SCBS-2024

Welcome to SCBS 2024!

We are glad to invite you at the 2nd Student Conference on Biological Sciences taking place on December 13-14, 2024 at the Department of Biology, University of Tirana, Albania. Same as the first edition (SCBS 2021), SCBS 2024 will provide an opportunity for students and early career researchers from all around the world, to come together, share their knowledge, and discuss the latest advances and challenges in biological research.

The conference will feature a diverse range of topics, including conservation biology and ecology, molecular biology and genetics, microbiology and biotechnology, biochemistry and physiology, biomedicine and neuroscience, biostatistics and computational biology, biological education, and more. Participants will have the chance to attend insightful presentations, workshops, and networking.

We encourage you to explore the conference workshops, keynote and invited speakers, and registration details, and we are looking forward to seeing you at the conference!

👉Abstract submission is now closed! All participants interested in attending the conference (Onsite or Online) as a listener must register here by December 1, 2024.

Who can attend?

BSc, MSc, and Ph.D. students (at the time of submission of the abstract) studying biology, biotechnology, medicine, computer science, or other natural/life sciences disciplines related to biological research.

Conference Topics

Participants will present in English either an oral presentation or a poster presentation as their original research (their research work) or a literature review (presentation on recent developments in an area from recently published papers) on the following topics:

Conservation Biology and Ecology
Molecular Biology and Genetics
Microbiology and Biotechnology
Biochemistry and Physiology
Biomedicine and Neuroscience
Biostatistics and Computational Biology
Biological Education
Other

Conference Awards

During this conference edition, two types of awards will be granted:

Outstanding Presentation Awards

Two presentations will be recognized with an outstanding presentation award based on the content and the quality of the presentation.

Outstanding Poster Award

Two outstanding poster awards will be granted based on the content and the quality of the poster.

Important Dates

Abstract submission open: July 1st, 2024
Deadline for abstract submission: October 20th, 2024 (23:59 CET).
Notification of acceptance and final assignments: November 15th, 2024
Final program and abstract book: December 1, 2024
The abstract book will be published online with DOI by January 2025.

Submission & Registration

Participation is free of charge.
For abstract guidelines and submission check here.
All participants interested to attend the conference as listeners must register here by December 1, 2024.

Keynote Speakers

Prof. Aleko Miho

Full Professor in Plant Biology, Department of Biology, University of Tirana, Albania

Assoc. Prof. Anne Yaël Nossent

Associate Professor in Molecular Biology, Department of Sports and Nutrition, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Dr. Edi Prifti

Senior Researcher in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Research Institute for Development (IRD), France

Prof. Valbona Aliko

Full Professor in Physiology and Ecophysiology, Department of Biology, University of Tirana, Albania

Invited Speakers

Melissa Basso

PhD Researcher, University of Surrey, UK

Marilica Zemkollari

PhD Researcher, Boku University, Austria

João F. Carrilho

PhD Researcher, NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal

Xhoela Bame

PhD Researcher, Dartmouth College, US

Himmi Lindgren

PhD Researcher, University of Turku, Finland

Oresta Saliaj

PhD Researcher, University of Tirana, Albania

Veronika Yletelenova

PhD Researcher, Comenius University, Slovakia

Ilaria Billato

PhD Researcher, University of Padua, Italy

Nadezhda Todorova

Postgraduate, University of Viena, Austria

Erta Zykaj

Research and Teaching Assistant, Concordia University, Canada

Maryna Chepeleva

PhD Researcher, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxenbourg

Martina Shahinas

PhD researcher, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), France

Kristi Buzo

PhD researcher, Candiolo Cancer Institute (IRCCS), Italy

Keisi Mecaj

Postgraduate, KULeuven, Belgium

Sonja Hoxha

PhD researcher, University of Viena, Austria

Iris Markja

Postgraduate, University of Heidelberg, Germany

Artenisa Peculaj

PhD researcher, University of Camerino, Italy

Workshops

Improving science worldwide through open science

Speaker: Alise Ponsero, PhD. Quadram Institute of Biosciences, United Kingdom

About: This workshop will explore open science's principles, benefits, and practical implementation. Participants will learn how open access, open data, and open methodologies can enhance research transparency, reproducibility, and collaboration across the globe. The workshop will also provide an opportunity to learn the main concepts of research ethics and academic writing.

Using Statistics and Computation to Better Understand Our Genes

Speaker: Brooke N. Wolford, PhD. Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway

About: Our genome is 3.055 billion-base pairs with millions of these base pairs differing between people, referred to as genetic variation. Understanding how this genetic variation relates to human disease and health requires statistic and computational methodologies. In this workshop we will cover some of the foundations of the field of statistical genetics including genotype imputation, genome wide association studies, burden tests, and polygenic risk scores.

Streamlining Omics Data Visualization with iSEE and iSEEfier

Speaker: Najla Abassi, Research Associate. University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany.

About: Effectively exploring and visualizing omics data is one crucial step for uncovering new biological insights. iSEE, a Bioconductor package/Shiny App, offers a wealth of powerful features to help you visualize your data at any stage of the data analysis pipeline. This workshop will cover some of the core functionalities of iSEE, as well as introducing iSEEfier, a Bioconductor package and iSEE extension, designed to simplify the setup of iSEE instances, making it easier to create customized visualization sessions. The participant will learn how to use iSEE and how to create tailored initial states with iSEEfier for diverse data exploration goals.

Environment and Sustainable Development

Speaker: Ermelinda Mahmutaj, PhD. Center for Flora and Fauna, University of Tirana & EDEN Center, Albania

About: This workshop will introduce in one frame and practical terms the logic of sustainable development, its goals, and the role of education in sustainable development. The workshop will provide a practical approach to connect environmental themes and behaviors with sustainable development goals and increase understanding of how our institutions can be Eco-institutions and how our little daily actions can be translated into contributions to a sustainable society.

Promoting Well-Being in Doctoral Education and Beyond

Speaker: Luisa Solms, PhD. University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

About: We all know that doing a PhD is difficult at times but often we don’t feel comfortable to talk about the issues that we face. In this workshop, we would like to invite you to do just that. In addition to small-group and plenary discussions, participants will learn about potential ways to deal with difficulty in a functional way. We will focus on self-compassion as a tool that has been proven to be effective in boosting PhD students’ well-being.

Discussion panel: Careers in Biology

This event will feature a panel of distinguished professionals from various sectors, including academic research, education, and healthcare. It is designed to provide students and early-career scientists with a comprehensive overview of the diverse career paths available within the field of biological and biomedical sciences.

Panelists: Prof. Ferdinand Bego; Vezjana Nezha; Marilica Zemkollari, PhD, Najla Abassi, PhD cand.