Bridging Generations of Scientists: 1st iBET PhD Students Retreat 2025
iBET Brings Together Junior and Senior Scientists at 1st PhD Retreat
On April 9-10th, iBET hosted its first PhD students’ Retreat at Hotel do Mar in Sesimbra.
The event brought together 25 PhD students from various iBET R&D labs and 25 Heads of Laboratory and senior scientists for an enriching blend of scientific exchange, mentorship, and team building.
Showcasing Students’ Research and Fostering Feedback
The retreat featured a series of scientific sessions where PhD students presented their ongoing work and received valuable feedback from senior iBET colleagues. These exchanges provided great insights into scientific problem-solving and helped shape some of the next steps in the PhD students’ projects.
The program also featured two invited talks. Pedro Cruz, iBET’s CTOO, emphasized the importance of attending and presenting at scientific conferences for both the students and the institute. Ana Teixeira, an iBET/ITQB alumna and current senior scientist at ETH Zurich, presented several case studies on the application of gene and proteins switches for regulating cellular therapeutic functions, while sharing highlights from her career journey in academic research.
Building Bonds Beyond the Lab
Beyond science, the retreat fostered connection and collaboration. A team-building bingo game, with mixed teams composed of both students and senior researchers, added a fun and competitive spirit. Congratulations to the winning team, including CEO Paula Alves, VP Professor Manuel Carrondo, Senior Scientist Cátia Carmo, and PhD students Lara Inocêncio, Salomé Neto, Rodrigo Nogueira, and Ana Catarina Macedo.
Overall, the event was deemed a success, strengthening bonds between junior and senior scientists at iBET. A special thank you note goes to the organizing committee Daniel Simão (Head of the Bayer Pharma Lab at iBET) and Catarina Brito (Head of the Advanced Cell Models Lab), for their dedication in making this event possible.
