wednesday morning which were much appreciated by both Fellows and Partners who were keen to hear about their recent work.
After lunch, the Fellows gave individual feedback to management during the first meeting of the Training Committee. This was a great opportunity for them to honestly report on how they felt their projects were progressing and if they had experienced any barriers or training needs. Finally the Supervisory Board met and covered items such as finance, secondments, outreach, training, work package reports and future meetings.
The day ended with a tasty dinner at Pizzeria Da Gianni, a pleasant little restaurant about 20 minutes away from the Hotel. Partners and Fellows enjoyed their pizzas whilst reminiscing on the week so far.
On the morning of the last day, everyone met outside the picturesque Basel Town Hall and then went to the Pharmaceutical Museum. The Director provided a guided tour and explained the fascinating history of the pharmaceutical industry in Basel.
Partners and Fellows had a great time at the 2nd ITN Training School in Basel! It was a wonderful experience to see each other again as well as the sights of Basel and to listen to and share ideas. The next School will be in Wroclaw, Poland in September 2015 and everyone is looking forward to meeting again!