CryoStore Scientific Day

On January 30th, 2026, the Research Coordination Committee arranged a Scientific Day for the CryoStore Doctoral Candidates (DCs) and supervisors. The goal of the day was for the DCs to share their PhD project results (so far) within the network to strengthen collaborations, and to better understand how the individual research projects connect across the work packages (WPs) of CryoStore:

WP2 Advanced techniques for the visualization and characterization of freeze-thaw damage.

WP3 Improved procedures for the cryopreservation of animal germplasm.

WP4 Investigate potential epigenetic risks of cryopreservation procedures.

All 10 CryoStore PhD students presented their projects and progress so far in 20 minute presentations followed by 10 minutes of questions and discussion. Each presentation was chaired by two other PhD students with the role to moderate the discussion and pose questions to the speaker. This format resulted in some great questions and discussion at the end of each presentation.

At the end of the day, there was a general discussion. In addition to reflections and other questions to the DC presentations, this session also focused on DC Oleksandra Hubenia’s and DC Abdul-Rashid Iddi’s work, with the idea of discussing how their tools and prototypes could be integrated into the other DC projects or secondments.

All CryoStore DCs and supervisors participated in the event.

Thank you to all DCs for some really great presentations and questions!

Thank you to DC Mafalda Almeida for creating the program and abstract booklets, organizing the chair persons, and making sure that all DCs were aware of what to prepare for the day.

Thank you to the Research Coordination Committee for arranging the event and thank you to all supervisors for their participation.