First TCD Students Complete Innovative European Postgraduate Exchange Programme

Posted on: 17 September 2009

Two students from Trinity College Dublin have successfully completed research exchanges with European universities as part of the Eurolife Joint Programme in Translational and Experimental Medicine (JPTEM).  This TCD led programme for postgraduate students promotes scholar exchange between six prestigious European institutions. MSc in Molecular Medicine students Lauren Averill undertook part of her research study at the University of Barcelona, Spain while Maeve McArdle went to the Karolinska Institute, Sweden.

Commenting on the Programme, Prof Dermot Kelleher, Head of the School of Medicine, TCD and Chairperson of Eurolife emphasised the importance of this initiative. “Exposing Trinity students to high quality research laboratories within premier European institutions provides an excellent opportunity for their development as research scientists, allowing them access to particular expertise that will complement their skills developed while at TCD. It reflects our commitment to high quality postgraduate training, preparing and mentoring our young researchers in their career development as future research leaders.”    

The students undertake a period of research of 3-6 months at the Partner Institution, in a project that is discussed in advance between student, TCD Mentor and Partner University Mentor, so that it is tailored to their particular research area and requirements, while also reflecting the complimentary expertise of the Partner Institution.

“It has been a truly enhancing experience, both for the students themselves and for the university”, stated Prof Mark Lawler, School of Medicine, TCD and Chairperson of the JPTEM Committee which initiated this innovative programme. “It provides the students with a unique opportunity to widen their research experience and to develop valuable contacts that can enhance their future careers, while from the university perspective, it helps cement the development of complimentary research partnerships”. 

Lauren Averill with Prof Tauler and members of his laboratory at the University of Barcelona
during Lauren’s stay as part of the Joint Programme in Translational and Experiment Medicince 

Trinity has a significant commitment to postgraduate research and is constantly looking at innovative ways to provide high quality graduate education. “This Programme represents the type of cutting edge research and technology with international visibility that we wish our students to engage in and master so that they can contribute to the knowledge and innovation based society of the future, both internationally and here in Ireland”, said Prof Carol O’Sullivan, Dean of Graduate Studies, TCD, emphasising how graduate programmes can benefit from a period of international exchange. “Exposing students to a European dimension in their research training significantly enhances their portfolio of skills and makes them competitive in their future careers”, added Prof Lawler.

This programme is now available to two students per year as part of the MSc in Molecular Medicine Programme. “The JPTEM provides an extra dimension to our MSc in Molecular Medicine, enabling our students to avail of research training in some of the most prestigious universities in Europe while also encouraging the exchange of best practice and the establishment of a common Eurolife standard in the provision of postgraduate education”, said Dr Ross McManus, Director of the TCD Molecular Medicine Postgraduate Programme and JPTEM committee member.

Reflecting the two-way nature of the Programme, a student from Leiden University will perform part of her research leading to a Masters degree in Prof Lawler’s laboratory, commencing in January 2010.

The JPTEM presented a unique opportunity for Lauren and Maeve to perform part of their research study leading to their MSc at a leading European university. Here they  share their experiences…

Student Testimonials

Lauren Averill

 “I worked in the Faculty of Pharmacy (University of Barcelona) under the supervision of Prof Albert Tauler. Prof Tauler´s laboratory research investigates signalling pathways that regulate cell proliferation and death. My project focused on the effect of DNA damage in human cancer models following drug treatment. Throughout the duration of my research stay, everyone was incredibly friendly, hospitable and helpful. All techniques were taught and explained to me on a one-to-one basis by experienced personnel, with little or no language barriers as English is the common language with students hailing from all parts of the world. My experience of the Eurolife Programme and my time living in Barcelona was an incredible and unforgettable experience, both from a personal as well as career-enhancing perspective. Participating in the programme has greatly broadened my knowledge of scientific research methods and introduced various networking opportunities for the future. I would recommend participating in the Eurolife Programme to any Masters student interested, as it is incredibly beneficial in increasing access to a broader range of research topics and techniques, while enhancing both the professional and personal experience of the Masters programme”.

Lauren’s project built on work she had performed in Prof Mark Lawler’s laboratory in TCD before she went to Barcelona. Prof Tauler, who hosted Lauren during her stay, was very positive about the Programme. “This Exchange Programme has great potential – it provides an international dimension to our laboratory, whilst allowing the establishment of linkages with researchers in other Eurolife Institutions which may lead to joint programmes of research; in this case the complementary skills of our two universities in cell biology, cell signalling and apoptosis provides a potential springboard for joint research projects, particularly relevant given our two Universities strengths in cancer research”, he said.  

Maeve McArdle

 “During my M.Sc course (in Molecular Medicine), I developed a keen interest in the field of nutrition and in particular in the health problems associated with conditions such as obesity. I have also harboured an interest in Neuroscience since I was an undergraduate student. I came across my current project ‘Brain Control of Food Intake’, under the direction of Prof Bjorn Meister at the Karolinska Institute (KI), Stockholm through the Eurolife website. I decided to apply for this project as it combined the two fields where I had a specific interest. Another advantage was its location in the Dept. of Neuroscience at KI. KI has an excellent reputation as a leading medical research institution in Europe and is highly regarded worldwide. A further advantage of this project was that it complimented the research on obesity and insulin resistance I had previously undertaken at home in the MSc Course with Prof Helen Roche. 

The JPTEM provided me with the opportunity to perform research not only in two different universities, but also allowed me to experience the research culture in a different country. It was a great opportunity, not only as an academic learning experience but also at a personal level. I aim to pursue a PhD in the field of Nutrition upon my return home. I have no doubt that the combined knowledge and techniques I have accumulated and the contacts I have made will stand to me in my future career in research”.