3 days to test your ideas, build an interdisciplinary team and pitch to an expert funding panel!

A series of facilitated events over 3 days to bring together early career researchers from across the University to explore opportunities, ideas and technologies at the interface off sensor technologies, physical biology, engineeringand cell biology,co-organised by the Dept. Chemical Engineering, Stem Cells Institute and the CPB.

The workshop dates and locations will be:

Session 1: Tuesday13 September: 09:30-14:00 at Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre

Session 2: Friday 16 September: 14:00-18:00 at Department of Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics

Session 3: Monday 26 September: 14:00-18:00 at Department of Chemical Engineering & Biology

Each session includes time for networking along with lunch/refreshments. 

Participation in all sessions is required.

In the first day there will be an initial ‘getting to know you’ session for the cohort of interdisciplinary participants, with the aim of sharing their academic interests, the research challenges they face and identifying avenues for cross-discipline collaboration and problem mapping.  

During the first two days of the workshop there will be “case study” presentations from researchers already collaborating across disciplines in Cambridge to address challenging research questions. Speakers will be Prof. George Malliaras, Dr. Anthie Moysidou, Prof. Kevin Chalut, Prof. Matthias Zilbauer, Dr. Alex Justin and Prof. Madeline Lancaster

At the end of the first day the participants will form small research teams to begin brainstorming and project ideation in response to identified research challenges from a cross disciplinary perspective. The goal is to develop a coherent research plan, combining model systems, technologies and techniques from across disciplines, to pitch for pilot project funding - mentors will facilitate the scientific discussions and support the preparation of proposals during the first 2 days. 

On the last day, teams will present their research pitch to an expert panel; including Prof. Roisin Owens (Chemical Engineering), Prof. Serena Best (Materials Science), Dr. Maria Alcolea and Dr. Mekayla Storer (Stem Cells) who will select the winner projects. Successful teams will have 6 months to carry out their research. Progress of funded projects would be reviewed by the panel at the halfway and completion points.  

Eligibility: Applications are welcome from all early career researchers (PhD students, postdocs, junior PIs, etc).

Please register your interest by 1 September: http://tinyurl.com/5d6wczvf

Participants will be notified by 6 September if their application was successful.