Marathon Progress update – 75 days to go
October 3rd is looming on the horizon. These months of training have been enjoyable, although I have to constantly battle with injuries. Increasing the running distances led to muscle problems, especially hamstring. I can only begin to imagine what is the life of a professional athlete battling between training tables, tiredness and injuries.
Ultimately training is the balance between damage and repair. This is obvious for skeletal muscles, but it affects the entire body. For example, I have noticed my heart rate decreasing from 50-51 bpm to 42-43bpm in 2 months of relatively intense training. It is easy to see how important physical exercise can be to maintain an effective and healthy cardiovascular system. This is one of the messages that the Platelet Society wants to promote at the Virgin Money London Marathon 2021.
Sport – a metaphor for life
Why do I like sport? I think that sport is the perfect metaphor for life. The desire to improve, the strength to overcome challenges and the satisfaction to achieve your goals. Sport is a great school of life. Understanding the value of working towards your personal improvement is an invaluable lesson. As an amateur sport enthusiast, the competition is with yourself. It may be demotivating comparing your performance with professional athletes, but the satisfaction to improve yourself is the only reward that we need. There are no tricks or shortcuts. No one can make it easier for you and no one can do it for you. In this respect, sport is fair (probably more than life!). If you put the work in, your performance will improve. If it does not, your training is wrong and you need to change something. Applying the same philosophy to every aspect of life is a great way to live.
Time for me to go and keep on track with my training schedule. Don’t forget you can support the fundraising for the Society by ‘buying me a coffee’ – it all goes towards helping us reach our target – and being Italian I drink a lot of coffee!
Ciao
Giordano
Marathon Progress update – 100 days to go!
I may have gone over the top. I changed my training plan to a rather intensive program to improve my marathon time. Unfortunately, after the first two weeks of intense training totalling over 120 km, the first injury! A very annoying hamstring strain, which tends to reoccur periodically in runners. This will force me to interrupt the training for a few days and include specific strengthening exercises in my routine. It is part of the fitness game, especially when your age is a double-digit number that starts with a “4”.
Great news is that it is official, my registration for the Virgin Money London Marathon 2021 has been completed this week. I look forward to start the promotion for the Platelets Society and the fundraising. Look out for the fundraising page coming soon.
Our society Marathon mascot is getting on well with their training. Luckily their hamstrings are a little bit younger than mine, so no problems there.
Time for me to go and keep on track with my training schedule. Don’t forget you can support the fundraising for the Society by ‘buying me a coffee’ – it all goes towards helping us reach our target – and being Italian I drink a lot of coffee!
Ciao
Giordano
Marilena Crescente, PhD
Lecturer, Manchester Metropolitan University
@marilenacresce1
What countries have you lived and worked in, and what jobs/roles have you had?
I am Italian and lived in Italy until I was 31, when I submitted my PhD thesis in Vascular Biology and Pathophysiology to the University of Perugia. I moved to Boston in 2009 to join Professor Denisa Wagner’s lab at Harvard Medical School, where I worked as Postdoctoral Researcher investigating new approaches for thrombolysis. In 2012 I moved back to Europe, precisely Spain where I worked for 5 months as Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares, acquiring skills to study angiogenesis. While in Madrid, I contacted Professor Jon Gibbins at the University of Reading and he offered me a position to join his lab working on an exciting MRC-funded project on the role of thiol isomerases in thrombosis, so I moved to the UK in June 2012. After spending 4 years in Reading, I moved to London in 2016 to work in Professor Tim Warner’s lab working on a BHF-funded research project aimed at profiling platelet and vascular eicosanoids and their link to thrombosis. Upon completion of this project, I spent 3 months as visiting scientist at the KU Leuven, in Belgium, learning techniques to study Neutrophil Extracellular Trap formation in the blood. So, I lived in 5 different countries: Italy, US, Spain, UK and Belgium.
How did you find your jobs abroad?
Working abroad has been an incredible experience, it helped me to acquire new skills and shape the way I think about science, but it also helped me grow as a person. I learned two languages: English and Spanish and some words of Dutch too! Moreover, I travelled a lot and got to know different cultures, including arts, music, food, etc. Most importantly, I made lifelong friends who are like family to me.
What made you want to work abroad?
I wanted to work abroad to be able to interact with the top scientists in the Vascular Biology field and learn cutting edge techniques. In Harvard I worked with Denisa Wagner, who is an incredible scientist, and she taught me how to look at a science not only from the single point of view of the basic researcher, but to put scientific questions in the context of their clinical meaning and translational potential. Another reason why I wanted to work abroad, is because, since I was a teenager, I have always been fascinated and curious about people from other countries who came to visit/live in my own town, Isernia, in the central south of Italy. I used the limited English I knew then to chat with them and understand more about the country they were coming from. This curiosity grew over the years and, becoming a scientist and travelling around countries for conferences, convinced me that I wanted to spend some time abroad, possibly in a cosmopolitan city and live in touch with other cultures.
How did the research environment vary between countries?
The research environment is different across countries. In Italy I had the luck to work with inspiring scientists such as Giovanni de Gaetano, Chiara Cerletti and Paolo Gresele. They are among the pioneers of Platelet and Haematology Research in Italy with a total dedication to research. They really ignited in me the love for science, my critical thinking and the ability to generate novel ideas leading to high quality research, notwithstanding the technical limitations encountered sometimes in Italian labs, due to lack of adequate research fundings. In the US there is an advanced technological approach to science, with the availability of cutting-edge techniques that were not accessible in the Italian laboratories where I worked as a PhD student. The underlying motto of their work attitude is “just do it!” which motivated me to try things, even when I was not sure if they were going to work. However, I also found the CNIC in Madrid and both the University of Reading and Queen Mary University of London, where I worked in the UK, as very innovative and competitive environments, where top-quality research in the cardiovascular field is produced. KU Leuven in Belgium is a university founded in 1425 with a long tradition in cardiovascular research, I really enjoyed my time there because not only I had access to a range of facilities to perform my experiments, but I also had and I am benefitting, from collaboration with clinicians who allow a ‘bench to bedside’ translational approach to my research.
What has been your favourite thing about working abroad?
My favourite thing about working abroad was to experience an international environment and to meet very different people. Every person I met, in one way or another, has taught me something important and enriched my life. I also enjoyed the fact that I could try different cuisine and new food.
Have you faced any challenges whilst working abroad?
The biggest challenge for me was to live far from my family and, especially at the beginning, the language barrier.
Do you have any advice for ECR members thinking about moving abroad?
The most important thing is to embrace everything as a positive challenge, as it allows you to learn new things and broaden your horizons. It is also important, from the beginning, to try to integrate with the culture as much as possible.
Would you recommend working abroad to ECR members?
I strongly encourage people to move abroad, it is an important step for your life and career.
Dianne van der Wal, PhD
Senior Research Fellow, R&D Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Sydney
@DianvanderwalDr
What countries have you lived and worked in, and what jobs/roles have you had?
I have lived in the Netherlands (my home country), where I studied, worked in 5 different research laboratories as a research assistant and did my PhD at the University of Utrecht on the effect of cold storage of platelets on their function, death signals and their removal from the circulation by platelet adhesion receptor GPIb.
My 1st postdoc was in Toronto, Canada in the lab of Prof. Heyu Ni in which I studied platelet clearance mechanism in bleeding disorder Immuno Thrombocytopenia (ITP). I found a novel platelet clearance mechanism by the liver in a subset of ITP patients, involving removal of platelet-attached sugars mediated by antibodies against GPIb.
I then moved to Melbourne, Australia for a 2nd postdoc, at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases/Monash University in the lab of Prof. Shaun Jackson. I investigated the role of scaffolding protein 14-3-3 in platelets and thrombosis.
From there, I moved back to the Netherlands, where I worked as Scientific Officer at the International Society for Blood Transfusion (ISBT). In this role I set up a new educational website platform, maintained the ISBT Science Series and was the liaison between transfusion medicine scientists and the society. I also created all scientific content for the website and edited papers for Transfusion Today and Vox Sanguinis. I moved again to Sydney where I currently work as a Senior Research Fellow at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood (national blood centre) R&D, in the lab of A/Prof. Denese Marks. I now study the various factors involved in quality of platelet components and general platelet function including the procoagulant platelet microparticles. I also worked at University College Dublin for 3 months with Prof. Patricia Maguire, as part of an EHA-ISTH training fellowship.
How did you find your jobs abroad?
My 1st postdoc was through an email I sent to Prof. Heyu Ni. I met with him years earlier at an AABB congress and he mentioned that he was always on the lookout for postdocs. My 2nd postdoc was advertised on the university website and/or websites like findapostdoc.com, naturecareers.com. My 3rd job opportunity was through networking as well as I already knew A/Prof. Denese Marks through the ISBT network. Therefore, I sent her an email to let her know I was interested in the advertised role.
What made you want to work abroad?
There was no funding available in the Utrecht lab, or other labs in the Netherlands at that time. But I was already keen to move abroad, as part of a new (science) adventure as I enjoy the international aspect of the job. To complement my PhD research, I wanted to study platelet clearance in an animal model for bleeding disorders and the Ni lab is well-known for this work.
Second, I moved to Melbourne as my partner was not able to find a job in Toronto, therefore staying there became unsustainable. When I was in Melbourne, eventually my Australian visa expired, and I had to return to my home country again. Sadly, obtaining external funding became challenging and impossible in the end, after many attempts with various funding agencies. I therefore had to find a job in a non-academic role and had to become very flexible.
How did the research environment vary between countries?
The research environments did vary a lot between labs and between countries. There are always small or larger cultural or language barriers to overcome or to become acquainted to, especially in the beginning. Also, style of supervision, funding opportunities, direct assistance from research assistants or students vary greatly, depending on the lab size and the group leader.
What has been your favourite thing about working abroad?
Meeting up with new people and starting over in a new country is filled with opportunities and adventure. To grow as a scientist and to learn from top scientists and get lots of different input and out of the box ideas. To be able to taste the culture and cuisines of the world. The world is your oyster!
Have you faced any challenges whilst working abroad?
The challenge is to start a project and techniques from scratch all the time, sometimes without any technical help. Building up a network takes time, as well as finishing a project well in a short amount of time. This can delay publishing of high-quality research papers quite significantly. Another challenge I faced was the postdoc salary/fellowship vs. the cost of living. Initially I did not do enough research into this and living in an expensive city like Toronto can eat into your savings substantially. Same goes for relocation costs, as these are not always offered.
Do you have any advice for ECR members thinking about moving abroad?
Yes, please contact scientists who have experienced this before and have tips and tricks. Also, contact current and former lab members to ask about their experiences. Gather as many details as possible around working in lab X, e.g., visa, assistance from other people, student supervision, budget, congress visits, holidays, relocation costs and costs of living. If your partner is moving along, check whether they can work and investigate the job market beforehand. Do lots of research into the city of choice and visit the lab at least once before moving there. Investigate if external funding is available for scientists with temporary visas. For a long-term stay, investigate the visa system and requirements for permanent residency. It is important to have a plan B and backup savings in case you must return to your home country unexpectedly. Seize the opportunities and learn from all different roles, even though they are not the number 1 choice. Luckily, it all worked out well for me, and I was extremely fortunate to find a job working in the ISBT office, a role that proved particularly useful in the end and was remarkably interesting. In this role, I learned about science communication and I met many different scientists in the field which increased my network significantly.
Would you recommend working abroad to ECR members?
Yes absolutely, although it can be challenging at times. You can only grow and will learn so much in a short time about yourself and science. It increases your network significantly which remain important throughout your career.
Moyra Lawrence, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Cambridge
What countries have you lived and worked in, and what jobs/roles have you had?
I did my undergraduate degree in Ireland during which I did two lab placements. I then moved to England for my masters and PhD. After that, I decided to move to France to study epigenetics for my postdoc and my entire lab moved to Germany while I was there. Now I’m finishing my second postdoc back in the UK and have just received a postdoctoral fellowship to move to Japan.
How did you find your jobs abroad?
I knew in which area I wanted to work, so I went to seminars in that area to learn a bit more. At one of those seminars, my PI in France was presenting. It was such a wonderful presentation and such interesting work that I knew I wanted to work with him. For my second postdoc, I found the job on the Euraxess site, a wonderful one for finding postdoctoral positions. For my job in Japan, I’ve been dreaming up a project since my PhD and wanted to find a lab which was expert in these analyses. A colleague of my current PI kindly introduced me to my Japanese PI. I found the funding I wanted online and we made the application together. I’m so excited to start in his lab.
What made you want to work abroad?
I was reluctant to move abroad for my PhD but I really wanted to work in stem cell biology and at the time Ireland didn’t have any 4 -year programs with rotations. I really wanted to spend some time in the lab before choosing it for my PhD so I applied for positions in England. I think once that initial step is made, it becomes easier to move to another country; I moved to France because I found a lab I really wanted to join and then I automatically ended up in Germany.
How did the research environment vary between countries?
