BIOME's triple-core annual retreat participants gathered off-campus in Cologne again for a translational immunology/infectious diseases/tumour group exchange. The supporting doctoral orga-team consisting of Clara Roggendorf, Anne Petzold, Lorraine Muungani and Xi Wang decided on a broader approach to the selection of keynote speakers this year by inviting Ariane Pessentheiner (University of Graz) to share her experiences of segueing from classic post-doc research into science communications, while the BIOME alumna Anna-Lena Volckmar (University of Heidelberg) discussed the finer issues of In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR). Around eighty MD/PhD candidates presented progress updates on their research projects in talks and poster sessions, with Maren Soldierer winning the award for the best talk, and Sebastian Kromat, Antonia Belter and Lara Kaumanns each receiving prizes for their posters.

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The German Research Foundation (DFG) is supporting the establishment of a new research training group 2989 on Targeting Cellular Interfaces in Reperfused Acute Myocardial Infarction (TCI repAMI) by researchers from the Medical Faculty of the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) with 7.5 million Euros. The research training group (RTG) team's focus is on the so-called acute myocardial infarction, commonly called a heart attack. In 2022 it was the second most common cause of death in Germany, after coronary heart disease. Even with optimal therapy and if the blocked coronary artery is quickly reopened (reperfusion), mortality is high. The consequences that reperfusion can have on patients are highly complex and not fully understood. The aim of the new RTG is to identify novel processes and targets for therapeutic approaches.

The speaker for the new RTG is Prof. Dr. Tienush Rassaf, Director of the Clinic for Cardiology and Angiology at the University Hospital Essen. In the funded RTG, the group includes experts from the heart and circulatory focus as well as the immunology/infectiology focus of the UDE Medical Faculty and the Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences (ISAS Dortmund).

​Traditionally, the Ischemia, Reperfusion and Angiogenesis core has always had a wider scientific theme guiding its choice of retreat venue. This year a medicinal plant focus was chosen. As an ice-breaker to kick off the event, the doctorates prepared short presentations on plant-derived agents used in medicine such as coumarine (Marcumar), ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), caffeine, acetylsalicylic acid, cocaine, curcumin, digoxin, wild lowbush blueberry, trehalose, Crataegus pinnatifida, and oleic acid (olive oil).

The excellent external speaker, Dr. Sarah Starosta, has analyzed the connection between cancer and depression and found in her mouse model that inflammation can trigger depression. This is of course of great importance as there are many diseases that cause inflammation and are negatively associated with depression. The keynote lecture was followed by listening to and critically discussing the doctoral and expert presentations of research-in-progress. The retreat ended with a group excursion to the Ruhr University Bochum's botanical garden where some of the plants talked about earlier could be identified IRL.

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​During the Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience core retreat in Düsseldorf, members presented their dissertation projects in the form of digital posters. However, before presenting their work, members had to introduce themselves to the group by using a digital "Bio Sketch" comprising of information about "Education" and "Skills", as well as an "About Me" section. Finally, each person had to explain "Why I am pursuing a PhD/MD".

The creativity regarding the bio-sketches was very inspiring and funny, while the presentations of the dissertation projects were very precise and informative, offering a lot of valuable feedback from students to students. After this intense exchange of scientific information, the psychologist Beatrix Stahlberger gave an impressive interactive keynote talk on the subject  "Emotional Intelligence - Personal + Social Competence" which was followed by a workshop and coaching session focusing on difficult situations young researchers may face during their doctorate thesis. The retreat ended with a networking get together where informal exchange was possible.