Training
Professional and technological skills for young researchers
Academic excellence, business involvement and mobility are essential elements to provide outstanding and up-to-date knowledge to young European researchers in the field of antimicrobial drug R&D. In accordance with these ideas, the TRAIN-ASAP network partners have developed a comprehensive scientific and non-scientific training programme that will provide the ESRs with a wide range of technological and professional skills required to work in academia, the pharmaceutical industry as well as other governmental and international regulatory agencies involved in drug discovery and development. 14 ESRs will undertake integrated research projects that are aimed at generating novel and sustainable solutions for the problem of antibiotic resistance in human or veterinary medicine. Additionally, different types of local and network-wide training activities have been developed to provide open-access training and the development of transferable skills.
Network-wide training activities providing a wide range of skills
Scientific and non-scientific training activities have been designed to introduce the early-stage researchers (ESRs) to the multidisciplinary nature of TRAIN-ASAP, to give them access to the conceptual and technical knowledge needed for their research projects, to develop their professional skills and to improve transectorial career perspectives by promoting frequent contacts with the pharmaceutical industry and other relevant stakeholders. Different types of local and network-wide training activities have been developed to provide open-access training and the development of transferable skills:
In addition to personalized individual training programmes, the ESRs participate in various types of network-wide trainings. A schedule has been defined for planning the next training and dissemination events, including ICOHAR 2015 – a final EU conference on One-Health Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance – to be held in Copenhagen in September/October 2015, where the ESRs will present the final results of their research projects in front of a qualified audience composed by scientists and stakeholders.
| Training activities | Location | Date | Participants |
| ICOHAR – One-Health-Solutions to Antimicrobial Resistance | Copenhagen, DK | 30/09-02/10/15 | All ESRs |
| ESR Training Event | Arona, IT | 20-22/05/15 | All ESRs |
| STARS Antimicrobial Drug Discovery Conference | Madrid, ES | 10-12/06/13 | All ESRs |
| Zoetis and DaVolterra Training Day on “Industrial Challenges to Antibiotic Development in Human Health” and “Clinical Development of Anti-Infectious Drugs in Human Health” | Paris, FR | 12/12/13 | All ESRs |
| TRAIN-ASAP Scientific Meeting | Montenegro,ME | 19-21/05/14 | All ESRs |
| Warwick Workshop on “Bioinformatics and Biological Forensics and Successful Career Development” | Warwick, UK | 22-26/09/14 | All ESRs |
Industrial Collaboration
The TRAIN-ASAP consortium includes three private companies, including one of the largest pharmaceutical company in the animal health sector (Zoetis, ex Pfizer Animal Health) and two SMEs (Ktedogen in Milan and DaVolterra in Paris).
The three industrial partners are actively involved in the training activities by providing their expertise in drug development and marketing.
Zoetis and DaVolterra organised a training day for all ESRs on “Industrial Challenges to Antibiotic Development in Human Health” and “Clinical Development of Anti-Infectious Drugs in Human Health” in Paris in December 2013. Ktedogen will provide mentorship and training for one research project in natural product research and is currently organising a SME training event that will take place in Italy end of May 2015.
