On October 29–30, Georgios and Blanca took part in the PhD Day organised by the University of Barcelona’s Biotechnology PhD Programme, where they are both doctoral candidates.

The event brought together PhD students from across the programme, who had the opportunity to share their research through 15-minute presentations, flash talks and poster sessions. It was a great opportunity to discover the wide range of projects being carried out within the programme and appreciate its multidisciplinary nature, including experimental and computational approaches and research from different scientific fields.

Apart from the student presentations, the programme also included talks focused on career development, research opportunities and the different career paths available after completing a PhD. The event also featured a plenary lecture by Dr Luis Serrano.

Our group was actively represented, with Blanca presenting a talk on one of her PhD research topics, while Georgios presented a poster showcasing his work.

The closing session was also a special occasion, as it marked the end of Professor Josefa Badia’s role as Director of the Biotechnology PhD Programme. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Josefa for all her dedication and hard work over the years. She has been a key figure in the programme, always approachable and supportive, and a constant source of energy. Her contribution to the Faculty and, above all, to its students has been invaluable.

We warmly welcome Dr Carme Caelles, who will take over as the new Director of the programme. We are confident that she will do a great job, especially after seeing all the effort and dedication she has put into organising this successful event.

Finally, we would like to thank the entire organising committee for their hard work and commitment in making these two days such a valuable experience for the PhD community.

Congratulations to all participants, and thank you for bringing the Biotechnology PhD community together!