News

Dr. Marcelo Vela Invited to Join Emerging Leaders Program

March 5, 2007 – Congratulations to Marcelo F. Vela, MD, MSCR on being invited to be part of the Emerging Leaders Program.

Marcelo Vela, MD

The aim of the Emerging Leaders program is to provide opportunities for outstanding junior academicians (generally under the age of 40), who are clinically qualified and who have a strong research interest in gastroenterology. They are invited to a pair of meetings in Gothenburg, Sweden, designed to aid their career development. Attendance at the meetings is by invitation only, following review of applications (on the basis of publications, grants, awards etc) by an internationally recognized steering committee consisting of senior gastroenterologists and scientists in the field (Professors Peter Kahrilas, Michael Kamm, Peter Malfertheiner, Vincenzo Stanghellini, Joseph Sung, Walter Peterson, and Simon Brookes).

Each meeting consists of an intense program over 2-3 days, designed by the steering committee, in which participants are tutored in skills required for leadership in academia. High-calibre professional advisors give advice on topics such as presentation skills, negotiation skills, grant writing, scientific reviews, ethics in clinical research and and strategies in drug development to the Emerging Leaders. Additionally, Emerging Leaders have the opportunity to meet their peers from around the world, present and discuss their own research and establish international contacts and collaborations. They also get a chance to become familiar with the research strategies of AstraZeneca, a major industrial player in this field. The meetings are not used to promote products; the company benefits by establishing contact with the upcoming leaders in the field, who will also be potential future collaborators.

In addition to the two meetings in Sweden, members of the program who attend DDW are invited to an annual evening reunion with a high profile speaker and chance to meet their peers. Overall, the program aims to develop an international "club" for the future leaders in the field of gastroenterology. After six years, the number of Emerging Leaders Alumni now adds up to 180.