Thread by @raphavisses

Arthur Taylor introducing a very exciting week of science with the second workshop of @renaltoolbox
Project funded by the #EU bringing to Liverpool young scientists from across Europe and the world.

First morning is statistics training. Marta Garcia-Finima starts by hammering the message that high IF doesn't mean you can trust data; cites Cressey, Nature, 2015.
@renaltoolbox

There are steps that can be taken to improve #reproducibility. When doing animal experiments there is an added ethical responsibility.

Marta is now introducing the concept of #publicationbias and the obligation of publishing less exciting or negative results. "It has to be out there regardless of the results"

Jim Littlewood introduces the photo acoustic effect with references to Graham Bell's photophone.
@renaltoolbox

The meeting continues. Today is the first meeting with @renaltoolbox @REA_research officer. Here she is introducing the role of the Research Executive Agency. Emphasising main objective is training of next generation of research.

After introduction of institutions leads (from UK, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Ireland), Sara, the project officer explains our obligations as recipients of EU money: tight reporting & monitoring to ensure good use of public money (includes ethics).

Last important point: #openaccess is mandatory because public research must be publicly accessible.

Prof Patricia Murray, who leads @renaltoolbox, introduces the project and its objectives.
Notes the increasing prevalence of chronic kidney disease.

Next session is introduction of the young researchers working/training in this European project. First one, originally from India, working in Heidelberg (Germany). Developing a device to measure kidney function.

Second researcher is also originally from India. In @renaltoolbox she is working in Italian company and is registered for PhD in Germany. She is developing dyes to image renal cells and their function.

Third researcher is from Portugal. In @renaltoolbox, he is PhD student in Utrecht, Netherlands. His aim is to evaluate potential of stem cells in kidney regeneration.

Fourth researcher is from Bangladesh. In @renaltoolbox he is doing his PhD in Utrecht. He will develop and validate preclinical models of kidney disease.

Fifth, originally from Ecuador. In @renaltoolbox, she is doing her PhD here @LivUni with @b_wilm.
Her focus is on imaging/characterisation of preclinical models (mouse) of kidney disease.

6th is Alejandra, originally from Mexico. She is doing her PhD with me @livuniIIB. She chose this because EU PhD programmes offer training opportunities that do not exist anywhere else. Focus is on imaging.

7th is from the UK. Doing his PhD in a company in Germany. Registered for PhD in Liverpool. Focus is on photoacoustic imaging, a novel technology which can be used to image kidney function and track cells.

8th is from India. Doing his PhD @LivUni. Developing MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and other technques for imaging and modelling of kidney function.

9th is from Italy. She is doing her PhD in Heidelberg, Germany. She is working on tissue clearing methods that allow to image the kidney with higher resolution.

Continued after lunch:
10th is from Germany and is doing her PhD in Leiden, Netherlands. Focus is on ultrasound imaging of kidney function to improve diagnosis. Collaboration with physicists in France.

11th is Italian. She's doing her @renaltoolbox PhD in Heidelberg (Germany) assessing the safety and efficacy of mesenchymal stem cells.

12th is from Spain, doing her @renaltoolbox PhD in Ireland (Galway). Characterisation of bone marrow stem cells and their safety & efficacy.

13th is Italian. In @renaltoolbox he works for @NHSBT and is registered @LivUni for his PhD. He is looking at the potential therapeutic use of umbilical cord cells.

14th is from Indonesia. She is working in Heidelberg @renaltoolbox. Her focus is on the standardisation of cell culture ; essential for their applications.

15th is originally from the Czech Republic. Doing her @renaltoolbox PhD in Torino (Italy); her aim is to understand the role of extracellular vesicles in mediating therapeutic effects of stem cells.

Sara, the project officer, emphasise the importance of secondments for the training of students. It is a key aspect of the Marie Curie training and an element of the evaluation of the project.

To conclude: Apology for the crap pictures, find below one showing all these amazing early stage researchers from Italy, UK, Indonesia, Czech Republic, India, Indonesia, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Ecuador and Portugal, funded by the @EU_Commission for training and research towards

... new treatments against chronic kidney disease, working together across European countries (UK, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands)