Jan 3: Learn Core Management in Leuven! Workshop “Innovation in Core Facilities”, Feb 17-19

Life science research organizations all over the world have just gone through a phase of establishing and expanding core facilities. These are now generally acknowledged as key elements of scientific research of a state-of-the-art institute. However, in the fast evolving environment of science and technology, a new challenge has emerged: how can facilities maintain their competitive advantage and prepare themselves for the future to come. How to adapt? How to be future-proof?

How do core facilities keep up with innovations? What does innovation entail in a core facility setting and how to be part of an innovation ecosystem?

With this workshop we aim to work with a group of about 25 people on the topic of innovation in core facilities. We want to discuss its importance as part of the core facility’s mission and what it would entail to create value at the technological, scientific, and organisational level. Different aspects will be covered, going from examples of innovation, to creating the right mindset in the life science institutes. We will discuss the skills that are required, the mandates that should be in place, what expectations to manage, and other requirements that are essential for innovative core facilities.

CMW series was born from a core facility management meeting, organised at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência in 2012.

It was attended by many international experts in several core areas, having been highly participative and generating informative and heated discussions on core management. The enthusiasm generated was such that, at the end of the workshop, most participants felt that it would be beneficial to have this meeting annually and taking place in different locations.

Currently CMW is an international event aimed at managers and staff of research Core Facilities (microscopy, flow cytometry, genomics, sequencing, proteomics, histology, animal house, etc.), to discuss and develop better ways to manage and run facilities for science, to solve technical, scientific and management problems, and to establish collaborations by networking with peers. Managers, core staff, and industrial partners are all invited to participate.

As the workshop is a platform for interaction and intensive discussion, seats are limited. If you want to join, please send us your motivation before 20 December!