Surprisingly, it varied quite a lot. Even something very straightforward like ordering, or meeting other people in the institute, was very different in each place. I’m sure within countries it also varies a lot. Each system takes a bit of getting used to! However, in a way, it’s really pleasant to work in a lab where your everyday job is quite similar (and in English) even if the rest of the country is very different.
What has been your favourite thing about working abroad?
Now that’s a difficult one! In the UK, it’s definitely the collaborative working environment. In France, I’m reluctant to admit it, but it was the food! Germany was the first time I really felt like an expat and that was interesting in itself. In every place you learn something new, meet really interesting people and have experiences you’d never get to have at home.
Have you faced any challenges whilst working abroad?
I think leaving your home country is always challenging. From tangles with bureaucracy to the inability to read your own post to occasional homelessness, the challenges keep coming! But again, the benefits far outweigh the difficulties!
Do you have any advice for ECR members thinking about moving abroad?
I’d advise you pick something to work on that you really love. There will be days you wonder why you’re there and you need to have a good answer for yourself! Also look at transport links home. Get a good moving company so you can bring your things with you and embrace the new culture. I found the ‘Culture Shock’ books quite good so you understand the culture before you move. And enjoy!
Would you recommend working abroad to ECR members?
I would highly recommend it! It’s a wonderful life experience and you’ll meet very interesting people and live a life you never expected!
The Platelet Society ECR Working Group Blog Series presents
Experiences of Working Abroad
Moving between laboratories and countries is encouraged within an academic setting. For some, the decision to move abroad may feel natural and easy, however it is a huge decision which will come with challenges, but undoubtedly lots of positives. We wanted to take the opportunity to hear first-hand the experiences of Early Career Researchers who have experienced living and working abroad. Click on the images below to read the blogs.
Moyra Lawrence, PhD
Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Cambridge
Dianne van der Wal, PhD
Senior Research Fellow, R&D Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Sydney
@DianvanderwalDr
Marilena Crescente, PhD
Lecturer, Manchester Metropolitan University
@marilenacresce1
You can’t just turn up and run a marathon!
Proper training is essential to ensure that you are fully prepared, avoid injury, and are able to give your best performance ‘on the day’. My training plan has been honed from my experiences of previous half and full marathons and takes into account that I’m already running regularly. Someone starting from scratch would have a different journey, but the principles are the same. Training helps me be in the best shape, mentally and physically for the run.
To build strength and stamina, I set myself a series of weekly distance goals. These help make sure my body is prepared to run the distance of a marathon, and the weekly distance increases as we get closer to the date. For me it looks like this
- June – Weekly mileage: 30km per week
- July – Weekly mileage 40km per week
- August – Weekly mileage: 50km per week
- September – Weekly distance: 30km per week
You’ll notice that in the month leading up to the marathon, the weekly distance drops. This is to make sure that I’m not overdoing it and keeps my fitness high.
I also set myself a series of ‘targets’. These allow me to see how I’m doing against my training plan, and help to motivate me through the training runs. My targets are
- Half marathon time target: 1 hour 45 minutes (June 15th 2021)
- First time full distance (June 30th 2021)
- Half marathon time target: 1 hour 40 minutes (July 15th 2021)
- Full marathon time target: 4 hours (July 31st 2021)
- Speed work: aiming for 10km under 45 minutes (August 15th 2021)
- Full marathon time target: 3 hour 45 minutes (August 31st 2021)
- Speed work: aiming for 10km under 44 minutes (September 15th 2021)
So you can see that by the time I actually start the marathon on the 3rd October, I’ve already run quite a few already!
I also want to introduce you to someone very important. It’s our ‘Marathon Mascot’. You’ll see they look very cool in their headband and running shoes, and are importantly staying hydrated.
They don’t have a name yet. I’ve suggested ‘Platelet Radcliffe’ but it didn’t go down very well. Can you come up with a better name for them? Head over to our twitter, facebook or instagram accounts to tell us your suggestions.
Time for me to go and keep on track with my training schedule. Don’t forget you can support the fundraising for the Society by ‘buying me a coffee’ – it all goes towards helping us reach our target – and being Italian I drink a lot of coffee!
Ciao
Giordano
Hi,
My Name is Giordano Pula
When I manage to find the time, I like exercising. I used to be a bad amateur footballer, before a severe ligament injury stopped me and protected the beautiful game from further disgrace. Now I only play tennis, cycle (mostly off-road) and run.
