PhD Training Course

11-13 September 2026

PhD Training Course
Organisers: European Calcified Tissue Society
Date: 11-13 September 2026
Venue: Manchester Metropolitan University, Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6BH

Registration deadline: 3 September 2026.

To register, you will need a MyECTS account. Before creating a new account, please check if you don’t have one already (linked to ECTS 2025 abstract submission or registration, membership). If you don’t know your password or are not sure if you already have an account, you can follow the “Forgot Password” steps.

Description

This prestigious PhD Training Course, aimed at promoting general knowledge of bone research to young investigators, is now in its 18th year and has been hailed as one of the most innovative and successful courses in the bone field.

The course starts with an “introductory session” where key topics relevant to skeletal research are covered, followed by a varied programme that incorporates clinical and basic topics with a mix of speakers with clinical or basic science backgrounds. An example of the topics likely to be included in the programme is provided below. One of the important aspects of the course is the opportunity for students to network and obtain feedback on their project. Student presentations include poster and short presentations of their PhD project as well as networking sessions with invited speakers. The course has been of immense value to previous participants, and the networks that form during these events help to sustain the musculoskeletal field in Europe into the future.

Aims & learning outcomes

To promote knowledge about physiology and pathology of bone metabolism
To promote knowledge about state-of-the-art technologies in bone research
To promote networking between European PhD students in the bone field

At the end of the course, the PhD student should:

Have a greater understanding of bone biology, bone metabolism and a range of bone diseases
Have knowledge of effects of cellular senescence and potential clinical implications
Reach a genetic and molecular understanding of skeletal development
Understand the effects of inflammation on bone
Have knowledge of the cutting edge technology to be used in bone research
Be able to present and discuss their own PhD project and critically appraise projects of fellow students

Key Topics include:

Musculoskeletal Diseases and Fractures
Treatment of Bone Diseases and Bone Fragility
Bone Modeling and Remodeling
Bone Metabolism
Bone Marrow Adiposity
Bone-Muscle Interplay
Advances in Diagnostics and Imaging
Therapy and Treatment Options
Tissue Engineering
Interactive Lectures (Meet-the-Expert)
Career Advice and Mentoring

Online Programme Available Soon

Registration will open soon

Venue

Contact Details

Oxford Road, Manchester M15 6BH

Phone: + 44 (0) 161 247 1324

Distance from Manchester city centre: 1 mile/1.6km

The Manchester Campus is made up of two campus areas, Birley and All Saints. To work out which part of the campus you are visiting use the campus map.

Travelling to the Manchester Campus

On foot

Manchester city centre is easily accessible from our campus. To plan your route around the city, try using the pedestrian route planning tool WalkIt.

On a bike

Information about cycling in Manchester can be found on the TfGM website, along with their active travel journey planning tool.

There are many cycle parking spaces around the University campuses that are suitable for visitors. Please make sure you securely lock your bike to a stand.

View or cycle facilities

By train

Manchester Oxford Road Railway Station

The All Saints area of the Manchester campus is just a five minute walk from Oxford Road Station. There are regular regional trains from Oxford Road and the station is operated by Northern Rail.

Manchester Piccadilly Railway Station

Piccadilly Station is connected to local, regional and national rail services and via the West Coast Mainline.

You can walk to our campus in 15-20 minutes from Piccadilly Station. Alternatively, take the 147 bus to Oxford Road. The 147 bus runs every 10-15 minutes throughout the working day.

Deansgate Railway Station

Deansgate is the closest station to Birley and provides access to local rail services on the Manchester-Liverpool route.

Manchester Victoria Railway Station

Victoria Station is on the northern side of the city centre.

You can walk to Manchester Victoria in 25-30 minutes, or cycle in 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can take the free Metroshuttle Service 2 (Green Line) from Victoria Station Approach (Stop Ny) and disembark at Whitworth Street. The Metroshuttle services run every 10 minutes during the day.

By Metrolink

All Saints is a 5-10 minute walk from the St Peters Square tram stop.

The nearest Metrolink station to Birley is Deansgate-Castlefield, approximately a 10 minute walk.

