What to expect from the Chemistry of Life Young Researchers' Symposium in May
Bouthayna Rabhi is looking forward to the symposium.
Bouthayna Rabhi and Hagar Abdalla are two of the organisers of the upcoming early-career researcher symposium taking place at LINXS in May. They are both PhD students at the University of Leicester, focusing on molecular cell biology.
Hagar Abdalla hopes to see an interdisciplinary dialogue between the young researchers in Leicester, Lund and any other participating Scandinavian institution.
Why are you organising this event?
The annual symposium in Lund on 21 - 22 May allows early-career researchers from the University of Leicester and other universities to share their research in a similar field, allowing for growing collaborative work and ideas. It enables the generation of new ideas while creating new connections, which is essential for researchers.
What would you like to see as outcomes?
We would love to see an interdisciplinary dialogue between the young researchers in Leicester, Lund and any other participating Scandinavian institution. This should be an opportunity for a multi-diverse networking for early career researchers to meet up, discuss science and interlink the different disciplines and open opportunities for facility use and potential collaboration!
What scientific questions will you focus on, and why are they interesting?
Structural, biophysical and molecular interactions, chemical biology approaches to target therapy, and regulation of cellular and biological systems. These are the three topics within which we will be answering through various research questions. These subjects allow us to better understand existing research gaps while generating new questions for the future of science.
What challenges do you think are most important to tackle within your research field?
The challenges are many in our research field, but one of the most important is the interdisciplinary aspect of it (hence why the symposium can be a good opportunity to be inspired!).
Having access to the tools and the techniques that are not available in the lab we work in, as well as collaborators who can help with their expertise in this regard, is important.
Why organise activities especially for early-career researchers?
Attending symposiums such as this one allows researchers to begin networking from early on in their research careers. Connections and collaborations, such as those that will be developed in Lund, are an essential tool for any academic. Through these, young researchers can seek mentoring and advice from more experienced individuals.
What motivates you in your work?
Our research allows us to work passionately about something we are very interested in. The problem-solving and troubleshooting that come with exploring our research question encourage us to work to the fullest of our ability. This, coupled with a happy and healthy work environment, makes work something to look forward to.