MRC Summer School hailed an "eye-opening opportunity" and "inspiring" success

On 3 July, the MRC Centre welcomed the delegates of the 8^th Annual MRC CNGG Summer School in Brain Disorder Research.

Over four days, the 40 attendees learned about ground breaking brain disorder research with talks from some of the most respected researchers in their respective fields of psychiatry and neuroscience, including Professor Sir Mike Owen and Professor Michael O’Donovan.

The delegates took part in clinical and scientific career workshops where they had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss career paths with more experienced clinical and scientific researchers.

During the week, there were also interactive demonstrations of making neurons from stem cells and high-throughput sequencing, and a tour of the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC).

As well as the chance to gain an insight into research careers in psychiatry and neuroscience, this was also an opportunity for students, scientists and clinicians to come together and share their knowledge and discuss possibilities for collaboration.

Feedback

We’re pleased to have received extremely positive feedback about this year’s summer school.

Summer School attendee Hester Manion, currently in her first Foundation year, developed an interest in psychiatry as a medical student and has more recently looked into the possibility of an academic career within the field.

Hester shared her thoughts on the week, “As a medic, early in my training, I have an enduring interest in psychiatry despite the negativity expressed about the specialty from my peers. Many seem quick to assert that the specialty lacks a substantial evidence base or effective management options.

“My gut feeling has always been that the specialty is as at the centre of a coming revolution in how we understand behaviour and the brain.

“Attendance at the Brain Disorders Summer School has galvanised my belief in a revolution that has already started. It is an outstanding showcase for the extraordinary work being conducted in Cardiff and a total privilege to be encouraged and advised about pursuing a career in this environment.  My recommendation couldn't be higher.”

We were pleased to welcome Niran Okewele from Nigeria, where he works as a consultant at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Aro Abeokuta. Niran also shared a few words about his experience,

"Besides opportunity to meet world-class faculty, the school provided an opportunity to mix with peers from different parts of the world - I enjoyed hanging out during and after dinner with colleagues from Croatia, Pakistan, Germany and Egypt – with friendships formed which may well span a lifetime, as a new generation of brain researchers emerge and grow (the field) together."

Summer School 2018

Our next summer school will take place in 2018 and the dates and details of how to apply will be finalised later this year.