calls for suggestions for research workshops and training events
We would like to invite the research community to send in suggestions for IDRN activity for years 2012-13, specifically research workshops or training events - these can be on any infection-related topic. See below for more information and examples of our previous work. All submissions will be discussed at our next steering group meeting in March, and we will contact individuals in the second half of March.
Deadline for suggestions is 5pm on Monday 5 March 2012. All submissions must come through the online form. We cannot accept submissions in any other format. We can only hold workshops in the UK. To submit a workshop suggestion, click here. |
More information about the Infectious Disease Research Network
Our focus here is slightly different from previous calls. Workshops should be tailored towards Department of Health (DH) policy research questions. What areas should be of priority to the DH? How does this workshop highlight the issues surrounding the topic, and what research is required to answer the gaps in knowledge? Any future IDRN activity is also subject to the group receiving further funds to continue our work. We are currently in discussions with the DH about continued funding. |
The IDRN aims to promote multi-disciplinary collaborations, provide multidisciplinary training opportunities, and act as a forum for encouraging high quality infectious disease research. Our focus is on UK-based research, although we welcome international collaborators. See the About Us page for more information on our overall objectives.
One of the methods we use to achieve this is to run research workshops and training events, that are designed to bring people together, provide an update on existing research, and pointers for priority areas of research that needs to be done, and develop new collaborations and foster existing relationships.
What support will the IDRN provide?
If you wish us to provide all the administrative support required to run a workshop or event, then we'd be more than happy to do so. This may include setting up a webpage, with all event details and online registration. We can process registrations and payments, book the venue and catering, liaise with speakers, and deal with delegate queries, as well as advertise the event through our website and mailing list, and contact other relevant professional bodies and societies to highlight the event to their members and contact too.
Post-event, we typically create a permanent webpage, where we post the presentations (with speakers permission) and any notes or resources from the event.
We are flexible in our approach, and all event-related requests will be considered.
What do the IDRN charge for events?
Our budgets are fairly small, so we will look to cover the costs of the event in delegate charges (excepting speakers and organisers) and any other income (e.g. Industry sponsorship). This is still far cheaper than most conferences, and in our experience, does not put people off from attending. Typical delegate prices may range between £50-80 per person, per day (depending on location, costs of inviting speakers etc). We are happy to discuss suitable delegate prices for each event individually, and tailor the prices accordingly (e.g. cheaper prices for students).
Tips and requirements
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All workshops must take place in the UK.
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All submissions must be sent through the above link. We will not accept suggestions though any other route.
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See the above text box on worskhops focusing on areas of interest to the Department of Health
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Provide as much information as possible. The form has fields for you to indicate topic area, possible speakers, likely outputs etc. You do not have to fill in all fields, but the more detail, the better we can assess the submission.
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We typically reimburse speakers their travel (and if required, accommodation) expenses. Usually we will only refund UK-based individuals, but we can sometimes reimburse european speakers. If international speakers from outside Europe are desirable, then we ask that their expenses be covered by alternative funding.
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Some of our recent events have had the proceedings turned into a journal article or editorial and published in peer-reviewed journals. This is an excellent output for a workshop, if yourselves or enthusiastic colleagues have the time to put something like this together.
- Allow at least a 3 month timeframe from putting together a programme to the date of the workshop, e.g. planning an event in June that will take place in October or November is sensible.
Example of a previous IDRN workshop
Applications of points of care tests to infectious disease detection and diagnosis
Friday 14 May 2010
National Space Centre, Leiceste
We were initially approached to run this workshop by colleagues from the Health Protection Agency, Porton Down. Using their contacts, they led on putting together the scientific programme which was of interest to basic/laboratory scientists, NHS staff, Industry and academia. The IDRN liaised with the speakers and the venue, organised the registration of delegates, and provided all other support to ensure the event was a success.
Delegate fee was around £50 per person (speakers and organisers were not charged). Around 70 delegates attended, which was a very good turnout, and feedback from the event has been excellent. The audience consisted of a good mix of people with relevant skills and knowledge, including academia, clinicians, regulatory bodies and the biotechnology industry. There was a poster display, and a 'pitching' session where delegate outlined their areas of interest and invited other delegates to get in touch about collaborative opportunities.
Follow-up emails to attendees have also illustrated a number of collaborations, both formal and informal, have occurred or been set-up as a result of the workshop. These have included new collaborations between academic and industry, andthe sharing of data and techniques
This is the post-event webpage - http://idrn.org/events/previous/diagnostics.php
List of previous IDRN workshops
The EU Directive on Clinical Trials
Antibiotic Resistance and Public Health
Antibiotic Resistance: food & resistance and novel interventions to combat resistance
Epidemiological and programmatic research in tuberculosis
New vaccines & childhood tuberculosis, latent infection diagnosis, rapid diagnostic tests and TB/HIV
HBV, HCV and HCV/HIV co-infection
Bioterrorism - Early Detection & Response
Health research needs of prisoners both in and outside prisons
Methods in Molecular Microbiology (2005, 2006 and 2007)
Food Safety Research Strategy Workshop
Sexual Health Research Strategy workshop
Acinetobacter/ESBL-producing organisms
Grant-writing workshop
Human Tissue Act training event
UK CRC Challenge workshop (research priorities in HCAIs and AMR)
Health Protection Interventions event
Behavioural Sciences workshop
Research during outbreaks and incidents workshop
Lymphocyte kinetics in health and disease - an international workshop
Invasive human mycoses
Evolution and adaptation of foodborne pathogens
Scabies as a healthcare-associated infection
Mucosal Perspectives in Pneumococcal Disease
The use of mapping software & systems in health and academic research
Next generation sequencing workshop
Lessons learned from Swine Flu for Behavioural and Social Scientists: How should we study the next pandemic?
Training workshop on the ORION statement
Applications of Point of Care tests to infectious disease detection and diagnosis
T lymphocyte dynamics in acute and chronic viral infection
Healthcare-associated infections of the future
The funding landscape for infectious disease researchers
Primary Care Databases Symposium
IDRN research outcomes
Click here to see a list of our outputs, illustrated by topic area.
In case of queries...
Contact Mike Head, mhead@idrn.org or 020 7830 2239