RIMLS societal impact highlights of 2019
The search to improve the conditions of CAH patients
Every day, Hedi Claahsen and her colleagues deal with unsolved clinical problems. With her research, she tries to advance medical care, improve the patients' quality of life, and prevent long-term complications. read the interviewPatient first? in cell biological research
How can we increase patient trust participation in cell biological research and which ethical issues play a role in this? read morePatient first? in cell biological research
In the summer of 2018 Alessandra Cambi (cell biologist) and Gert Olthuis (medical ethicist) were invited to give a joint talk to honor Ms. Jopie Verhoeven who retired as a chair of the Patient Advisory Council of the Radboudumc. Their discussions led to an article in Trends in Cell Biology. Its abstract: “Cell biological research investigates mechanisms of health and disease, with patients as the initial motivation and ultimate target. While increasingly visible in clinical research, patient participation in cell biological research remains limited. Here we discuss key ethical issues inherent in this development and the value of building trust and trustworthiness.”Olthuis G, Cambi A. Patient Trust and Participation. Trends Cell Biol. 29, 765-767, 2019.
ENABLE where science and society meets
From students, the general public to the elderly, they were all given a unique glimpse into the world of researcher. read moreENABLE where science and society meets
One of the main goals of ENABLE, as well as of our New Frontiers organization, is to bring science closer to society through a series of educational activities that were held across Nijmegen. The outreach activities took place on the days prior to the symposium (10-12 November 2019) and on the first day of the symposium. The activities were specifically tailored towards the young and old members of our society.
Activities for schools
To give young students a glance into biomedical research, PhD candidates of RIMLS visited a primary school and reconstructed the lab environment in a classroom. The students got their first-hand experience on the work of a scientist and they playfully learned about the various functions of the different organs in the human body. Additionally, high school students came to RIMLS to dive deeper in biomedical sciences. They joined an interactive tour to the Museum of Anatomy and Pathology, saw how scientists perform animal experiments in the imaging center PRIME, and found out how they study organs, such as the placenta, in a laboratory. Students had a chance to meet with RIMLS professionals (professors, PhD candidates, postdocs, technicians and medical students), and ask them any questions about a career in biomedicine.
Interactive session at an elderly home
RIMLS professor of Cell Biology, Alessandra Cambi, gave a lecture entitled “50 Years of Biomedical Research: What have we achieved?” in one of Nijmegen’s retirement homes. Alessandra explained how medical practice and science itself have changed in recent history – and discussed these changes with a generation that has witnessed them first-hand. Her story gave the listener a glimpse of all four ENABLE themes: Personalized Medicine, Advanced Imaging, Big Data and Fundamental Research.
Public debate
Together with the International Science Film Festival InScience and the DNA-dialoog initiative, a public debate about ethical aspects of germline modification of the human genome was organized, entitled: “Baby Construction Site: Working on the DNA of Future Generations”. Science communicator Frank Kupper led the discussion between a biomedical geneticist (Marc van Mil), a medical ethicist (Eline Bunnik) and a health scientist (Ivy van Dijke). The event was articulated around a spoken word performance by Lev Avitan, and short animations prepared by DNA-dialoog.
Pub Talks
On Wednesday evening, four bars in the city center of Nijmegen hosted a series of pub talks performed by international PhD candidates and postdocs taking part in the ENABLE conference. These young scientists shared their work with a lay audience in a short, entertaining and easy-to-grasp manner. In each of the bars, the public chose the best performance that was awarded with a prize.
At the RIMLS, we feel it is important to bring researchers and the general public in close contact. Therefore, we are very content with the successful public outreach activities and look forward to our next public event.
See here the after event movie of the whole enable event.
Science challenge at high school
For four days, high school students took on the science challenge! Vaccinology, immunology and programming, everything was covered. The course was developed and implemented by our researchers. read moreScience challenge at high school
International PhD candidates Joshua Gillard, Dorien Feyaerts and Yessica Alina Rodriguez Rosales (themes Infectious diseases and global health and Inflammatory diseases), developed and implemented an exciting 4-day science challenge to teach vaccinology, immunology, and programming at the Lorenz Lyceum high school in Arnhem.Focus on personalized healthcare at summerschool
Researchers from CMBI, TML and Human Genetics worked together for the summerschool on the theme of "Integrative X-omics analyses empowering personalized healthcare". read moreFocus on personalized healthcare at summerschool
Researchers from Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics (CMBI), Translational Metabolic Laboratory (TML) and Human Genetics organized a successful summerschool on “Integrative X-omics analyses empowering personalized healthcare”.The course coordinators Alain van Gool and Peter-Bram ‘t Hoen look back at an exciting week, in which 20 participants from all over Europe convened for a week full of lectures, practicals, and labtours. The week started with an introduction into biomarkers for personalized healthcare by Alain van Gool (Mitochondrial diseases). Marcel Nelen introduced them into novel genomics technologies, and Hans Wessels and Jolein Gloerich (Mitochondrial diseases) did the same for novel proteomics technologies. Peter-Bram ‘t Hoen presented a range of X-omics data integration strategies. Other topics like metabolomics, methylation and network-based data integration were covered by external speakers from the Netherlands X-omics Initiative.
Throughout the week, the participants worked on an assignment for which they needed to design a X-omics study, and define a data analysis and management plan. The participants worked in multidisciplinary teams of four. Their different scientific backgrounds helped to address this assignment from different angles. On Friday, the participants presented their exciting studies covering a range of different topics: from the study of the influence of microbiome on constipation in Parkinson's disease, to the identification of early marker signals for infection in rheumatoid arthritis patients after treatment with tocublizimab, risk assessment in prostate cancer based on combined imaging and -omics profiling, the molecular mechanisms of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and the early detection of cerebral course of disease in X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.
The organizers are looking forward to the next edition coming year.