World leading speakers at inaugural UCL "Biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases" course

Aimed at PhD students this unique event featured lectures from experts, interactive group exercises and presentations, a lab visit, networking opportunities, top quality food and even a trip to the National Gallery. Feedback was outstanding and there is a burgeoning waiting list for next year. As well as leading the way in biomarker education it also strengthens the excellent collaborative relationships between academic institutions.  

This exciting collaboration between the University of Gothenburg and UCL took place on 2-5th April. A comprehensive programme of lectures from outstanding experts covered biomarkers in blood and cerebrospinal fluid, as well as PET and MRI-imaging of neurodegeneration and the use of biomarkers in clinical trials. The highly international group of over 50 PhD students who participated in the course travelled from Europe, Asia and the USA. Delegates appreciated both its format and content, in particular the lectures and discussions led by world-leading Alzheimer-scientists such as GuestProfessor William Jagust of the University of California, Berkeley, Drs Kerstin Heurling, Erik Portelius, Kina Höglund, Johan Gobom, Ulf Andreasson, Jorg Hanrieder, Nicholas Ashton and Prof Henrik Zetterberg from the University of Gothenburg, Dr Joana Pereira and Andrea Varrone from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Professors Nick Fox, John Hardy, Jonathan Schott and Drs Tammaryn Lashley of the University College London.

More informal discussions and networking opportunities were facilitated through a group welcome dinner at Baltic Restaurant (sponsored by Olink), a lab visit to the Dementia Research Institute led by Dr Amanda Heslegrave and a wine and Firezza pizza evening where biomarkers for frontotemporal dementia, prion disease and Huntington’s disease with discussions led by Prof Simon Mead, Dr Jonathan Rohrer and Lauren Byrne. Delegates sat down to lunch together each day; outstanding food was provided by Dubuis @ the October Gallery.  

The course was organised by Ross Paterson (NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer, UCL Institute of Neurology) in collaboration with Michael Schöll, Associate Professor at the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular and Translational Medicine and the Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at The University of Gothenburg. The event was supported by the NIHR UCLH BRC and OLINK.

The organisers intend to continue offering the course on a yearly basis between the University of Gothenburg and UCL on alternative years. Dates for the 2020 course will be released in summer 2019. 

 For additional information, please contact Ross Paterson (r.paterson@ucl.ac.uk), Michael Schöll (michael.scholl@gu.se) or course administrator Ayesha Khatun (a.khatun@ucl.ac.uk) 

Links

• First edition of the PhD course on Biomarkers for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Gothenburg 2018
• Ross Paterson's academic profile
• Michael Schöll's academic profile

Images:

Credit: UCL Queen Square Insitute of Neurology Medical Illustration