The afternoon began with a thought-provoking keynote by Dr Marije Brouwer, who engaged the audience in an ethical reflection on informed consent, data sharing, and the impact of research participation on individuals.
Participants could choose from a range of breakout sessions, spread over two rounds. In the first round, Wikje Berends and Eleanor Hyde (GCC) led a session on data harmonisation, exploring how cohorts can apply harmonisation strategies in their own research. Another session featured a panel discussion on including and retaining patients and/or participants, with Dennis Raven (TRAILS), Elisabeth Kooi (NeoLifeS), and Suzanne Arends (GLAS) sharing their approaches and experiences.
Carian Boorsma, Business Developer at the CBCH, and Rogier van der Stijl, Project Lead at the CBCH, engaged participants in a discussion on financial sustainability, encouraging them to explore different business models hands-on.
After a refreshing coffee break, participants continued with the second round of breakout sessions. In the Rode zaal, Bas Bolmer (Lifelines) and Melinde Wijers gave a session on synthetic data—how to identify it, and how it could potentially be applied in future research. Kim Meijer, Data Steward at the CBCH, and René Oostergo hosted a session on cohort data infrastructure, while Ralph Hardenberg (Central Freezer Facility), Joyce Doorn (Project Laboratory), and Jacko Duker (Pathology) guided attendees through the topic of sample quality and the opportunities available within UMCG.
The symposium concluded with a series of short cohort pitches from FORCE, the Dutch IBD Biobank (Parelsnoer IBD), NeoLifeS and Eurocat, highlighting the breadth of cohort work underway at UMCG, followed by informal networking over drinks.
We thank all speakers, moderators, and participants for making this event a success!
