4th Summer School "Evolutionary Processes in Adaptation"
17 August 2020, Münster
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 EvoPAD Summer School could not be organized as the previous summer schools. Instead, it took place as a one-day event in Münster with sufficient distance. In addition to a general lecture by Prof Joachim Kurtz on evolutionary processes in adaptation and disease, PIs and advanced PhD students of EvoPAD presented their research. Although it was not the same as spending several days together in a place outside of Münster, it was a good way to bring together PIs and students, especially those of the recently started second cohort and introduce them to EvoPAD research.
3rd Summer School "Bioinformatics"
10 - 13 September 2019, K6 Seminarhotel Halberstadt
From 10 – 13 September 2019, EvoPAD held its third summer school, which focussed on bioinformatics. The summer school took place at the K6 seminar hotel in Halberstadt in the Harz region. It brought together the EvoPAD PhD students with three of the EvoPAD PIs in an interactive learning and teaching environment. Dr Victoria Shabardina and Felix Manske from the Institute of Bioinformatics at the University Hospital Münster joined the group as external experts. During the summer school, the PhD students went through the whole process of generating and analysing next-generation sequencing data, from isolating the DNA to analysing the data. A big part of the teaching was done by students with experience in data analyses, teaching their peers. Besides practicals, listening to talks, presenting, and discussing research, the group also enjoyed some leisure time, e.g. during an excursion to the Teufelsmauer.
2nd Summer School “Evolutionary Processes in Disease”
24 - 27 September 2018, ABC Bildungs- und Tagungszentrum Drochtersen-Hüll
From 24 – 27 September 2018, EvoPAD held its second summer school, which focussed on “Evolutionary processes in disease”. The summer school took place at the ABC Bildungs- und Tagungszentrum in Drochtersen-Hüll close to the North Sea. It brought together the EvoPAD PhD students with seven of the EvoPAD PIs in an interactive learning and teaching environment. Dr. Nicole Bender from the Institute of Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich joined the group as external expert. Together, they explored topics in the field of evolutionary medicine and addressed questions and comments related to research on disease, health, welfare, and quality of life. Besides listening to talks, presenting, and discussing research, the group also enjoyed some leisure time, e.g, during an excursion to the small charming hanseatic town Stade.
1st Summer School “Evolutionary Processes in Adaptation”
19 – 22 September 2017, Stiftsberg Bildungs- und Freizeitzentrum Kyllburg
The first EvoPad summer school took place from 19 – 22 September 2017 at the Stiftsberg Bildungs- und Freizeitzentrum in Kyllburg in the beautiful Eifel region. The aim of the summer school was to bring the PhD students who have completed different kind of basic studies and work in different fields to the same level of knowledge regarding “Evolutionary processes in adaptation”. The programme included lectures on the basics of evolution and evolutionary genetics, misconceptions about evolution, phenotypic plasticity and epigenetic inheritance, phylogeny, and the role of viruses in evolution. In group work and discussion sessions the PhD students and PIs exchanged views on the extended evolutionary synthesis (EES) but also on how philosophers of science work or how to pursue a career in science. The group was joined by Prof. Dr. Henrik Kaessmann from the University of Heidelberg who gave a talk on “The evolution of mammalian gene expression across multiple dimensions”. In addition to the scientific programme, the participants explored Trier - Germany’s oldest city - and challenged each other in table soccer or darts.
