FB13: Participation in the EACR Conference on Cancer Genomics, Multiomics, and Computational Biology, Essen, Germany

Applicant: Erik Schüftan
Faculty, specialisation: FB 13, PhD Biology

Participation in the EACR Conference on Cancer Genomics, Multiomics, and Computational Biology in Essen was a highly valuable experience for my academic and professional development as a doctoral candidate in the SP Biosciences graduate program. The conference provided an excellent opportunity to engage with current developments in cancer research and computational biology while fulfilling the international conference participation requirement of my PhD program.

The scientific program aligned very closely with my doctoral research, which focuses on computational analysis of multi-omics data in brain tumours. The conference sessions covered topics directly relevant to my work, including single-cell technologies, spatial transcriptomics, integrative multiomic approaches, and advanced computational methods for analysing complex biological datasets. Exposure to these topics allowed me to broaden my understanding of emerging methodologies and compare my own research approaches with current international standards.

One of the most valuable aspects of attending the conference was the opportunity to participate in numerous scientific discussions with researchers from different institutions and disciplines. These interactions provided useful feedback on methodological aspects of my work and offered new perspectives on challenges related to data integration and interpretation in multi-omics research. Several conversations highlighted alternative computational workflows and novel analytical approaches that could potentially strengthen the impact and robustness of my own thesis project.

In addition to the scientific content, the conference created an excellent environment for networking. I had many productive exchanges with international peers and experienced researchers, which allowed me to expand my professional network and gain insight into ongoing research activities across Europe and beyond. These interactions opened possibilities for future scientific exchange and potential collaborations extending beyond the duration of my doctoral studies.

Overall, the conference fully met the goals I had set before attending. It provided technical inspiration, exposure to emerging developments in cancer genomics and computational biology, and valuable opportunities for networking and scientific exchange. The experience strengthened my understanding of current trends in multiomics research and contributed directly to advancing both my doctoral project and my broader scientific development.

Following the conference, I plan to transfer the acquired knowledge to my department by organizing a poster presentation within my research group and delivering a short presentation during the institute’s Journal Club. These activities will help communicate both the technical insights and broader scientific trends observed at the conference and support knowledge exchange within our research community.