The PhD Programme in Health Biotechnology held its first Welcome Day, an event designed to support new doctoral students at the beginning of their research journey and to strengthen interaction among students from different years and research groups. The event was particularly meaningful because it was entirely organised by the PhD students themselves, demonstrating their commitment and active involvement in the programme.
The session was moderated by Pedro Valentín Badía, who guided the progression of the event and facilitated all activity blocks.
The session was opened by Paloma Alonso-Magdalena, Deputy Director of the IDiBE, who welcomed the participants. Afterwards, Gregorio Fernández Ballester, Coordinator of the PhD Programme in Health Biotechnology, presented the structure and functioning of the programme, offering first-year students a clear overview of the academic and administrative dynamics.
Following this, Anabel García-Heredia, Innovation Officer at IDiBE, gave a practical presentation on how to use the programme’s website and on the different funding options available —both public and private— for doctoral studies and postdoctoral stages. She also provided information about career opportunities inside and outside academia.
The Welcome Day also included an interactive activity designed to encourage networking among PhD students from different groups and research areas, promoting collaboration and peer support from the very beginning of the programme.
One of the most valuable moments of the event was the round table with postdoctoral researchers, former students of the same programme, who shared their experiences and offered advice on how to navigate the PhD and plan the next steps in their research careers. The speakers were:
Simona Giorgi, Melissa Belló, Francisco Javier Álvarez, Julio Salazar and Oriol Juanola, who contributed complementary perspectives on professional opportunities within and beyond academia.
The day concluded with scientific sessions, including poster presentations and 3-minute flash talks, where students introduced their thesis projects in a dynamic and accessible format.
At the end of the event, awards were presented to the best contributions:
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🏅 Best Flash Talks
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Julia Ruiz Agulló
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María López López
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Honourable mention: Paula de Juan Maciá
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🏅 Best Poster
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Paula del Carmen Sánchez
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This first Welcome Day has proven to be an excellent starting point for building community, sharing experiences and promoting scientific collaboration among doctoral students. It also highlights the IDiBE’s strong commitment to the comprehensive training of young researchers, supporting initiatives that foster academic, professional and personal development within an innovative and collaborative environment.
📸 Images of the event can be viewed below.
