A report by Jenny Backhaus
After the start of the “Adipocyte-Brain Crosstalk” Research Training Group a few months ago, our first Summer School offered the appropriate framework to get to know the other PhD students, PIs and their projects closer. Our first mission after arrival was to build boats at the beach, and this well considered “symbolic” event didn´t miss its intended mission to bring us all together, working for a common objective. And most of us surely realized that – just like these boats – we all hope to get “waterproof” results in the end!
Nevertheless, our individual projects within the ABC were focus of the Summer School and by presenting our research to the plenum we provided each other with a thorough overview of the different studies going on. To me it was very interesting to see the various backgrounds and research interests of the group members as well as their very different, individual approaches to illustrate their work.
But besides ABC-specific lectures and talks, the Summer School also left space for renowned guest speakers from both related as well as different research areas. So we were not to just circulate round our own projects all day, instead we heard about questions and issues other labs are challenged by and how they come up with suitable strategies.
Altogether, the Summer School was an optimal mixture of training, professional exchange and get-together, completed by beautiful sunshine and the atmospheric setting of our venue!
