In September, CarrerasPathfinders will conclude its first year! Let’s take a look back at some of the program’s highlights and see what these past months have been like for our promising doctoral fellows.
On March 10, 2025, the program’s Kick-off Meeting brought together all fellows and their supervisors for an engaging introductory session. Participants were invited to explain their research projects, which served as a creative way to get to know each other better, setting a welcoming tone for the session. During the meeting, participants also asked questions about the program, and had the opportunity to get to know closely the Program Management Office (PMO). The Program manager Meline Margaryan opened the meeting with a brief presentation on the program and its different aspects, including Ethics, upcoming secondments, publications and other administrative issues. The program counts with the support of several units at the Institute, such as the Communications Unit and the Human Resources (HR) Unit, as well as the Training officer Elisa Gartner. The aspects related to the Communications, outreach activities and dissemination were presented by Martí Badal, a Communications specialist, and the Training and career development opportunities were presented by Leticia Chico, the Head of HR at the IJC.
On April 10, 2025, the fellows had an informal meeting with the CarrerasPathfinders Scientific coordinator, Dr Marcus Buschbeck, discussing their research projects, finding common interests outside of science, such as hiking and traveling. The diverse background of our fellows, their rich international experiences complemented the conversation and fostered a relaxed, engaging atmosphere that encouraged networking, peer support, and stronger connections within the cohort. The beautiful landscape of the IJC inspired them to organize a CarrerasPathfinders hike…one day.
On April 22, 2025, the fellows attended in an in-person training session at the IJC Auditorium on Introduction to innovation and technology transfer brought to them by the IJC Innovation Unit. The session also counted with three IJC researchers, Dr Laura Belver, Dr Verónica Rodilla and Dr Pablo Menéndez, who shared their successful experiences in innovation. The participants gained insights into key concepts such as patents, intellectual property, and technology transfer. They explored the regulatory landscape and opportunities in biomedical innovation, and learned how this field can benefit their research careers through enhanced funding prospects, international collaboration, and other advantages.
On April 25, 2025, the IJC welcomed Dr Davide Seruggia from the St. Anna Children’s Cancer Research Institute (Vienna, Austria) for a seminar, invited by the CarrerasLeaders MSCA COFUND postdoctoral fellows. The fellows from the CarrerasPathfinders were invited to participate, gaining new insights into the study of non-coding regulatory elements, chromatin modifiers and other epigenetic factors that regulate gene expression in the context of pediatric malignancies.
On May 14, 2025, the fellows participated in a Scientific communication training and a hands-on workshop on Presenting research in video format, both designed to strengthen their transferable skills in effectively communicating their projects. The fellows learned the fundamentals behind effectively communicating science to various audiences, gained tips and practical advice on how to record a video presentation among other skills. The training session was delivered by Martí Badal, in an engaging and interactive manner, where the fellows were able to work on practical exercices and collaborative activities.
On May 23, 2025, the fellows were invited to another distinguished lecturer´s seminar, Dr Kevin Rouault-Pierre from Barts Cancer Institute (London, the UK) organized by the CarrerasLeaders MSCA COFUND postdoctoral fellows. The two programs tend to create synergies in aspects such as training, communication activities, and exchange of good practices. The fellows learned about Dr Rouault-Pierre’s research in haematopoietic stem cells and leukemic initiating cells. His current research seeks to understand how intrinsic and extrinsic signals are integrated by normal and malignant stem cells.
On June 5, 2025, a practical training session was organized for the fellows in Data Management, delivered by Dr Rémi Safi, an MSCA postdoctoral fellow from Stem cell biology, developmental leukemia and immunotherapy Lab (under the supervision of Dr Pablo Menéndez at IJC Clínic). Held at the IJC Clínic location in Barcelona, the session also gave the fellows the opportunity to explore the site and discover the cutting-edge research being conducted there. The training was dedicated to the important aspects of Open science and research data management, FAIR principles, and preparation of Data Management Plans (DMP), essential for all researchers.
This project has received co-funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme 2021-2027 under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement nº 101126688.