By bus

The All Saints area of the campus is on Oxford Road, traditionally one of the busiest bus corridors in Europe. There are good links to south Manchester and the city centre, including direct services to Piccadilly Gardens and Piccadilly Station.

Birley is also connected to the city centre by a number of frequent bus services, and is linked to All Saints and the city centre by service 86.

To plan you public transport journey, please use the TfGM journey planning portal.

147 bus timetable – the 147 Oxford Road Link service is the cheapest and greenest bus in the city and is an electric hybrid. From Manchester Piccadilly train station, the bus stops by the campus on Oxford Road.
86 bus timetable – from Piccadilly Gardens, the number 86 bus to Chorlton goes to the Birley site (Brooks building) every 10 minutes.

By car

There are limited car parking facilities at the Manchester Campus. Whenever possible, please use sustainable travel such as public transport, walking or cycling to access our campus. Visitor car parking is only available by prior arrangement via your host.

Please see an online map of our Manchester Visitor Car Parks.

Sat Nav

To use the visitor car park at All Saints campus, please use the postcode M1 5GF or follow this link. The visitor car park is beneath Mancunian Way, next to Oxford Road.

To use the visitor car park at Birley, please use the postcode M15 5RN or follow this link. The visitor car park is the surface car park adjacent to the building.

Payment

Please note you may have to pay and display as a visitor in the car park. Our machines take exact change only, and are coin operated. Your pay and display ticket must be displayed along with a valid visitor parking permit. You will need to collect your permit from either All Saints or Birley reception desks.

Off Site Car Parks

If you have to drive for your visit, but cannot get a space at the University, there are parking facilities nearby: Car Parks within walkable distance of Manchester campus

Cars are not permitted to be left overnight. Anyone wishing to park overnight should use publicly available multi-storey car parking facilities in the area.

View map of public car parks in Manchester and Salford

Organisers

Björn Busse
ECTS Education Committee Chair

Carmen Huesa
Organising Committee

Carolina Medina-Gomez
Organising Committee

Katharina Jähn-Rickert
Organising Committee

Jelena Jadzic
Organising Committee

Karan Shah
Organising Committee

Alex Ireland
Local Organising Committee

Registration details

Registrations will open in March 2021 and more details will be available in due course. Places are available on a first-come basis.

PhD students will be required to prepare either a short oral or poster presentation. After registration, the organizers will inform students on their presentation method.

Registration fees:

150€ for ECTS and GEMSTONE Members
- 75€ for members resident in a Country with Developing Economy (low-income and lower-middle-income, as defined by the World Bank, as per June 2019)
450€ for non members
- 250€ for non members resident in a Country with Developing Economy (low-income and lower-middle-income, as defined by the World Bank, as per June 2019)

This Digital Masterclass is particularly designed for international PhD Students (all years), but is also open to New Investigators and Trainees.

Terms & Conditions

Full payment is required when registering on the course.

Cancellation and insurance

In any event beyond ECTS control, including war, strikes, lockouts, riots and other civil disturbances, nature events such as earthquakes, floods and droughts, virus outbreaks and any other causes or circumstance of whatsoever nature beyond its control that have an impact on the arrangements, timetables or planning of the meeting, ECTS and/or its agents have the right to immediately alter or cancel the meeting or any of the arrangements, timetables, plans or other items relating directly or indirectly to the meeting. The participants shall not be entitled to any compensation for damages that result from such alteration or cancellation. The liability of the organisers will be limited to the refund and they will not be liable for any other losses incurred.

In addition, the organisers shall not be held liable for any personal accidents, illness, losses or damage to private property of delegates registered for the course. Delegates are therefore advised to take out their own comprehensive insurance.

Any cancellation must be made in writing and sent to dorota.doszko@ectsoc.org. For cancellations received by 25 June 2021, fees will be refunded less an administration fee of €25.00. No refunds will be made after this date.

Photographs and videos
Please be aware that pictures and/or videos may be taken at ECTS meetings. These may be published in ECTS newsletters, promotional material, social media pages, ECTS websites, or other publications. If you do not want to be photographed or filmed, please let the organisers know at the meeting or by sending an email.