I have developed an interest in long distance running late in life, with my first marathon at the tender age of 44. I have run a few marathons including Milan, Madrid, Liverpool and Bournemouth and several mid-distance events (e.g. half marathons, duathlons and 10km).
My best marathon time is 3 hours 39 minutes in Madrid in 2019. I am very excited to run the London marathon in 2021 and I would like to beat my personal best.
I am even more excited to be able to combine my marathon running passion with a great cause: to support the Platelet Society. As biomedical research in the field of thrombosis is my profession and I am member of this society, I could not find a better cause to run. I hope to raise awareness about the work of the Platelet Society and vascular health in general.
Over the coming weeks and months I will be sharing regular updates with you on my training and progress towards the London Marathon. I’ll also be telling you about the work of the Platelet Society and its members.
You can also follow my training on instagram (giordanopula) or check out my training runs on Strava (https://www.strava.com/athletes/gpula)
There will be a fundraising page set up very soon for you to sponsor me, but for now why not ‘buy me a coffee’ to kick start my training!
Right – I’m off for a run!
Giordano
The International Society for Thrombosis and Haemostasis have announced the dates and branding for the 2022 congress which will be held in London.
Running from the 9th – 13th July 2022, the meeting is set be one of the highlights of the annual meeting calendar. With 4 Plenary speakers and 28 scientific sessions, the meeting hopes to welcome 8000 participants from around the world. This will be the first ISTH congress since 2019 to feature ‘in person’ sessions and the Platelet Society expects that its members will be involved in running, attending and presenting at the congress. more details can be foudn on their website.
And of course – we will have our own annual meeting spring 2022, to be hosted in Hull, as a prelude to the ISTH congress. More details regarding our meeting will be available soon.
Statement from the Platelet Society on the Covid vaccine
Platelets and the Covid-19 vaccine
Last week saw the Platelet Society run its highly successful virtual meeting hosted by Keele University
The meeting was well attended by researchers from the UK, Europe and the Rest of the World (A benefit of online meetings!) for 3 days of talks, discussions and poster sessions, covering the breadth of platelet research.
Due to the generous sponsorship of Cairn, Lab Medics, The Platelet Society and NC3Rs, were were able to award prizes for the best talks, posters and innovation in 3Rs for platelet research. The competition was tough as all talks and posters were of a high standard, but thanks to the hard work of the judges were were able to select the following people for prizes.
Congratulations to all the prize winners
Best Talk – ECR Meeting
Best Talk – Main Meeting
Best Posters
NC3Rs innovation
The Platelet Society is delighted to announce the return of the Platelet Summer school in 2021. Hosted by the University of Reading, this will introduce new researchers to all aspects of platelet biology with sessions taught by leaders in the field from across Europe.
1st – 3rd September 2021
Welcome to the Platelet Society Early Career Researcher (ECR) Blog!
Since we formed at the end of 2020 the ECR working group has been looking for a variety of ways to involve and support you, ECR members of the Platelet Society. In our new blog, we aim to upload a regular post on a range of topics, from academic development to work-life balance, which we hope you will find helpful and interesting.
If you have any suggestions of topics you would like to see here, (or if you would like to contribute with an article!), please drop an email to Amie (aw701@medschl.cam.ac.uk), Harriet (h.e.allan@qmul.ac.uk) or Joana (j.campos@bham.ac.uk); we would be very happy to receive your suggestions!
We will let you know when a new post is available (keep an eye on the newsletter and our Twitter and Instagram pages), and we hope you enjoy reading it
Your ECR Working Group
Next up on the main stage are five more presentations from our highly rated ECR abstracts.
We are delighted to announce that the full programme has been anounced for our Platelet Society meeting at the end of March.
Organisers Alan Harper and collegues have put together a fantastic list of speakers covering a wide range of platelet and megakaryocyte biology. With a mix of scientific and clinical topics, there is sure to be something for everyone at the meeting, and even though we are not meeting in person, it is an amazing opportunity to catch up with collegues and friends in the platelet field. The full programme can be seen at https://plateletsociety.co.uk/keele-2021/#speakers
Registration is open now via our registration form – https://plateletsociety.co.uk/keele-meeting-registration/
First up on the main stage are three presentations selected from our ECR abstracts.
Welcome to the Early Career Researcher day of the Platelet Society annual meeting. On this page you will find the programme and abstracts for the meeting.
We hope you enjoy the day!
The Platelet Society are pleased to be teaming up with NC3Rs to launch a 3Rs prize for opportunities to replace, reduce or refine the use of animals in platelet research. The winning entry will receive a £100 prize from NC3Rs.
