Summer School: Single-cell approaches and omics

Dive into recent technological breakthroughs that unravel the complexities of biological systems at the single-cell level, opening an avenue for the understanding of tumour and immune cell heterogeneity and next-generation discovery of biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

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CIVIS focus area
Health
Open to
  • Master's
  • Phd
Field of studies
  • Medicine and Health
  • Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Tipo
  • Short-term
Course dates
11-16 July 2022

This CIVIS International School is a multidisciplinary collaborative program that will provide students with intensive, cutting-edge education in the areas of modern cancer biology and immunology. The general theme chosen is tumour heterogeneity, a phenomenon that influences all aspects of current basic and clinical cancer research. Tumour heterogeneity describes the differences between tumours of the same type in different patients, and between cells within the same tumour. It is the result of an overly complex landscape of cellular interactions between (pre)malignant cells and a dynamic tumour ecosystem, which hosts cells of the stroma and the immune system. Understanding the mechanisms underlying tumour heterogeneity is crucial to solving the challenges faced by researchers and clinicians in treating the most lethal aspects of cancer, such as metastasis and resistance to therapy.

Programme

The programme is organized into five modules:

  • A general introductory module that will familiarize participants with the latest concepts on the evolution of cancer in space and time, and the constraints that the local immune environment places on an evolving tumour. 
  • A single-cell sequencing module that will present the theory of high throughput single-cell technologies for transcriptomic profiling of cells, and their applications in immuno-oncology research. 
  • A cytometry module that will allow students to become familiar with mass, flow and spectral cytometry techniques for high dimensional examination of the immune system in tumour tissues.
  • A spatially resolved single-cell analysis module that will cover the emerging cutting-edge technologies that add spatial resolution to single-cell signatures, and high-resolution single-cell imaging methods that enables to see how cells interact and function at the level of tumour tissues and the whole organisms.
  • A medical applications module that will present how single-cell technologies are applied in clinical practice, for diagnosis and treatment, and in industry for the discovery of new cancer treatment with immunotherapy.

Learning outcomes and evaluation

Master students

The 20 master students will be provided with research articles ahead of the conference as study material. On site, they will be divided into 5 groups of 4 students. Each group will present an article to the community, a round table with discussion will follow. Students will meet 4 times in small groups to work on their presentation.

PhD students

On a voluntary basis, 10 of the 20 students will work toward the writing of a scientific review (based on the teaching of the conference) to be published in a selected scientific journal in oncology or immunology. Students will meet 4 times to work on their review article. We expect this assignment to go beyond the scope of the conference and to drive strong sustainable collaborations within the community of budding scientists.

Extended scientific community

A poster session will profile the work of young scientists.

 

More info can be found here
  • The summer school will welcome 40 CIVIS students face-to-face (number may vary according to sanitary regulations) and it is also open to the entire scientific community via videoconferencing.
  • Applicants should have some experience in oncology and immunology.
  • Each student should bring a laptop.
  • Our summer school is designed for international PhD and Master’s students in life sciences, medicine, and computer science who are seeking to further their knowledge and skills in immuno-oncology research using the latest analytical methods.

Keynote speakers

Registration - Application Deadline: April 15, 2021

The registration fees cover tuition, lodging, meals and social events but do not cover travel expenses.

  • Registration fees for either CIVIS or local students: 75 €
  • Registration fees for non-CIVIS and external students: 380 €

Candidates need to provide the following information as part of their application:

  • Curriculum Vitae,
  • Motivation letter (1 page) explaining your research interests and why you would like to attend the school,
  • Transcripts indicating the grades received and the ranking for the academic year 2019-2020 (NOT required for PhD students).

These documents need to be uploaded into the dedicated application form.

Scholarship - Application Deadline: April 15, 2021

ICI offers four 400 € travel and accommodations Conference Scholarships for master and PhD students with the CIVIS alliance. Awards are based on merit, the appropriateness of the educational opportunity in relation to applicants’ field of study and contributions to their community.

The documents uploaded to the registration form will be evaluated by the organizing committee.

The travel grants can be used for all travel expenses including airfare, ground transportation, hotel, and food. The grant does not cover conference registration.

To apply, check the box in the registration form.

GDPR consent

The CIVIS alliance and its member universities will treat the information you provide with respect. Please refer to our privacy policy for more information on our privacy practices. By applying to this course you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.