Bonjour from the City of Love at the 6th EGRET-AAA workshop

We are nearing the end of the final year of the EGRET-AAA training program. Which means there was one last city of our EGRET-AAA network to visit: Paris. The workshop was hosted at Institut de la Vision and the team had organized a program that combined scientific exchange, career development, and networking. The overall theme was how can we make patients see again; on a cellular level how can we regenerate those lost nerves of the eye and on an organismic level how can we optimise rehabilitation. We enjoyed typical French food and could experience this amazing city in its full glory. You can read more about what we did during this workshop below.

 

Monday 30/03/2026 The workshop kicked off with high quality progress updates in the form of 20 minute presentations of each DC. The day concluded with a highly interactive “Career after PhD” session, where participants explored different career pathways including academia, industry, technology platforms, and science communication. We had dinner with a beautiful view of Paris in Tour Zamansky and the sparkles of the Eiffel tower marked the end of the first day!

Tuesday 31/03/2026 This day mainly featured the Research Course part 1, with lectures from invited speakers covering diverse topics across vision science and translational research. The day ended with a survival test, since the escape room only offered an antidote to half of the participants… Don’t worry we all lived to tell the tale!

Wednesday 01/04/2026 The research course continued on Wednesday, offering further expert lectures and insights into cutting-edge developments in the field. The afternoon was dedicated to site visits, where participants explored leading technological and clinical facilities in the Vision Institute and at the 15–20 Hospital. The highlight of the day was a memorable evening boat tour on the Seine, combining a social dinner with a unique view of Paris—an unforgettable networking experience.

Thursday 02/04/2026 The final day featured a symposium on “From lab to market”, with presentations highlighting the translation of research into real-world applications. Speakers shared perspectives on innovation, entrepreneurship, and the pathway from scientific discovery to societal impact.