AFRODITA Successfully Hosts Initial Training School on Reproductive Technologies

From 5 to 8 November 2024, the AFRODITA Initial Training School 0 brought together PhD students and supervisors at the Department of Animal Reproduction at the INIA-CSIC in Madrid. This training school successfully combined cutting-edge theoretical knowledge with on-site wet-lab sessions, providing PhD students with advanced skills in reproductive technologies.

Over four intensive days at the Department of Animal Reproduction (INIA-CSIC), PhD students gained practical skills in key areas such as semen collection, evaluation and cryopreservation, oocyte collection and in vitro fertilization, embryo culture, and advanced methods in micromanipulation and CRISPR-based genome editing.

The programme went beyond laboratory techniques. PhD students were introduced to Responsible Research and Innovation practices and the principles of the MSCA Green Charter, empowering them with transferable skills and knowledge to conduct sustainable and ethically responsible research. Additionally, our PhD students had the opportunity to present their projects in five-minute pitches. These presentations led to very interesting discussions and fostered the opportunity to consider potential areas of collaboration and align efforts to enhance our research outputs within the AFRODITA network.

The event wasn’t all work—PhD students and supervisors had the chance to come together and share a delightful lunch, enjoying Spain's renowned cuisine and the mild and pleasant November weather. It was a fantastic opportunity for everyone to get to know each other better!