Acércate: 10 in talent at CNIC
Once again, this year, eight Spanish high school students with an average grade of 10 in both years of their baccalaureate course participated in the ACÉRCATE programme organized by CNIC under its Young-CNIC Training Plan. This plan’s goal, a personal commitment of the centre’s general director, Dr Valentín Fuster, is to “attract and train the most brilliant young minds from the earliest ages to create a pool of excellence in investigation in the field of cardiovascular research”.
The opportunity, open to all high school students in Spain, was awarded this year to 6 girls and 2 boys who met the requirements and applied to participate in the programme: 5 are from the community of Valencia, 2 from Madrid and 1 from Andalusia.
In this edition, the eight young students were Jesús Bello Sancarlos, María Castellar García, Carmen Ferrer Martínez, Marta Garófano Liñán, Diego Montés Ferrer, Paula Nácher Zambrana, Lucía Sánchez and Carlota Zornoza Félix. In addition to participating in the day-to-day life of a research centre of excellence at CNIC, they will be able to share their experiences and doubts not only with the centre’s research staff, but also with Dr Fuster.
Dr Fuster considers that starting a training programme at such early stages of education is key to attracting future researchers, because young people are the “future of research in our country”.
his year, the students will attend presentations on scientific methods, as well as on basic, clinical and translational cardiovascular research. They will also work in Technical Units and Research Groups, where they will be able to carry out activities that bring them into contact with research, including practical experience in molecular biology, transgenesis, comparative medicine, histology, proteomics, genomics, pluripotent stem cells, viral vectors, cytometry, bioinformatics, imaging technology, etc. and gain first-hand experience of the techniques used in research.
They will also participate in a session and debate on women in science.
Of all the CNIC training programmes this is the one aimed at attracting the youngest talent. The continued support of the Fundación Pro CNIC is essential for the existence of the programme, year on year, and for it to continue attracting talent from an early age. “We are very satisfied with this concept, which we started more than 20 years ago”, adds Dr Fuster.
CNIC’S PRIMARY GOAL
Training is a primary goal for CNIC, which is why the centre has developed a global training programme called CNIC-JOVEN, covering all levels from secondary education to training for postdoctoral researchers and young professionals. A plan designed to bring biomedical research to young people and create a pool for future excellence in cardiovascular researchers.
With the inclusion of this year’s students, the total number of programme participants will be 120 students: 74 female and 46 male
1. UNDERGRADUATES
Acércate: Aimed at second year baccalaureate students, who spend two weeks learning laboratory techniques, knowledge of scientific equipment, etc.
4º ESO-CNIC: Aimed at 4th year ESO (Obligatory Secondary Education) students.
Vocational training (FP-FCT and FP-DUAL) work placement: Aimed at Higher Vocational Training biomedical sciences students.
Cicerone 1: Laboratory work placement at CNIC for university students during summer months. Aimed at second stage university and master’s students.
CNIC placement programme. Degree and/or postgraduate placement internship. This CNIC programme offers undergraduates and students preparing their final degree project (TFG) the opportunity to undertake a work placement at its laboratories.
2. MÁSTER
CNIC-ACCIONA Master’s grant: official master’s qualification. Aimed at graduates in biomedical sciences of any nationality with the necessary qualifications to enter an official master’s course at a Spanish university, who are going to prepare their master’s project with one of the CNIC groups.
Fundación Carolina-CNIC Master ’s grants. Aimed at training in Spain for graduates who are nationals of a Latin American country, a member of the Iberoamerican Community of Nations or Portugal with an academic or professional capacity endorsed by an outstanding curriculum vitae, who will undertake their master’s experimental research project in one of the CNIC laboratories.
Cicerone 2: Aimed at university master’s students, who undertake a laboratory work placement at CNIC for two months in the summer.
CNIC placement programme. A postgraduate placement. This CNIC programme offers postgraduate university students and final master’s project students (TFM) the opportunity to undertake a work placement at its laboratories.
3. PREDOCTORATE
Research project for doctoral thesis.
4. POSTDOCTORATE
COFUND Cure Heart & Brain Programme.
5. PHYSICIANS
Res@CNIC SEC-CNIC. Theory and practical laboratory experience for medical residents. Aimed at medical professionals undergoing the first stages of a cardiology MIR residency who are members of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC).
InvesMIR SEC-CNIC. Laboratory work for medical residents. Aimed at professional physicians in the last two years of the MIR residency training programme in cardiology who are members of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC).
POST-MIR ARC-CNIC. Development of a research project in electrophysiology and/or arrhythmias. Aimed at professional physicians in their final year of residency or with a specialization in cardiology who are members of the SEC Heart Rhythm Association.
CARDIOJOVEN SEC-CNIC: Practical and theoretical experience in translational research for cardiologists. Aimed at physicians specialised in cardiology who have completed their MIR specialist healthcare training in cardiology and who are members of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC).
Valentín Fuster. Promoting translational cardio-vascular research. Aimed at Professional medical specialists in cardiology or another specialty related with the field of cardiovascular medicine who hold a doctorate.