Eligibility: Authors of submitted abstracts to the Keele Platelet Society Meeting are invited to submit an entry to for the 3Rs prize.
What you need to do: Write a 200 word description of either:
- How you or your research are impacting the 3Rs
OR
- How you could implement 3Rs principles into your research
This must be relevant to the research that you have submitted for presentation at the Keele Platelet Society Meeting.
How to Submit: Submit your entries using this Form. The submission deadline is 12th March 2021
Scoring Criteria: All entries will be judged by the NC3Rs and Meeting organising committee on the following criteria.
- Aim(s)/objective(s) of the 3Rs initiative
- Approach to implementing the 3Rs initiative
- Scale of the impact of the 3Rs initiative
For information and for 3Rs resources:
The Platelet Society has a place in the 2021 London Marathon available and has opened this up for expressions of Interest from runners. The marathon is due to take place on the 3rd October 2021.
Are you an enthusiastic runner looking to compete in this prestigious event, or do you know a runner who would love to take on the challenge and raise some funds to support the Platelet Society?
Expressions of Interest can be registered by filling in the form at http://bit.ly/PS_MarathonEOI before the 8th March.
The Platelet Society is proud to join scientists from around the world in celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science on the 11th February.
Women in STEM day aims to highlight the fantastic achievements and contributions of women to innovative and ground breaking research, whilst providing a spotlight onto the challenges and biases that women face.
The Platelet Society values its women members highly and we are proud to see members taking leadership roles as Trustees and Committee members, and in driving initiatives such as our ECR working group and the Clot Chat interview series.
For more information about the day and to read inspiring stories of Women in Science visit www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/international-day-of-women-and-girls-in-science
Platelet Society member Dr Nick Pugh of Anglia Ruskin University has been commission by the Journal of Visualized Experiments to edit a new collection of platelet based methods. The collection, which will be supported by the Platelet Society, will be entitled “Functional assays used in the investigation of platelet behavior, and in the diagnosis of platelet-related bleeding disorders”, and aims to be the definitive video record of platelet techniques and a key resource for the platelet community.
JoVE is the leading peer-reviewed scientific methods video journal, aimed at improving scientific research by increasing visibility and reproducibility of experimental methods, and disseminating best practice. The JoVE team takes care of the entire process of filming and producing your video, all you need to do is submit your manuscript and then work with the JoVE team to record the video.
Nick is looking for researchers to provide both basic and advanced experimental techniques and welcomes contributions from any researcher in the field.
If you are interested in producing an article you can submit your abstract here:
https://www.jove.com/methods-collections/819
Or, if you wish to discuss an idea further contact Nick on Np24@Aru.ac.uk
Clot Chat series 1 is almost here!!
Over Christmas we have been busy beavering away interviewing platelet scientists, editing videos late into the night and having lengthy scheduling meetings…..
But its almost time for us to launch series 1 of Clot Chat – interviews and discussions with you, the membership of the Society, about things that matter to you.
So watch the trailer below and head over to Clot Chat and get ready for our 1st video, an interview with Harriet Allen, launching during the week of 25th January 2021!
2020 has been quite a year, with many challenges on us at both a personal and professional level. However, there are glimmers of hope and the Platelet Society looks forward to 2021!
Our annual meeting, hosted by Keele, will be be on line in 2021, but the organisers, led by Alan Harper, are putting together a fantastic programme including international invited speakers, short talks, discussion sessions and an ECR focused day. Further information, including abstract submission details can be found here.
The early career researcher community within the Society continues to grow and become a central component of Society activities. This includes exciting developments such as the ECR working groups. Keep an eye open for more more information on these during 2021.
The Society also developed its equity, diversity and inclusion policy and started engaging with members to ensuring it represents everyone in our community. Further information on this and the EDI survey we are currently running can be found here.
An exciting development is our new feature‘Clot Chat’. After a successful discussion focused on equity, diversity and inclusion – with a specific focus on science and the LGBTQ+ community, forthcoming videos will be a mix of short interviews and discussions on a range of topical subjects. Look out for new videos appearing in 2021.
On behalf of the Platelet Society we would like to wish you Season’s Greetings, a peaceful and happy break, and a healthy and prosperous New Year.
December 1st sees the opening of abstract submission for the Platelet Society annual meeting.
