31st EASD Scientists Training Course

The 31st EASD Scientists Training Course took place in Barcelona, Spain, from 10 to 14 November 2025. Hosted at the Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), a century-old research institute closely connected to the renowned Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, the course titled ‘Investigating diabetes: from islet studies to patient care’ provided an exceptional ‘bench-to-bedside’ learning experience with both practical sessions and expert-led lectures over four days.

This year’s programme brought together 15 young researchers from diverse scientific and cultural backgrounds (both clinical and pre-clinical). Throughout the week, we worked closely with internationally recognised investigators contributing to cutting-edge diabetes research and clinical innovation. The course was coordinated by Joan-Marc Servitja and Rosa Gasa, with contributions from many distinguished leaders in the field, including: Anna Novials, Josep Vidal, Marc Claret, Edgar Angelats, Lorenzo Pasquali, and Júlia Rodríguez-Comas, who delivered lectures spanning lifestyle interventions, beta-cell biology, bariatric surgery, central glucose regulation, nanovaccines in type 1 diabetes, and the role of artificial intelligence in biomedical science.

Participants also engaged in hands-on practical sessions led by expert instructors Laura Brugnara, Clara Viñals, Manel Mateu, Ainhoa García, Helena Marí, Marta Fontcuberta, Marta Perea and Rebeca Fernández. These practical modules covered key experimental approaches used in diabetes research: phenotyping and exercise-based fitness evaluations, cardiovascular risk profiling, mouse pancreatic islet isolation and insulin-secretion assays, β-cell spheroid generation and immunostaining, pancreatic histology and morphometry, in vivo tests of glucose homeostasis in mice.

The course also featured dedicated sessions where each research team presented their ongoing work, fostering scientific exchange, critical thinking, and collaborative discussion. Beyond the scientific agenda, the course offered an excellent environment for networking and cultural exchange. The vibrant setting of Barcelona further enriched the experience, offering a unique backdrop of cultural heritage and scientific excellence.

Pre-course (Arrival Day - 10 November 2025)

We arrived in Barcelona and checked into the hotel before meeting at the Centre Esther Koplowitz (CEK) in the afternoon. The course coordinators, faculty, and organising team welcomed us warmly and shared the history and geography of the place. We started with an icebreaker activity designed to help us get to know one another: each participant paired up with someone they had just met and later introduced them to the whole group, sharing their name, whether they work in basic or clinical research, and a personal hobby.

The atmosphere was informal, friendly, and energising. Over hot chocolate and biscuits, we continued conversations and began forming the connections that would accompany us throughout the week. The day closed with the first scientific lecture of the course: “Lifestyle intervention strategies for diabetes prevention and treatment” delivered by Anna Novials, setting the stage for the multidisciplinary and translational focus of the programme.

Day 1 - 11 November 2025

The first full day began at the CELLEX Building, where we delved into two state-of-the-art lectures. Joan-Marc Servitja introduced the discovery of biomarkers for diabetes progression and comorbidities, highlighting the opportunities and challenges of translating molecular signatures into clinical tools. This was followed by Rosa Gasa’s lecture on beta-cell therapy, offering insights into emerging strategies to restore functional β-cell mass.

After the coffee break, the “Tell us about your research” sessions began (Team 1). These presentations helped us understand each other’s scientific backgrounds and created a foundation for collaboration during the practical modules. The afternoon was dedicated to the first round of team-based practical sessions, which are described in detail in the section “Our Practical Sessions”. The day ended with a group dinner at the hotel, offering time to reflect on the scientific content and deepen our connections as a cohort.

Day 2 - 12 November 2025

We started with the continuation of the research-sharing session (Team 2), followed by another stimulating morning of lectures: Josep Vidal discussed bariatric surgery and diabetes, illustrating the mechanistic and clinical ramifications of metabolic surgery. Marc Claret then guided us through the central regulation of glucose homeostasis, bridging neurobiology and metabolic disease. In the afternoon, we returned to our assigned practical sessions, progressing to the next set of hands-on activities.

The evening was free, giving us time to enjoy Barcelona’s lively streets, architecture, and Mediterranean energy with new colleagues.

Day 3 - 13 November 2025

Day 3 opened with the final “Tell us about your research” session (Team 3). The morning lectures continued with two thought-provoking talks: Nanovaccines as a new frontier in type 1 diabetes (Edgar Angelats), exploring immunomodulatory technologies, and β-cell noncoding functions and type 1 diabetes (Lorenzo Pasquali), revealing how regulatory genomics shapes β-cell vulnerability. In the afternoon, we completed the last rotation of practical sessions.

The day ended with a shared dinner, during which lively discussions continued about experiments, future collaborations, and the evolving landscape of diabetes science.

Day 4 - 14 November 2025

The final morning brought all participants together for the last lecture of the course: “Artificial Intelligence in biomedical science: a researcher’s transition to entrepreneurship” by Júlia Rodríguez-Comas, offering an inspiring perspective on bridging academia, innovation, and industry. Following this, we completed the concluding practical activity led by Rebeca Fernández, Rosa Gasa, and Joan-Marc Servitja, during which we analysed a published research paper. Working in teams, we followed the scientific logic of the study, identified the key experimental steps, discussed what should be done next, and ultimately uncovered the title of the manuscript. This exercise reinforced the importance of critical reading, structured thinking, and methodological coherence in modern diabetes research. After sharing reflections and key takeaways during the “Concluding Remarks”, we enjoyed a celebratory closing lunch, marking the end of an enriching, collaborative, and inspiring week.

Conversations with faculty and fellow participants highlighted not only scientific learning but also personal growth, cultural exchange, and the formation of new professional networks. As we travelled back home, each of us carried in our backpacks an invaluable shared experience, one that will accompany and support us throughout our research journey.

Our Practical Sessions

Below is a summary of the practical modules we completed during the rotating hands-on sessions held on Days 1 to 3.

1. Exercise Physiology and Cardiometabolic Phenotyping: We explored multiple methods to assess body composition and vascular function, including DXA, bioimpedance (Tanita), and vascular stiffness analysis. We also performed cardiopulmonary exercise testing using a cycle ergometer with VO₂/CO₂ monitoring, and Doppler ultrasound assessment of carotid blood flow.
2. Mouse Islet Isolation and Functional Assays: We learned how to extract pancreatic islets from mice, purify them, and maintain them in culture. The session covered static incubation assays for hormone secretion and the fixation of islets for downstream histochemical analysis.
3. β-Cell Spheroids and Immunohistochemistry: This module introduced the fundamentals of cell culture, including seeding β-cell lines into AggreWell plates to generate spheroids. We then performed immunostaining on 3D spheroids and visualised them using advanced microscopy platforms.