School of Pharmacy hosts International Training School funded by COST Action BM1007

The School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham (Organisers: Franco Falcone, Joakim Dahlin, Chris MacLeod and Bernhard Gibbs) recently hosted an International Training School funded by the COST Action Biomedicine and Molecular Biosciences BM1007 “Mast Cells and Basophils - Targets for Innovative Therapies”. The Training School was part of the activities of BM1007 Workgroup 2, which is dedicated to methodological approaches in mast cell and basophil research. 20 participants from all over Europe, ranging from Ireland to Israel spent three full days (30.4.-1.5.13) on the premises of Nottingham University, where they had an opportunity to learn advanced techniques for Basophil Purification, Basophil Activation tests and mast cell/basophil luciferase reporter tests. Students also learned about managing their references with ‘Mendeley’ and ‘Papers’. Training was provided by Bernhard Gibbs (University of Kent), Franco Falcone (University of Nottingham), Chris Bridts (University of Antwerp), Christel Mertens (University of Antwerp), Joakim Dahlin (University of Uppsala), Naim Hage (University of Nottingham) and Graeme Milton (StemCell Technologies, Vancouver).

The Training School was co-sponsored by Becton-Dickinson and StemCell Technologies, who provided reagents and equipment, and by Mendeley. The Training School was rounded up by a memorable guided tour of Wollaton Hall, which was sponsored by the School of Pharmacy.

Feedback from all participants was invited and obtained via an anonymous online survey. 95% of participants rated the BM1007 Training School as excellent (50%) or very good (45%) with one participant rating it as fairly good (5%). 85% of participants confirmed that the Training School helped them learn new, previously unknown techniques, or improve/refine techniques already in use (65%), and create some new networks (70%). All participants felt that the Training School encouraged them to consider integrating the techniques that were taught into their research. Most participants also agreed that the TS achieved a good balance between the practical parts and the lectures (80 % Excellent or very good).