Under the title "Junior Scientist Zoonoses Meeting (JSZM) 2013" the first official meeting of young scientists of the National Research Platform for Zoonoses took place from 3rd to 5th June 2013.
The venue was the BioCity Leipzig. 32 participants from different research locations and disciplines took part in the event. During the event, Ms. Claudia Kohl from the Robert Koch Institute Berlin (RKI Berlin) was elected as representative of young scientists in the Internal Advisory Board of the Zoonoses Platform.
The JSZM 2013 was organized on the initiative of the young scientists of the Zoonoses Platform, based on a previous kick-off meeting.
The speakers were Dr. Anton Aebischer (RKI Berlin), Alexandra Bender (Federal Government "Research and Innovation" Funding Advisory Service), Dr. Roman Biek (University of Glasgow), Piotr Dabrowski (RKI Berlin), Dr. Sandra Eßbauer (Institute for Microbiology of the German Federal Armed Forces), Prof. Dr. Martin Groschup (Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Riems), Katja Hille (TiHo Hannover), Dr. Kate Millar (University of Nottingham), Prof. Dr. Martin Pfeffer (
VMF
Veterinärmedizinische Fakultät
Uni Leipzig), Dr. Ilia Semmler (TMF Berlin, Zoonoses Platform Office), Dr. Gudrun Wibbelt (IZW Berlin) and Ingrid Zwoch (National Contact Point Life Sciences Bonn).
The JSZM 2013 offered young scientists the opportunity to present their results to each other in topic-oriented round tables and poster sessions, to engage in interdisciplinary discussions and to expand their network. Lectures on scientific topics such as epidemiology, deep sequencing, phylogeny and ethics of animal experimentation provided an insight into relevant topics in zoonoses research and named important contact points. The same applied to the presentations on the acquisition of national and international third-party funds, including the funding opportunities under the umbrella of the Zoonoses Platform. The motivational presentations by established scientists from the Zoonoses Platform's Internal Advisory Board met with a particularly positive response from the participants. The vivid and refreshingly open presentation of their individual scientific and personal backgrounds was found to be very informative and inspiring by many of those present.
Claudia Kohl (RKI Berlin), representative of young researchers on the Internal Advisory Board 2013/2014
An important item on the programme of the JSZM 2013 was the first-time election of the junior representative for the Internal Advisory Board of the Zoonoses Platform. From the ranks of the young scientists present, Ms. Claudia Kohl from RKI Berlin was elected as a member of the Internal Advisory Board 2013/ 2014. As of September, she will represent and protect the interests of young scientists in national zoonoses research.
Especially the harmonious interdisciplinary communication, the diversity and the choice of topics, the making of contacts across different disciplines as well as the motivating and informative presentations were praised by the participants and speakers as extremely praiseworthy and innovative. A future continuation of the event was unreservedly welcomed and endorsed.