Due to ongoing covid restrictions, the meeting will be held online and hosted by Dr Alan Harper at Keele University. The meeting will include an Early Career Researcher day and two days of talks and discussions. Being online, it is hoped that the meeting can be attended by a wide range of platelet and megakaryocyte scientist including colleagues from overseas.
More details about the meeting can be found at https://plateletsociety.co.uk/keele-2021/ including the link for abstract submission.
The 18th November is International LGBTQ+STEM day, an opportunity to celebrate and promote diversity in Science, as well as to highlight the challenges and discrimination faced by members of these and other communities.
There are a range of activities planned for the day and further details can be found at https://prideinstem.org/lgbtstemday/ – we will be highlighting some of these on our Twitter Feed throughout the day.
Excitingly, the Society is also launching a new feature called “Clot Chat”. This will be a regular series of videocasts featuring interviews and discussions with Platelet Society members and featuring topics relevant to Society members. To celebrate LGBTQ+STEM day, the first episode of Clot Chat features a discussion with members of the Platelet Society about issues faced by LGBTQ+ scientists and how we can work to make the Society inclusive. You can watch the first episode here, and future episodes will be available from the News and Events menu of our webpage.
Tuesday 13th October saw the Platelet Society joining with researchers, clinicians and patients from across the world to recognise World Thrombosis Day
Marking the anniversary of the birth of Rudolph Virchow, one of the founders of the study of thrombosis, World Thrombosis Day aims to raise awareness of this important disease and to highlight the important work being done to understand , treat and prevent it.
Members of the Platelet Society are actively involved in understanding the roles of platelets in thrombosis and in developing novel ways to manage and treat it. Furthermore, we undertake education and outreach activities to engage with members of the public to highlight the important work we do and to educate on risk factors for the disease.
More details of our activities can be seen on our Twitter feed and some recent examples are highlighted below. If you fancy trying one of the outreach activities yourself, see this video from committee member Amanda Unsworth!
There is lots more information on World Thrombosis Day on their website.
Monday 12th October saw the Platelet Society hold its 2020 AGM.
In a year where Covid-19 has caused widespread disruption to all aspects of our lives, the Society reflected on how this has affected our members and their research.
The cancellation of the Birmingham Velo, a major fundraiser for the Society, means that we, like all small charities have lost important income for the year and fundraising continues to be a challenge.
The closure of universities and research labs severely impacted our ability to do research, and although a lot of reviews have been written, it is only recently that students and post-docs have been able to restart experiments and return to their projects. In addition, the wide range of scientific meetings and conferences we attend was decimated by lockdowns and travel restrictions, depriving us of the networking and discussions that form an important aspect of our community.
Despite this, we have seen Platelet Society members find innovative ways to work and keep research moving forward. From our fantastic virtual ECR meeting run by Paul, Kirk and Carly, the establishment of ECR working groups to address specific questions for the society, to our members being involved in important research into Covid-19 and thrombosis.
The AGM also saw the launch of our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion survey and our statement of intent for how the Society will ensure that EDI is core to everything it does. Members are encouraged to complete the survey which can be found here, and to visit our EDI webpages to findout more.
Finally, we showed an outreach video, created by Amanda Unsworth, to highlight the importance of the work that our members do. The video can be seen below.
The Platelet Society has joined in with National Post-doc Appreciation week (21st – 25th September) and has been spotlighting the amazing post-docs we have as members of the Society.
See all their smiling faces on our Twitter Feed!
It's national Post-doc appreciation week, so we 'd like to take the opportunity to thank all of the amazing Post-docs in the @plateletsociety for all their hardwork, dedication and contributions to the platelet research field. #PlateletECR you guys are amazing! 🔬💉🧬🧫🧪 pic.twitter.com/NtcUM9fiZ7
— The Platelet Society (@plateletsociety) September 21, 2020
ECR virtual meeting.
Following on from our first virtual meeting of Platelet Society early Career Researchers, Dr Kirk Taylor has written a brief meeting report.
See the report here.
Platelet Society ECR Working Group
In a recent ECR survey, we asked you what you wanted from the Society. 60% of respondents said that they would like to see additional activities from the society. Activities that people would like to see include:
- announcements/notice board/blog
- Webinars
- Mentoring/career development opportunities
- Socials
- Skills repository
In response to this Carly Kempster and Kirk Taylor are launching an ECR Working Group to implement new initiatives to deliver on your feedback.
The working group will consist of six people and will be tasked with developing three projects.
