Wrap up of PhasAGE project at the closing session
This week marks the end of an exciting journey to the PhasAGE project.
After three years with an extension of three more months, we are approaching the end of the project with a great sense of achievement and pride. This project was truly a success story (we will come back soon with more news about this), full of challenges and achievements, and we could have not made it in any other way.
The PhasAGE has joined efforts (and a lot of energy!) from experts from the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMC/i3S, Portugal), University of Padova (UniPD, Italy), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB, Spain), and Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB, Belgium) to strengthening the European leadership position and unravel the intricacies of the molecular mechanisms of aging and age-related diseases, with special focus in the role of protein phase separation and protein aggregation processes.
Through joint initiatives such as training schools and conferences, expert seminars, and a research exchange program, we not only disseminated the knowledge within the consortium but also extended the impact beyond its boundaries by involving participants from more than 30 countries.
The feedback collected from the participants that attended our events were always very positive, showcasing how PhasAGE consortium adopt the best strategies to accomplish the high standards of international meetings while ensuring the cross dissemination of PhasAGE knowledge and research across borders.
Since the beginning, PhasAGE was fully committed to boosting the professional and soft skills of young researchers; in that sense, we provided a toolkit for the advancement of their professional profile, with 13 career development workshops covering topics such as research valorization; career management; research ethics and scientific integrity; science communication, among others and access to an exchange program, conference fellowships, and training schools. A special spotlight should be given to our PhasAGE ambassadors who played a pivotal role in conducting outreach activities for non-scientific stakeholders such as high-school students and the general public.
We would also like to highlight, the staff exchanges and mentoring program to promote and leverage the R&I management capacity of IBMC and consequently reinforce the research capacity, networking and visibility of the PhasAGE partner institutions.
Our achievements and outputs reflect the strong sense of community and the joint commitment that has been growing since we kick-off the project in January 2021.
To wrap up, the PhasAGE Closing Session took place in i3S to celebrate and appreciate the project achievements and the people involved. The program started with a seminar from Prof. Peter Tompa (VIB-VUB) on ‘Repeat-driven condensation in health and disease’, followed by a brief discussion on ‘The future Phase Separation in Aging and Age-Related Disorders’. The session closed with a brief overview of PhasAGE’s main activities and achievements held by the Project Coordinator.
We would like to express our gratitude to every individual who attended and contributed to our scientific events, which were characterized by a welcoming environment, inspiring presentations and workshops, social interaction, and a collaborative spirit.
Your participation and engagement made the events a great success.
Thank you all!
The PhasAGE team