First Summer School Brings Together Young Researchers for Two Inspiring Days

The Summer School kicked off on Thursday morning with a focus on model systems for inherited retinal diseases (IRD). Yagmur Demircan Yalcin (Radboudumc) presented organoid and organ-on-chip models, Céline Koster (Amsterdamumc) presented rodent models, and Rens Hoekstra and Lynn van Summeren (Radboudumc) presented zebrafish models. The session concluded with an inspiring and interactive Q&A with Kapil Bharti, one of our Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) members from the United States, giving participants valuable insights from an internationally renowned expert.

After lunch, participants split into two groups for tours of our zebrafish facility (Merel Stemerdink) and the Maze (Jack Weeda). These visits provided a unique opportunity to learn more about the technologies and research platforms that support Lifelong VISION work.

The afternoon continued with Yara Lechanteur (Radboudumc) giving a clinical perspective on retinal diseases, including a clinical presentation and an interview with an AMD patient. Hearing first-hand experiences from a patient was both inspiring and motivational, reinforcing the importance of the research projects undertaken by our young scientists.

The day concluded with a social programme, including a dinner and pub quiz, giving participants the opportunity to connect, exchange ideas and strengthen collaborations in an informal setting.

Friday's programme focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI). The day began with an excellent lecture by Roland Németh (UvA), who introduced the foundations of AI. Participants then joined the principal investigators in the Experience Center for a keynote lecture by Kapil Bharti, "Translating RPE Biology into Disease Treatment Using Stem Cells" followed by an inspiring talk by another SAB member from the USA, Anneke den Hollander, on "Chasing the Miracles of Science: The Path from Academia to Global Pharma Leadership." The valuable lessons and career insights shared during these sessions sparked many conversations that continued during the communal lunch.

The AI programme continued with hands-on ML & DL, and lectures by Michael Fasching (UvA) on AI architectures and Karin van Garderen (EMC) on the practical and ethical considerations of AI. Participants then relocated to a cooler location to work in groups on real-world use cases and challenges from their own research data (see photo), applying the concepts discussed throughout the day.

The first Summer School concluded with drinks and bites at Valdin, where participants and PIs came together to celebrate two days of learning, inspiration and collaboration.

We look back on a highly successful first edition and would like to thank all speakers, SAB members, researchers and organizers who contributed to making this Summer School such a memorable event. We are already looking forward to the next edition!