APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Rules of application for the Training Workshops: MPS_NOVA Training Workshops.pdf
TW1
New In Vitro Models: Alternatives to Animal Models in Research
This course covers the alternatives to animal models, presents a variety of examples of applications in biomedical research and covers the latest developments in this area. It also provides participants with an overview of the best practices to assemble Organ-on-Chip, such as cell seeding, maintenance and viability monitoring, fluid handling and compound testing.
TW2
Advanced Organ-on-Chip methods coupled to advanced microscopy training
This course provides participants with hands-on training on the best practices to assemble Organ-on-Chip (cell seeding, maintenance and viability monitoring, fluid handling, and compound testing). The chips generated in this course will be prepared for microscopy analysis, performed jointly with the annual “Fundamentals of Light Microscopy and Image Processing” course held at ITQB NOVA.
TW3
Pluripotent Stem Cell Basics
This training workshop provides participants with hands-on experience in Pluripotent Stem Cells (PSCs) reprogramming, highlight the potential to derive PSCs from adult somatic cells, and discuss new possibilities in disease modelling.
TW4
Organ-specific Organoids
This training workshop provides a comprehensive hands-on overview of the protocols for creating organoids from a specific organ (e.g. cerebral). Prior training in PSCs culture techniques or completion of the TW3 course is a prerequisite for this course.
TW5
Stem cells, organoids and the methods to characterise them
With theoretical and practical components, this training workshop focuses on recent advances in MPS, stem cell technologies, and the characterisation of these models.
TW6
Strategy in R&I Management Workshop
Delivered by a Strategy Officer from MDC, this training workshop brings insights from UNL R&I Managers on the responsibilities of strategy staff. Topics to be discussed include the managers’ role at the interface between science and administration, strategy development, committee support and reporting.
TW7
Gender Equality in Hiring and Job Promotion Workshop
Delivered by the MDC-BIMSB Gender Equality Officer, this workshop provides insights from UNL R&I Management on Human Resources Excellence in Research, with a focus on gender equality during hiring and promotion processes. The aim is to share the MDC strategy for achieving gender balance in leadership and decision-making bodies. Topics to be discussed include promoting a gender-sensitive organisational culture, analyzing systematically collected equality-related data, implementing equality-centred policies, and educating employees to raise gender equality awareness.
TW8
Upskilling Pre- and Post-Award Processes Workshop
In this workshop, MDC and UKJ Research Funding Officers share their expertise on pre- and post-award processes. Topics to be discussed include how scientists are informed about funding opportunities, the scope of support during submissions, the management of financial aspects once an application is approved, and best practices for tracking submitted applications for statistical purposes.
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
Rules of application for the Staff Exchanges: MPS_NOVA – Staff Exchanges – Application rules.pdf
Planned Exchanges
SE1
Organoids characterisation
Experts from the Tissue Processing Unit, the Electrophysiology Scientific Supporting Unit and the Human Technopole’s Neurogenomics centre will showcase organoid characterisation using advanced imaging, electrophysiological methodologies, and other pioneering research utilising organoids.
SE2
Reprogramming of somatic cells into hiPSCs
This staff exchange is structured to convey every facet of the hiPSCs reprogramming process. It will range from strategic decision-making to the hands-on management of human primary cells, reprogramming factors, clone/ colony picking, maintenance, and expansion.
SE3
Methods to characterise stem cells and organoids
During this staff exchange trainees will gain a higher understanding of topics similar to those of training workshop 5. Topics include stem cells, organoids and methods used to characterise them.
SE4
Organ-on-chip, stem cells and toxicology
During this staff exchange, drug treatment outcomes will be explored in MPS through analytical methods with high throughput/ content readouts. It will also explore the metabolic and genetic fingerprint of drug compounds, which are virtually impossible to achieve in classical animal models.
