IFCC Roche Travel Scholarship Reports
Contributed by Prof. Jocelyn Hicks
Past-President, IFCC
Chair of Taskforce for IFCC Scholarships
From left to right: Pierrot Tugirimana, Aslan Mutay, Johnson Wijaya, Nafija Serdarevic, Andriy Kost, Prof. Jocelyn Hicks, Alma Barbullushi, Maryam Jazayeri, Wanvisa Boonlert, Mohamed Khaled, Sefedin Biljali
I am happy to inform you that the Roche/IFCC scholarships were a great success at the recent EuroMedLab Congress in Innsbruck, Austria. These scholarships which were generously supported by Roche Diagnostics,Gmbh enabled young scientists from developing countries to travel to and attend a top quality congress. The scholars were selected on a competitive basis, and each scholar that was selected had submitted an abstract to the congress. The scholars received their economy airfare and accommodation. The joy of receiving one of these scholarships was very evident by the big smiles on their faces and the gratitude that they expressed to Roche and IFCC. Attached you can see the photograph of the scholars. Their reports emphasize the importance of receiving one of these scholarships.
Prof. Jocelyn Hicks, PhD, FRCPath
Past-President, IFCC
Chair of Taskforce for IFCC Scholarships
Dr. Johnson Wijaya, Jakarta - Indonesia
First of all I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the IFCC Roche Travel Scholarship Program for having given me the opportunity to take part in this superb international level congress. I was very proud and excited when I received the announcement from Mrs. Caterina Balzaretti that my application was accepted to attend the 18th IFCC – EFCC European Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, National Congress of the Austrian Society of Laboratory medicine and Clinical Chemistry. Although somewhat worried because it was a very long way to go, I encouraged myself to take this opportunity, as I did not know whether I would have another chance like this or not.
This award allowed me to meet with all the IFCC executive members, even Prof. Jocelyn M.B. Hicks and Prof. Mauro Panthegini (whom I had met before in Jakarta). This was my first visit to Austria and I keep a fond memory of this tremendous scientific event. I also had time for sightseeing the city’s architectural jewels such as the Golden Roof, old town houses, the Imperial Palace, museums and churches. The local people were very helpful and hospitable. Finally, I would like to thank the Organizing and Scientific Committees for running a successful conference and IFCC-Roche for supporting my participation to in this invaluable congress.
Dr Wanvisa Boonlert, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand
I sincerely thank the IFCC/Roche Travel Scholarship for the privilege given me to attend the 18th Euromedlab Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine in Innsbruck, Austria from June 7th -11th 2009. By attending the Congress, I had obtained valuable update knowledge in metabolic abnormalities and cardiovascular diseases and had opened up my vision about the new technology from a comprehensive exhibition by the diagnostic industry. I was able to present my two posters and this session allowed me to meet young scientists and experts in my research area that allowed me for further collaborations.
I had a great opportunity to visit the Clinical Laboratory at the institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (ZIMCL), University Hospital Innsbruck according to the kindness of Prof. Andrea Griesmacher to allow me for this issue and also her colleague, Dr.Christoph Seger, who had been as a good guide for my lab tour. I had some ideas to manage the TDM for my collaboration network at Referral Hospitals in the Lower Northern Part of Thailand.
I would express that this experience had a positive influence on not only my scientific knowledge, but also my research, friendship, and culture experiences in Innsbruck and Vienna. This conference helped me to keep up to date in my interesting fields and improved my ability to present my research and communication skill in a useful way to develop my future career with self-confidence. I have shared my update knowledge to my colleague, undergraduate, and graduate students.
The support was a great help to the aspiring participant from developing countries to join the Congress. I once again thank the IFCC and Roche Diagnostic, the President and Past President of IFCC, Organizing Committee, Prof. Andrea Griesmacher, Dr.Christoph Seger, and personnel at IFCC Office. I hope that this kind of effort will be continued.
Dr. Sefedin Biljali - Macedonia
The IFCC/Roche Travel Award allowed me to attend the 18th IFCC-FESCC European Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine in Innsbruck, Austria and has allowed me to benefit from the numerous aspects of the Congress. I believe this experience had a positive influence on not only my scientific knowledge, but also my research, analytical decision making and communication skills. This conference helped me to keep up to date in my field. Moreover, I improved my ability to present my work and synthesize constructive criticism. The high-level scientific program consisted of subjects of great interest where the speakers were outstanding. During the congress, I attended various scientific sessions on current topics: rheumatisms and osteoporosis, oncology and haematology, pharmacogenetics and genomics. I am very grateful to IFCC and Roche for the opportunity they offered to me to attend the 18th IFCC-FESCC European Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. This would have been impossible without the IFCC/Roche travel grant.
