Peroxisomes (green) in human fibroblasts. An overlay of DIC and fluorescence is shown to highlight cell boundaries.

Peroxisomes (green) in human fibroblasts. An overlay of DIC and fluorescence is shown to highlight cell boundaries.

Prestigious European training network comes to Biosciences

From the 1st to the 3rd December, Biosciences is hosting a workshop designed to help develop the next generation of European researchers.

The workshop, organised by the PerFuMe (Peroxisome Formation, Function & Metabolism) EU Marie Curie Training Network, will combine contributions from world-leading experts in peroxisome biology, metabolism and diagnostics of related disorders with practical sessions aimed at developing skills in fundamental research on this important organelle, which is essential for human health.

The event will include sessions on Peroxisome Metabolism and Diagnosis of related disorders, with lectures from Prof. Ronald Waters and Dr. Hans Waterham (Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam), as well as Organelle Interplay and Disease featuring University of Exeter Bioscience researchers Dr. Michael Schrader and Dr. Imogen Sparkes. Prof. Wanders is a highly distinguished scientist and a leading expert in the enzymology of peroxisomal disorders with over 936 publications in peer-reviewed journals. The workshop will be supported by contributions from local researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School and the Exeter Sequencing Facility. Workshop attendees will include the PhD students and post-doctoral fellows, who are part of the PerFuMe network, as well as other interested researchers from across Europe.

The PerFuMe network was established in 2013 as part of the Marie Curie Initial Training Network which receives funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme. These prestigious awards are designed to develop the next generation of European leaders in inter-disciplinary science to solve questions of global concern and to increase European competitiveness in research and development.

The PerFuMe network is an interdisciplinary consortium, coordinated by Prof. Ida van der Klei (University of Groningen, The Netherlands), which is made up of eleven European research groups from research institutes and universities as well as industrial partners. This includes scientists with expertise in a variety of fields including cell biology, biochemistry, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, mathematical modelling, bioinformatics and protein structure analysis.  The University of Exeter is represented in the network by Dr. Michael Schrader who is organising the workshop in cooperation with Dr. Hans Waterham from the Amsterdam Medical Centre. Dr. Schrader said: “We have managed to recruit excellent speakers and provide an interesting and inter-disciplinary training program. I hope that all participants will enjoy this event and obtain a thorough understanding of peroxisomal function, related disorders and diagnosis of human disease.”

Date: 1 December 2014

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