At this engaging one-and-a-half-day PhD course, we will strengthen trust in science by engaging the public in health research, aligning expectations, and raising awareness of the benefits of patient and public involvement (PPI). The meeting aims to bridge the gap between researchers and the public, fostering meaningful collaboration that enhances research relevance and impact.

Participants will learn to differentiate between trial participation (e.g., test subject and informed consent) and user involvement (e.g., as consultants, collaborators, co-researchers, and drivers of research). The scientific programme will focus on providing: 

• Knowledge about PPI in research as well as benefits and pitfalls
• Examples of and models/tools for PPI in research (a box of tools)
• Awareness, knowledge and inspiration regarding implementation of PPI in research
• Guidance for descriptions of PPI in research applications incl. demands from different funds

The course will cover the following topics:

• History of PPI in research, broad introduction, PPI terminology
• When and why to start PPI in a research project?
• What skills, tools, and attitudes are needed to integrate PPI in research?
• Discuss benefits as well as authenticity vs. tokenism
• Provide examples, models, tools, where to find more knowledge, show differences/diversity in PPI in research and more… 

Speakers:

• Annette Langhoff, Board and Committee Member, representing patients and their relatives
  (DK)
• Glenn Robert, Professor, King’s College London (UK)
• Manoj Lalu, Assistant Professor, The University of Ottawa (CA)
• Martha Killilea, Programme Manager, PPI Ignite Network (IR)
• Ruth Mc Menamin, Doctor, PPI Ignite Network University of Galway (IR)
• Sara Colomer-Lahiguera, PhD, Senior Researcher, University of Lausanne (CH)
• Sofie Olsgaard Bergien, PhD, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Søren Dixen, Cand. Mag., Maskine Maskine Amager (DK)

Organisers: 

• Camilla Hamre, Psychologist, DDEA Public Advisory Panel (DK)
• Daniel Raaschou-Oddershede, PhD Student, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Inchuen Huynh,  PhD Student, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Ingrid Willaing, Professor & Consultant, Public Health (DK)
• Jonas Thorborg Stage, Postdoc, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Julie Bjerrelund, PhD Student, University of Southern Denmark  and Odense University Hospital (DK)
• Lauge Neimann Skov, PhD Student, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Maja Michaelsen, Sociologist, DDEA Public Advisory Panel (DK)

This PhD course is targeting PhD students and postdocs within any field of diabetes and classical endocrinology research, including both clinical, basic and translational research and psychosocial, epidemiological and interdisciplinary research

The participants are selected on submission of a short abstract from their PhD Project / postdoc project.

Please note that you are not guaranteed a seat at this course if you do not meet the target group requirements. Priority is given to participants employed at Danish research and health institutions or in the life science industry, and a number of seats are reserved for participants employed abroad. If the event is overbooked, the DDEA reserves its right to select participants based on the defined requirements.

Dinner registration
The DDEA organizes a networking dinner May 26. Participation in the dinner is free of charge. Please sign up for the dinner upon registration, and indicate whether you have any dietary requirements.

Accommodation
The DDEA offers accommodation for all participants from May 26 to May 27.
Please sign up for accommodation when you register for the event. You will be informed about your overnight accommodation by the DDEA after the registration deadline.

Certification
The course will be ECTS credited and a course certificate will be sent to all participants upon request at the end of the course. Full participation is required to attain 1,3 ECTS points.

Latest cancellation date & no-show fee
Please note that it is free of charge to participate in the event, however, the DDEA will charge a no-show fee of 1000 DKK if you do not show up and have not unregistered from the event by 19 May 2025

Deadline for submission of abstracts:  14 April 2025

Abstract guidelines:

Abstracts are used only to select participants. They will be read to gain an understanding of the potential participant’s project and their relevancy for the course. Please submit a document that reflects your work and guides the course organisers in understanding your desire to learn about public and patient involvement in research.

You are welcome to use the DDEA abstract template, if you wish:

You may download the template here

Regardless of whether you use the template or not, all abstracts should be max 1500 characters incl. spaces, written in Arial 10 and include the following:

• Title of abstract (Use a short and specific title with title-style capitalization and put it in bold)
• Author name(s) (Underline the participant author’s name)
• Affiliation (Include unit, institution/company/hospital, city and country for all authors and put it in italic)

The body of the abstract contains the project’s background and aim, rationale, methods, and results and conclusions (if any).

No images, figures, charts or tables should be included in the abstract.

Please proofread carefully before submission and submit a Word file and please name the file that you submit with your name.