The ÖGMBT Young Life Sciences scientist Austria  (YLSA) and SLAS have recently startet a collaboration. Both benefit from their respective networks. Especially young scientists though can enhance their studies and careers being informed in depth about SLAS. Lets start with what SLAS is:

The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) is an international professional society of academic, industry and government researchers as well as developers and providers of laboratory automation technology and tools. SLAS leads the pursuit of research excellence by offering tangible resources such as its international conferences and symposia, scientific publishing, and opportunities for continuing education, grants and scholarships, professional collaboration, networking and career advancement.

Here are "good-to-knows" about SLAS & opportunities it offers:

• Complimentary SLAS membership. This membership provides the YLSA network access to the 25,000+ global community of academic, industry and government researchers that are both developers and providers of laboratory automation technology and tools.
  • Once you are members you will have access to all member discounts on events, online education, networking, mentoring and more.
  • If you are students (any level) they can use this link, if you are early career researchers they can use this link. The benefits of membership are completely the same, it just helps SLAS in its tracking. Please be encourage to select YLSA from the drop-down when asked ‘where did you hear about SLAS’ so we can track how many members join from this collaboration.
• The SLAS Sample Management Symposium is taking place in Toulouse France at the Campus Curie facilities on October 16-17 – and it’s only €25 for Student Members to attend!
• The Call for Abstracts will be open in early October for SLAS Europe 2025, taking place 20-22 May 2025 in Hamburg Germany, and the whole ÖGMBT network is invited to submit either a poster or a podium presentation!
• SLAS has an extensive awards programming for student and early career researchers (these links will take you to the SLAS Europe 2024 page – just for information)
  • SLAS Travel Award
  • Student Poster Award
  • Innovation AveNEW for start-ups (includes an opportunity for the Ignite Award)
• SLAS has 15 Topical Interest Groups – with topics ranging from Academic Drug Discovery to Stem Cells and 3D Microtissues. You can see the full list of them here. These TIGs meet at the conferences and also hold virtual meetings throughout the year.
• SLAS CONNECTED is the online networking platform for the SLAS community. There is a community for each of the TIGs as well as for the General Membership. You can log in and ask questions, seek collaborators or just see what others are talking about!
• SLAS APPLIED is SLAS’ online learning center, which houses numerous recorded sessions, webinars and more. You can search by category or keyword to see the many offerings.

Let us know if you have any questions!

Dear Colleagues,

The Gates Foundation and LifeArc^* have launched a joint Grand Challenges request for proposals, "Innovations for Exceptionally Low-Cost Monoclonal Antibody (mAb) Manufacturing".

Monoclonal antibodies are one of the most powerful tools in modern medicine. They are highly specific, safe, and effective medicines for a range of conditions, including treating non-communicable diseases and preventing and treating infectious diseases. These biologic therapies already save lives and improve the quality of life for many millions of patients, but high production costs continue to limit access to mAbs, especially for patients in low- and middle-income settings. While there are indication-specific dosage requirements for mAbs, it is broadly understood that to close the equity gap in mAb global access, we need to reach a target cost of $10 per gram of purified, released mAb, a goal long championed by our late colleague, Dr. Steve Hadley, former Senior Program Officer at the Gates Foundation.

This Grand Challenge is calling for proposals that offer radical, innovative, and technically feasible pathways to achieving the $10/gram target. We invite you to bring your expertise, creativity, and passion to this effort and help shape a future where the best medical treatments are available to everyone, everywhere.

The Gates Foundation and LifeArc are collaborating on this request for proposals to support a range of different approaches and build a critical mass of scientific innovation focused on reaching the target. While the organizations will employ a coordinated review process, individual grants will be funded either by the Gates Foundation or by LifeArc.

Applications for proof-of-concept projects (Option A) are due by 11:30 AM PST, January 31st, 2025.

Additionally, the Gates Foundation is interested in proposals from organizations that have already completed proof-of-concept work with feasible pathways to achieving the $10/gram and are interested in additional support (Option B). Applicants may apply with solutions meeting the criteria for either Option A or Option B, but not both.

Applications for Option B are due by 11:30 AM. PST, May 31st, 2025.

Please review the full details for both opportunities on our Grand Challenges website. We are eager to receive as many proposals as possible. Please forward this email to colleagues who may be interested in applying. If you were forwarded this message, please sign up on the Grand Challenges website to receive emails announcing grant opportunities.

Sincerely,
The Global Partnerships & Grand Challenges team

^*LifeArc is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales under registration number 1015243 and a charity registered in Scotland with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator under registration number SC037861. LifeArc is also a company limited by guarantee, with company 2698321, incorporated under the laws of England and Wales at 7th Floor, Lynton House 7-12 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9LT.

(C) 1999-2024 Bill & Melinda Gates foundation.

