The second digital masterclass co-organized by ECTS and the COST action GEMSTONE took place online from August 24 to 27, 2021. This event was designed for students and young investigators. It attracted 50 delegates from 15 countries with a majority coming from Europe and North America and, like the previous one, it was a great success.
By combining pre-recorded and live sessions, the program covered fundamental, translational and clinical aspects of bone pathophysiology. The course started with basics on bone cells and pathological bone formation and resorption. Particular focus was put on models of research, on the application of bioinformatics to phenotyping and treatment improvement in musculoskeletal pathologies, on hormones and bone, and on osteoarthritis.
Two workshops were proposed which allowed attendees to discuss the management of a research project, and to interact with editors of major journals in the field. Lastly, PhD students had the opportunity to present their research project, to receive personal feedback from renowned experts and to interact with the speakers during live discussions.
As with the previous Masterclass, the content and design of this course as well as the live discussion were much appreciated and contributed to the success of this event. The organizers have made efforts to stimulate networking despite the virtual format of the course and to provide personalized advice to students.
Student feedback shows that the course has largely met their expectations and we hope that, as was the case with the previous PhD training courses, it will help support vocations and enhance careers in the musculoskeletal field.
The ECTS PhD training course will be back in its face-to-face version in the summer of 2022 in Nice, France, in a very pleasant setting and again with an exciting and interactive program.