In May 2026, doctoral fellow María Eugenia Oneto, a member of the Experimental Therapeutics of Neurodegenerative Processes (TEPN) research group led by Dr. María Elena Avale, participated in the intensive course “Analysis and Integration of Transcriptomic and Proteomic Data”, organized by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany.
After being selected from a highly competitive international pool of applicants, Eugenia was awarded a full scholarship covering the course registration fee as well as travel and accommodation expenses. This opportunity enabled her to receive advanced training in state-of-the-art methodologies for the analysis of omics data under the guidance of internationally recognized experts.
The course brought together 24 researchers from different countries and combined lectures with hands-on practical sessions covering RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), differential gene expression analysis, bioinformatics for mass spectrometry-based proteomics, and the integration of transcriptomic and proteomic datasets. The training was delivered by researchers from EMBL, the University of Turin, and Ghent University.
Following the course, Eugenia undertook a research stay at the RI.MED Foundation in Palermo, Italy, where she joined the Proteomics Laboratory led by Dr. Simone Dario Scilabra. During her stay, she received hands-on training in high-resolution mass spectrometry workflows and methodologies for the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid and plasma samples, cutting-edge techniques that the research group plans to implement in future projects.
Together, these two training experiences at internationally renowned research institutions provided complementary expertise, spanning from the bioinformatic analysis of omics datasets to their generation through advanced mass spectrometry technologies. The knowledge and methodologies acquired will support the development of new research directions within Dr. Avale’s group, strengthening ongoing efforts to investigate biomarkers and molecular mechanisms involved in neurodegenerative diseases.
EMBL course closing photo in Heidelberg, Germany. Proteomics Laboratory at RI.MED, led by Simone Dario Scilabra, PhD
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