We are excited to announce that the abstract submission platform for the 13th International Conference on Predictive Modelling in Food (ICPMF) is now open! This is your opportunity to share your research with a global audience and contribute to advancing predictive modeling in food. Researchers, practitioners, and students are encouraged to submit their work and be part of this impactful event.

DEADLINE:   February 28, 2025

TOPICS: https://afea.eventsair.com/13thicpmf/topics

SUBMISSION PLATFORM: https://tinyurl.com/2cug26ph

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Abstracts must be submitted in English using exclusively the on-line system of the Conference web page (Abstract submission).

Abstracts submitted via fax or any other means will not be accepted. Please indicate  one of the Main Scientific Topics for your abstract and the preferred way of presentation (oral or poster presentation).

Your abstract should be no longer than 350 words (including spaces and references but not names or affiliations).

The title must be no longer than 30 words.

Please indicate up to 6 key words of your abstract.

The Scientific Committee of 13th ICPMF will determine whether the abstract will be accepted as an oral presentation or a poster, with consideration given to the author’s preference.

For each conference registration an author/co-author can present up to 1 work of any kind.

Certificates will be given only to registered participants.

In order for the submitted abstract to be evaluated, the presenting author of abstracts must be registered participant at 13th ICPMF.

Registration must be received no later than June 26th 2025 to ensure that your abstract is included in the conference programme and scheduled for presentation. Abstracts must be received by the announced deadline.

Abstracts received after the deadline will not be considered. Submission of an abstract acknowledges your consent for the abstract to be published in the official programme.

The corresponding author must ensure the congress secretariat, that all co-authors are aware of the content of the abstract and they consent to its submission.

Authors will be notified by e-mail no later than June 13th 2025, whether their abstract has been accepted or rejected, and, in case of acceptance about the form of presentation.

Students will have to present an ID to prove their status.

Die Abteilung für Primary Care Medicine, Medizinischen Universität Wien, führt unter der Leitung von Frau Prof. Kathryn Hoffmann eine Online-Fragebogenstudie zu Postakuten Infektionssyndromen (PAIS) durch und bittet die OEGMBT Community um Unterstützung:

Zu den postakuten Infektionssyndromen (PAIS) gehören alle chronischen Erkrankungen, die nach einer akuten Infektion auftreten. Diese akuten Infektionen können durch viele verschiedene Viren oder Bakterien verursacht werden, z. B. SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19), Influenza-Virus (die echte Grippe), Epstein-Barr-Virus, Borrelien (Lyme-Borreliose) und viele andere Erreger sowie Toxine, Medikamente oder Schimmelpilze. Für diese Studie schließen wir auch Teilnehmer:innen ein, deren Symptome durch einschneidende Ereignisse ausgelöst wurden, wie z. B. eine Geburt, eine Operation, oder einen Unfall. Auch Patient:innen, die nach einer Infektion neue Krankheiten (wie Autoimmunerkrankungen, thromboembolische oder kardiovaskuläre Erkrankungen) entwickeln, zählen zu PAIS-Betroffenen, da diese Erkrankungen oft eine Folgeerscheinung der Primärinfektion sind.

Untersucht werden Betroffene auf bestimmten Syndromen, die häufig mit PAIS in Verbindung stehen (z. B. Neuropathien, autonome Dysfunktionen, Immunstörungen, postexertionellen Malaise, Fatigue usw.). Diese Daten werden mit diagnostischen Untersuchungen und Behandlungsversuchen der Patient:innen verglichen. Das Team wird auch analysieren, wie viele Patient:innen mit PAIS die Diagnosekriterien für ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) erfüllen und wie viele tatsächlich korrekt diagnostiziert wurden.

Free Online Course - Join Any Time until December 1st

This autumn, join EMBL's Science Education and Public Engagement team, in collaboration with Merck, for a self-paced online course entitled "Molecular Biology Techniques: Comprehensive Approaches for Educators and Enthusiasts". This course is tailored for science educators, researchers, and anyone fascinated by the innovative techniques used in modern molecular biology. Immerse yourself in this evolving discipline and explore its potential to transform scientific research. The course runs from 21 October to 1 December 2024, with participants able to join at any time over the six weeks. The course is free, with an estimated workload of 2 hours per week, and participants will have the opportunity to earn a certificate upon completion. The working language of the course is English and anyone interested can join at any point until 1 December 2024.

Find out more at: https://www.embl.org/ells/training/molecular-biology-techniques-2024/

Join here: https://forms.gle/HobDgqXDYzLg4FZo7

Das Förderungsangebot BRIDGE 2024/2 kennzeichnet sich durch Technologieoffenheit und Themenoffenheit. Gefördert werden grundlagennahe Projekte von Konsortien und Projektbeteiligten aus der wissenschaftlichen Forschung und aus der verwertenden Industrie. Eine Projekteinreichung ist von 15. Oktober 2024 bis 22. Jänner 2025 (12:00 Uhr) möglich.