SciLifeLab researchers visit EMBL
As part of the SciLifeLab and EMBL joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), eight SciLifeLab scientists or infrastructure personnel visited EMBL during autumn 2023. These visits ranged from month-long internships to attending workshops, or conferences. SciLifeLab asked the participants to write a short report about their visit.
The grant is aimed at SciLifeLab infrastructure personnel, SciLifeLab Group leaders, or PhD students and researchers in these groups.
The following comments from the grant awardees provide a glimpse into what the EMBL visit entailed, with topics ranging from proteomics and cancer genomics to advanced imaging techniques.
Andrea Behanova
- Uppsala University
- Internship at EMBL Rome (Rome, September 2023)
“A part of my internship involved hands-on laboratory work related to in situ sequencing techniques. This cutting-edge method allowed me to visualize and analyze gene expression patterns within the tissue with unprecedented precision. Under the guidance of Alvaro Crevenna, I gained valuable experience in sample handling and sequencing, while I could contribute with my experience from working with image processing (such as image registration) and data interpretation. This exposure to advanced laboratory techniques broadened my horizons and equipped me with valuable skills in molecular biology.
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the entire EMBL Rome team for their guidance, support, and mentorship throughout this internship.”
Christian Gnann
- KTH
- The Proteomics in Cell Biology and Disease Mechanisms Conference (Heidelberg, 10–12 October 2023)
“It was a fantastic meeting, and I am grateful for the SciLifeLab/EMBL exchange grant, which allowed me to travel to beautiful Heidelberg, observe spectacular science, and meet fantastic members of the proteomics community. I look forward to future conferences that continue to push the boundaries of scientific discovery.”
Bruno Urién González
- Karolinska Institutet
- Seeing is believing: imaging the molecular processes of life, EMBO, EMBL Symposium (Heidelberg, 4-7 October 2023)
“It was an incredible experience that allowed me to interact with a different scientific community. In our lab, we are mainly focused on answering biological questions. Having the chance to interact with researchers that develop state-of-the-art microscopy techniques and were eager to help us implement these new developments in our research was really rewarding.”
Raphaela Pensch
- Uppsala University
- EMBL Cancer Genomics Conference (Heidelberg, 15-17 November 2023)
“One of the highlights of my visit was the opportunity to present my own research through a flash talk and a poster. The poster session, in particular, allowed for in-depth discussions with experts in my field who provided valuable insights and perspectives on my work. The discussions broadened my understanding of the challenges in the non-coding cancer genome field and opened doors for potential collaborations.”
Kristine Bilgrav Saether
- Karolinska Institutet
- The Mobile Genome workshop at EMBO (Heidelberg, 8-11 November 2023)
“I presented a poster entitled ‘Deciphering transposable elements using short- and long-read sequencing’ where I presented our results on implementing TE detection in clinical diagnostics, as well as our long-read approach. I received great feedback on my project and discussed future approaches of TE analysis with experts on TEs and bioinformatics. There were several networking opportunities and I got to know several colleagues in the field, which I hope to collaborate and learn from in the future.”
