PANERIS Winter School 2025: A Week of Scientific Exchange and Practical Training in Addiction Research
From March 3rd to 7th, 2025, the Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IP PAS) in Krakow hosted the PANERIS Winter School—a five-day training event focused on the theme “Addiction: underlying mechanisms and search for novel therapies.” Organized within the framework of the PANERIS project, the Winter School brought together early-career researchers and leading experts from across Europe for an intensive program of lectures, workshops, and collaborative learning.
Scientific Foundations and Contemporary Challenges
The scientific core of the Winter School featured seven lectures delivered by distinguished researchers from institutions across Poland, Germany, Spain, Lithuania, and Portugal. Topics ranged from the neurobiology of drug instrumentalization and clinical aspects of addiction to the neuroanatomy of psychoactive substances and the ethical challenges in animal research. These sessions provided participants with insights into the current state of addiction research, as well as an overview of the interdisciplinary approaches required to address this pressing public health issue.
Bridging Theory and Practice: Three Hands-On Workshops
In addition to lectures, participants engaged in three specialized workshops, each designed to strengthen technical skills in key areas of neuroscience:
- High-resolution imaging of stress-induced synapsis plasticity – A practical introduction to confocal microscopy and high-resolution image analysis.
- Application of mass spectrometry in proteomics – Focused on advanced techniques such as Data-independent Acquisition 4D Proteomics, using cutting-edge instrumentation like the timsTOF Pro and UltraFlexXtreme mass spectrometers.
- Basis of rodent behavioral research – Covering behavioral experiment design and interpretation, along with modern tools such as DeepLabCut and ultrasonic vocalization analysis for behavioral profiling.
These sessions allowed participants to apply their theoretical knowledge in a laboratory setting, guided by experienced researchers from IP PAS and partnering institutions.
Developing Soft Skills for Scientific Careers
A distinctive feature of the Winter School was its emphasis on career-relevant soft skills, aligning with PANERIS goals to support researchers beyond technical training. The final day featured sessions on open science practices and the use of artificial intelligence in grant writing, equipping participants with tools for transparent, efficient, and competitive research proposal development.
Advancing PANERIS Objectives through Collaborative Training
The PANERIS Winter School 2025 exemplified the project’s mission to strengthen neuroscience research infrastructure and build long-term capacity in widening countries. By fostering knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary learning, and international networking, the event contributed directly to the PANERIS objectives of bridging gaps in research excellence across Europe.
Participants left Krakow with not only enhanced scientific and technical skills but also a broadened perspective on collaborative research in neuroscience—a key step toward building a more inclusive and innovative European Research Area.
Acknowledgments
The Winter School “Addiction: underlying mechanisms and search for novel therapies” was organized by the Maj Institute of Pharmacology of the Polish Academy of Sciences as part of the PANERIS project.
The opinions and views expressed are solely those of their author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or of the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the REA can be held responsible for them.
