Search Results for The Science Olympiads

Grant category: Research Networking

Year: 2024

Geography: USA

The Future Leaders Retreat (previously known as Resident and Post Doc Retreat) is a conference hosted by the Society for Investigative Dermatology (SID) each year since 2001. The program format provides a protected space in which residents can interact with senior faculty and established investigators for the purpose of fostering attendee’s interest in academic research careers. The program is a combination of formal lectures and presentation, informal discussions, brainstorming sessions and social activities. The Retreat is held at the time of the SID annual meeting, which allows attendees to establish connections with each other, and to other meeting attendees. These social networks foster collegiality, collaborations, an appreciation for the creative, multidisciplinary nature of science and other productive interactions. Sustained exposure to the entire spectrum of dermatologic research will influence the trainees as they make their career decision, as well as build their enthusiasm for this area of science.

More information: https://www.sidannualmeeting.org/

Grant category: Standalone grants

Year: 2018

Geography: Denmark

Diseases of the skin affect a quarter of the population, more than a billion people, at any given time. Despite impressive progress, especially in the area of immunology in skin diseases, the pace of innovation is not sufficiently high and new treatments are slow to reach patients.

Here, we propose to create a LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center (Skin Immunology Center) that will become a beacon for skin research in Denmark and worldwide.

The Center will identify key questions relating to disease heterogeneity, new pathological mechanisms, and novel therapies of inflammatory skin diseases. With the ultimate aim of helping people with skin diseases in the best possible way, we will launch a focused effort employing cutting edge technologies to advance biological insights and translate basic discoveries to ‘proof of principle’ and then to ‘first in man’ applications (‘bench-to-bedside’). Importantly, observations and questions arising in the clinic will be taken back to the laboratory (‘bedside-tobench’). This team science concept and ecosystem with seamless translation and back-translation between basic biology and the clinic will animate the spirit of the Center from day one.

The Skin Immunology Center will be headquartered at the 12th floor of the Mærsk Tower, the new flagship building at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

We will bring together the immunology of the skin, its diseases and comorbidities, ‘omics’ technologies, experimental models, and strong clinical integration to develop new stratification paradigms and therapies towards precision medicine. People will form the basis of the success of the Center and we will both empower existing scientists and strategically hire new talent. We will build a pipeline of future top researchers through excellent educational activities. In this way, the Center will incubate and form a new generation of multidisciplinary skin immunology researchers, ready to reshape the field for decades to come.

From the start, we will collaborate across specialties, institutions and geographies. The Skin Immunology Center will aim to have a total of 60 members in the core member research groups when fully operational, a critical mass allowing it to contribute significantly to raising the level and quality of research and education in inflammatory skin diseases.

The existing LEO Foundation Center for Cutaneous Drug Delivery will become an associated and collaborating partner. The Skin Immunology Center will integrate and advance basic and clinical science approaches to skin disease and develop future leaders in the field, while increasing knowledge and awareness of skin and skin diseases among medical professionals, patients and the public.

Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants

Year: 2018

Geography: USA

The 2019 Gordon Research Conference on Epithelial Differentiation and Keratinization (GRC-EDK) is the premier international meeting in epithelial biology since 1979. It showcases the latest conceptual and technological advances in epithelial biology bridging basic and translational research.

This 2019 meeting entitled “Innovations in basic and translational epithelial biology” aims to bring together preeminent speakers at the forefront of epithelia development, stem cell biology, cell biology, pathology and therapy.

The main objective is to discuss latest developments and generate synergistic approaches towards future discoveries and therapeutic prospects. To ensure this, over 30% of speakers are from outside the immediate field, 50% did not speak in the 2017 meeting, and over 30% will be selected from submitted abstracts. Finally, a power hour will open a debate on ways to recognize and tackle discriminations in science.

Trainee mentorship will be promoted through the 4^th Gordon Research Seminar on Epithelial Differentiation and Keratinization (GRS-EDK), immediately preceding the GRC-EDK. GRS meetings are organized and featured by trainee scientists providing a unique opportunity to discuss their research and develop life-long collaborations.

The GRS-EDK will also feature a career mentoring panel discussion with emphases on transitioning to independence, careers in academia versus industry, and the importance of gender and racial diversity within science. Collectively, this GRC/GRS will move forward cutting-edge research in the area of skin biology, promote translation of key research findings to clinical practice, and further the careers of early stage investigators to maintain the highest level of innovation of this field in the future.

Grant category: Education and Awareness Grants

Year: 2022

Geography: Denmark

The Bloom Festival is celebrated annually and places a focus on acknowledging the wonders of nature and science – the festival is held each year in Søndermarken on Frederiksberg. The festival has existed since 2017, with the LEO Foundation offering funding support since 2019.  

The festival is organized by ADBC, which has success in running other alike initiatives, such as the annual Golden Days festival. The annual Bloom Festival is a contribution to strengthening the landscape of STEM-initiatives in Denmark, and functions as an innovative event which aims to enlighten us on the universe, the world, and ourselves. 

By uniting the best from the worlds of festivals and science, Bloom aims to tackle Life’s greatest questions through debates, talks, laboratories, conversations, and nature walks. 

More information

Grant category: Research Networking

Year: 2023

Geography: USA

The Montagna Symposia on the Biology of Skin are a very well-established conference, similar to a Gorden Conference, bridging the gap between basic research and dermatology. The meeting brings together scientists and physicians from academics to industry to foster interdisciplinary communication and collaboration in basic, translational and clinical research and practice, facilitating development of new collaborations, research and therapies for cancer, inflammatory diseases and other skin conditions. It provides a venue for the participation of high-profile, established speakers and up-and-coming stars in skin disease research and dermatology practice from around the world. The meeting facilitates the coming together of established researchers and clinicians with residents, fellows, and students; and representatives from government, foundations, and industry in a variety of fields and specialties, fostering the cross-pollination of ideas that is at the heart of breakthroughs in translational dermatology. 

Grant category: Research Grants in open competition

Year: 2023

Geography: Canada

Ivan Litvinov’s project aims to co-create with Indigenous partners and implement a culturally sensitive dermatological care system in the Cree territories in Quebec, one of Canada’s First Nations. Dermatologic care for Canadian Indigenous populations is severely lacking currently. While many safe advanced treatments are available for debilitating diseases, including atopic dermatitis that affects ~15-20% of First Nations in Quebec, these treatments are not accessible in the Northern remote regions due to a lack of established care.

Ivan Litvinov’s proposed implementation science project will be centered on meaningful engagement of patients, health care providers (HCPs) and wider communities, continuous monitoring, analysis, and feedback based on collected data to the members of the steering committee and to the Cree Health Board/Elders overseeing the effort with the goal of achieving the Quintuple Aim (improved patient experience, better outcomes, lower costs, clinician well-being and health equity) for the region.

Ivan Litvinov’s project will leverage the existing RUISSS (Réseau Universitaire Intégré de Santé et de Services Sociaux) infrastructure to establish in-person care in 3 key Cree communities and will 1) establish a Learning Healthcare System (LHS); 2) collect quantitative and qualitative data on skin diseases, barriers and treatments; 3) recruit and support healthcare professionals to the region to foster a community of practice and promote a community of concern amongst patients through Patient and Public Involvement, knowledge mobilization and educational activities.

The impact of the project will be a co-creation of a culturally sensitive sustainable dermatologic care in the region. Results of this work will be shared with other specialties working in the region, other First Nation communities in Quebec in Canada and in other countries (e.g., Greenland).