The topics of the course included all the steps required for the building of a start-up, starting from the development of a brilliant idea, exploration of the market, building of a financial model and a business plan. The ESRs enriched their knowledge on what a patent is, why it is important, what a patentable invention is, how patents are obtained and how long they last. Furthermore, they learnt what the Intellectual Properties Rights (IPRs) are, how to develop an IP strategy to accelerate the process and to safeguard IP assets, correct transfer of patent rights, mastering freedom to operate in the Biotech/MedTech industry, patent infringement, litigation and enforcement. In addition, they faced licensing models, term sheets, negotiation strategies and what an Elevator Pitch is.

This course was very informative for our ESRs; indeed, during the course, ESRs had the opportunity to work in groups on the development of a business plan regarding a new technology and including patenting options, freedom to operate position, bullet-point business plan, competitors, risks and hopes for the future. Additionally, ESRs dealt with the negotiation with a potential university for IP rights, performing in the end an elevator pitch in order to convince the investors to fund their project. During the work in groups, the students were tested for their creativity and determination to face all the problems that a patent can reserve.

The first part of the School was taught by TUD, Dr. Vasileia Ismini Alexaki who gave a brief overview on the biology of the laboratory animals, animal welfare, regulations of animal experimentation and ethics of animal experimentation. Dr Alexaki then continued with the pathobiology of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and mouse models of MS. The school continued by Canelif Yılmaz (ESR8) introducing assays and techniques used in animal experimentation, and she conducted hands on sessions on identification of various cell types of the CNS, identification of brain regions with the help of a brain atlas, and quantification of microgliosis and demyelination in Cuprizone mouse model of MS.

In the second part of the School, Prof. Ioannis Charalampopoulos and Dr. Kanelina Karali from IMBB-FoRTH gave lectures on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology, AD pharmacology, animal models of AD, and ex vivo models of AD. Furthermore, Dr. Kanelina Karali conducted a practical session on behavioral tests used in AD mouse models, and quantification of Aß plaques. Finally, Prof. Ka-Wan Li from VUA gave a lecture on AD proteomics.

In the third and final part of the School, Dr. Richard J. Mead and Dr. Ramesh Tennore from SITraN gave lectures on Motor Neuron Disease (MND), while Dr. Richard Mead focused on mouse models of MND, readouts from these models, and design of in vivo studies. Dr. Ramesh Tennore focused on zebrafish biology, zebrafish models of MND, and high throughput screening conducted in zebrafish. 

The school provided the ESRs with in depth knowledge on pathology of the three major neurodegenerative diseases, MS, AD and MND, as well as currently available treatment options. Furthermore, commonly used animal models for the three diseases were introduced, models’ strengths and shortcomings were explained, and through the practical sessions, ESRs gained experience and insight on how they can utilize these models in their current and future research.