11th CGA Graduate Symposium 2023
Cologne, Germany - The auditorium of the Max-Planck Institute for the Biology of Ageing was filled with excitement and a sense of accomplishment as the 11th CGA Graduate Symposium took place, celebrating the remarkable achievements of 11 talented PhD students from the CGA Class of 2019. This thrilling event, held on June 13th, showcased a day brimming with captivating scientific talks, insightful keynote speakers, and a joyous dinner celebration, uniting past and present CGA classes for an evening of social exchange and graduation jubilation.
The symposium hall was filled with anticipation as the PhD graduates took center stage, delivering inspiring presentations on their doctoral research projects. Each talk was a testament to the dedication, persistence and hard work these graduates had invested in their research projects throughout the last four years of their academic journey.
In addition to the class of 2019, three esteemed keynote speakers shared their expertise and latest research, shedding a light on cutting-edge advancements in the field of ageing research. Vincent Prévot (Inserm, France), Vera Gorbunova (University of Rochester, USA) and René Ketting (IMB Mainz, Germany) inspired the young researchers with their exciting talks about pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone treatment, mechanisms of ageing in whales and molecular mechanisms in RNA interference. The symposium thus truly became a melting pot of ideas and a platform for knowledge exchange due to the great experience and diversity of research fields of the attending speakers.
As the scientific symposium came to an end with the traditional certificate awarding ceremony, the day's intellectual accomplishments seamlessly transitioned into a joyous celebration. The atmosphere brimmed with laughter as members from various CGA classes, past and present, gathered for a delightful dinner. This vibrant social event offered the perfect opportunity for graduates to connect, share experiences, and forge lasting friendships, creating a tight-knit community of dedicated researchers.
"Today, we not only celebrate the academic achievements of our graduates, but also the bonds we have formed throughout this journey and the milestones we have reached together," remarked Dr. Julia Zielinksi, coordinator of the CGA Graduate School. "We are immensely proud of the CGA Class of 2019 and their exceptional contributions to their specific niches of ageing research."
Eileen Cors (Class of 2020)