- Mentoring and professional development
- Engaging with members
- Knowledge transfer
More information can be found here. The group will be supported by The Platelet Society Executive Committee. Please contact Carly or Kirk if you would like any additional information or discuss the roles informally. We are keen to reflect the diversity of the society and applications are open to all ECRs. Please do encourage your colleagues and peers to apply.
Applications are open through September (closing 30/09/20) and appointments confirmed in October.
The Platelet Society Virtual Early Career Researcher Meeting
Thursday 3rd September
13:00 to 16:00 BST
There is now just 1 week to go before our Virtual Early Career Researchers meeting.
Make sure you register in plenty of time to be a part of this meeting.
Register now: https://bit.ly/ECR_2020
Meeting programme: Virtual ECR programme
The Platelet Society is launching a challenge to all members and their friends and family.
Can we walk, run and cycle the distance between all the labs of Platelet Society members in the UK!
Just the short distance of 2625 Km!
Want to take up the challenge? Find out more on our Platelet Lab Link-Up page and get recording those miles!
Platelet Labs Link-Up
In light of the recent developments across Europe regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, the Platelet Society has been monitoring the situation carefully and reviewing our forthcoming events.
It is currently uncertain how quickly our lives will be able to return to some form of normality and when it will be feasible to hold meetings again. We also feel strongly that we do not wish to allow delegates and presenters to feel compelled to travel at a time when uncertainty may still remain.
ECR meeting
The Early Career Researchers meeting schedule for the 23rd April has now been postponed until Thursday 3rd September 2020. This date will of course be subject to review given the continuing uncertainty over the duration of the pandemic. This meeting will still be held at QMUL and all bookings have been carried forward.
As it becomes more certain that the meeting will proceed on the revised date, we will provide further updates. At that time we will also offer guidance on opportunities for submission of new abstracts and data.
Platelet Summer School
The platelet summer school scheduled for Spetember 2020 has been postponed until September 2021. Further information on the revised date and registration information will be posted at the end of 2020.
We hope that you and your familes are able to stay safe over the coming weeks.
Jon, Paul & Kirk
Platelet Society members had the opportunity to attend the Northern Vascular Biology Forum (NVBF) meeting hosted by Sheffield Hallam University in December.
The NVBF is made up of 12 Universities in the North of England, and northern vascular scientists attend every year to showcase their research.
This year, Dr Sarah Jones chaired the first session and Professor Khalid Naseem gave a plenary talk on new models of platelet hyperactivity and thrombosis. Dr Amanda Unsworth gave a talk on repurposing drugs as anti-thrombotics and Ryan Riley (PhD student, Manchester Metropolitan University, Supervisor Dr Sarah Jones) gave an oral presentation on the endothelial contribution to thrombus formation and antithrombotic efficacy. Manchester Met postgraduate students Amelia Drysdale (PhD) and Badrija Khalifa (MRes) both presented posters.
Outside of the field, and of particular interest to platelet researchers was a presentation by Dr Torsten Schenkel, on fluid dynamics from Sheffield Hallam University. Dr Schenkel highlighted the effect of blood rheology on cells and platelets, presenting a model of vascular fluid dynamics and demonstrating the value of interdisciplinary collaboration. Following the final presentation, Professor Naseem chaired a session on applying for funding from Heart Research UK and the British Heart Foundation.
The meeting covered a variety of topics related to cardiovascular science, some of which had implications in platelet research. The diverse range of knowledge and expertise of the researchers in attendance contributed to the overall success of this meeting, opening up opportunities for learning and collaboration across the specialism and benefitting early career researchers across the region. Overall, a strong showing from the northern Platelet Society members to a very successful and enjoyable meeting.
Report by Ryan Riley and Amelia Drysdale
The Platelet Society has secured a number of places at the highly sought after Velo – Birmingham & Midlands cycle event.
Being held on Sunday 21st June 2020, Velo is a 100 mile cycle road around the West Midlands on closed roads. It is a great day out and hopefully we should be able to raise much needed funds to support the work of the Society. We have a limited number of guaranteed places available on the event – in return for one we ask that you raise sponsorship for the Society and its work.
The cost of a place is £84 and we ask that people aim to raise at least £150 each for the Society.
If you, or someone you know, is interested, please fill in the application form at http://bit.ly/Plateletsocietyvelo and help us be a part of this great event.
If you’re not much of a cyclist, you can still get involved by coming along and cheering them on and by sponsoring our athletes! Details will be posted shortly.