One of the aims of the ARCAID project is to “educate and train” the next generation of scientists that work on translational immunological rheumatology. But this training is not only the “hard science”, it is much more than that. So, a part is also to learn how to organize a scientific symposium, invite key-note speakers, organize a venue, speakers, catering. And this is what our group of PhDs did and learned, with specific mention to the organizing committee; Aoife O’Byrne, Melis Asal and Andrew Morrison.

They invited not only all ARCAID PI’s but a nice flyer was made and also spread to other departments within the AMC and VuMC as well as to the ARCAID partners abroad. The key-note speakers, Prof. Dr. Yvan Saeys from the VIB-UGENT center for inflammation research and Dr. Kathryn Steel from King’s college London, were invited and the program was filled with presentation from within the group, a poster session and even a genuine quiz.

The final symposium was a success, with speakers looking at Rheumatology in a very broad way, from different angles; T-cells, B-cells, the gut and organoids. And to me it is always good to see how researchers from different backgrounds thus get introduced to a completely different side of the disease…where bioinformatics meets biology meets clinic…;-) . All-in-all it was a great day and praise again for all ARCAID PhDs! Find some impressions below.