2024/10/04

CIC bioGUNE concludes the 2024 edition of its annual Introductory Week for new doctoral candidates

CIC bioGUNE concluded the 2024 edition of its Introductory Week, providing new doctoral candidates with an immersive experience into the institution's research areas and facilities.
The week culminated in the presentation of innovative "Visionary Research Projects," fostering creativity and collaboration.

CIC bioGUNE, member of BRTA, has successfully wrapped up the 2024 edition of its annual Introductory Week for new doctoral candidates. This immersive five-day program provided incoming doctoral students with an in-depth understanding of CIC bioGUNE's research focus areas, facilities, and collaborative environment, fostering a sense of community among participants.

The event, organized by CIC bioGUNE's Training Committee, took place from September 30th to October 4th at the institution’s facilities. During the week, new doctoral candidates were introduced to the various research groups, laboratories, and the institution's overarching research framework. The aim was to equip them with the knowledge and resources needed for their academic journey and to promote teamwork through a "Visionary Research Project" activity.

The week commenced with a keynote session led by Jesús Jiménez-Barbero, Scientific Director of CIC bioGUNE, who provided an overview of the institution’s mission and goals. Following this, Rosa Barrio, leader of the Ubiquitin-Likes and Development Lab and a member of the Training Committee, presented the center’s training program and its guidelines. The candidates then introduced themselves briefly, sharing their academic background and planned research projects.

Throughout the week, the candidates visited key research platforms, including bioinformatics, structural biology, chemical biology, molecular biology, metabolomics, and more. They interacted with Principal Investigators from various research groups, who shared insights into their ongoing work, enriching the candidates’ understanding of CIC bioGUNE’s diverse research portfolio.

As tradition, the event concluded with the presentation of the "Visionary Research Projects," where candidates, working in groups, presented innovative and imaginative research proposals. These projects, hypothetically aimed at winning a 1.5M€ grant over four years, showcased creativity and scientific potential. The presentations were met with enthusiasm, and awards were given to the most compelling ideas.

This year's Introductory Week was a resounding success, providing new doctoral candidates with a solid foundation to thrive in the CIC bioGUNE environment. The Training Committee extends a warm welcome to all the new candidates and wishes them a rewarding and productive time at the center.

About CIC bioGUNE
The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organisation conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, molecular and cell biology, with a particular focus on generating knowledge on the molecular bases of disease, for use in the development of new diagnostic methods and advanced therapies.

About BRTA
BRTA is an alliance of 4 collaborative research centres (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE y CIC energiGUNE) and 13 technology centres (Azterlan, Azti, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Leartiker, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker y Vicomtech) with the main objective of developing advanced technological solutions for the Basque corporate fabric.

With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group and the Provincial Councils of the three territories, the alliance seeks to promote collaboration between the research centres, strengthen the conditions to generate and transfer knowledge to companies, contributing to their competitiveness and outspreading the Basque scientific-technological capacity abroad.

BRTA has a workforce of 3,500 professionals, executes 22% of the Basque Country's R&D investment, registers an annual turnover of more than 300 million euros and generates 100 European and international patents per year.

Spanish version