Dr. Andriy Kost, Danylo Halytsky National Medical University , Lviv, Ukraine
I’m a PhD student in Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics at the Danylo Halytsky National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine. I was privileged to receive an IFCC/Roche travel grant to attend the 18-th IFCC-EFCC European Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine in Innsbruck, Austria. It is important to attend such a congress as it allows to be informed of the progress in the area of laboratory medicine.
During the congress, I attended various scientific sessions on current topics: cardiovascular diseases, neurological and autoimmune disorders, diabetes, endocrinology, cardiac markers. My research area is neurological disorders. I had the opportunity to attend the scientific sessions "New biological markers in neurological disorders: presence & future". I especially appreciated the presentation on the new biomarkers that allow the differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative central nervous system diseases (A.Petzold, United Kingdom). I will be able to use them in my further clinical researches.
The information given in the commercial stands and at the scientific sessions were excellent, and it was difficult to select a particular session, as each was interesting. Altogether the meeting’s content will influence not only my research and analytical decision-making but also my communication skills. I will share this invaluable experience with my peers.To do so,I will prepare a report about new challenges in the modern laboratory diagnostics industry for members of the Ukrainian Society of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics.
This was my first attendance at an European Congress and it bore a particular importance for me. I think it is very important for scientists to meet and interact with each other. I would like to thank the IFCC/Roche scholarship and the Organizing Committee for giving me opportunity to be a part of this magnificent experience. I definitely hope to participate in IFCC-EFCC conferences in the following years.
Dr Pierrot Lundimu Tugirimana, Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent, Gent
After having been awarded a Roche/IFCC Scholarship to attend the 18th IFCC-EFCC European Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, held in Innsbruck, June 7th-11th, 2009; I hereby would like to inform you about my experience and great benefit I obtained from this opportunity.
I will start by thanking the Task Force members of selection to have exceptionally agreed to consider my application through the Royal Belgian Society of Clinical Chemistry (SRBCC/KBVKC) of the country where I am currently in training, since the National Society of Rwanda to which I belong, is not an IFCC member.
As a young researcher, it was my first time to attend such important international scientific meeting. I have learned a lot, from various oral presentations and posters. I had the opportunity to visit exhibits of different diagnostic companies and to admire their new technology. It was without any doubt an ideal platform to share ideas and resources that will help each participant to confront current realities in the field of laboratory medicine.
In addition to the interesting scientific programme and attractive social, I had the privilege and the pleasure to meet Professor Jocelyn M. B. Hicks, the Immediate Past President of the IFCC with whom, we had important discussions concerning the benefits of sub-Saharan countries to join the coming African Society of Clinical Chemistry (AFCC), which inauguration will take place on October 2009 in Nigeria. I appreciate so much her commitment to improve communications with developing countries
With reference to my recent interesting experience, I believe that AFCC, under the umbrella of IFFC, will contribute significantly to the development of laboratory medicine in African countries.
Ms. Nafija Serdarevic, B.Sc.Pharm, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
Thanks to the generous IFCC/Roche travel grant, I have been able to attend the EUROMEDLAB 2009 in Innsbruck. I learned a lot about many subjects that included preventing, diagnosing and treating disease. The industry exhibits that incuded latest products and practical hands-on experience of different instruments gave me the possibility to see what is new in the diagnostic industry.
The EUROMEDLAB 2009 was my first IFCC congress where, as a IFCC-Roche travel scholar and delegate, I was priviledged to present my work with a poster. It also offered me the possibility to attend state-of-the-art lectures in many fields of Clinical Chemistry and molocular biology such as cardiovascular diseases, toxicology, nutrition, pediatric reference ranges and immunoassay standardization.
I obtained answers to many long-standing questions in Clinical chemistry that I could not find in the literature. It also offered me the possibility to meet colleagues from many countries and to discuss with them different subjects in Clinical chemistry and share our respective experience.
I am very grateful to IFCC-Roche who gave me opportunity to be at EUROMEDLAB as it was my only way to attend. I will remember this experience all my life. The Innsbruck and 18th European Congress of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine will have special place at my heart.