At the DDEA-Cambridge networking event you will get a deeper understanding of maternal-fetal interactions during healthy pregnancy and how these are modified by obesity/gestational diabetes. 

Understanding these interactions is important as there is accumulating evidence that these can impact on both the short and long-term health of the mother and child. Moreover, we will examine and discuss how these risks are communicated without inducing a stigmatizing and deterministic narrative.

In addition to the scientific lectures, you will:

Present, discuss and get feedback on your own data and research
The organisers will invite 6 early career scientists to present their research in a short talk during the programme.  The oral presentations are selected based on submitted abstracts. You will be informed after the registration deadline, if you are invited to give a short talk. All other participants will present their science with a poster pitch and a poster at the poster session.

Identify future collaborative research initiatives
On the last day of the meeting, you will work on a case in smaller groups. The aim will be to identify knowledge gaps within the scientific area and possible future collaborative research initiatives between the two countries.

Expand your professional network
During the two and a half days, you will discuss scientific questions in a friendly atmosphere and engage in fun, informal networking activities with fellow peers and PIs working in Denmark and the United Kingdom.

Program overview

Monday 16 September

Networking activity and networking dinner

Tuesday 17 September

Session I: The Importance of Maternal Health on the Society
Session II: Placental Control of Maternal and Fetal Physiology
Early Career Researcher Short Talks – Session I
Session III: Behavioral Changes and Psychosocial Challenges
Poster session: Poster pitches & presentations
Networking dinner

Wednesday 18 September

Session IV: Collaboration Time
Early Career Researcher Short Talks – Session II
Closing keynote talk: The Future Perspectives
Farewell & departure of scientists from Denmark

As this is a networking event, all participants are expected to participate in all activities in the programme.

Confirmed speakers:

• Aleksander Lühr Hansen, Dr, PhD Student, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen (DK)
• Amy Ahern, Dr, Programme Leader & Principal Research Associate, MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge (UK)

• Anna Cochrane, PhD Student, Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge (UK)
• Emma Davidsen, PhD Student, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen and Aarhus University (DK)
• Ionel Sandovici, Dr, Research Associate, Institute of Metabolic Science and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge (UK)
• Kristina Renault, Dr, Consultant, Associate Professor, Department of Gynaecology, Righshospitalet, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Louise Groth Grunnet, Senior Scientists, Teamleader, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen (DK)
• Patrick Catalano, Dr, Visiting Researcher at Department of Endocrinology, Aarhus University (DK), Mother Infant Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center (US)
• Rikke Salomonsen, participant in the research project Pre-Stork (DK)
• Stephen O’Rahilly, Professor Sir, Professor of Clinical Biochemistry and Medicine, Director, Medical Research Council Metabolic Diseases Unit and Co-Director, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge (UK)

Chairs:

• Catherine Aiken, Dr, University Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Cambridge (UK)
• Peter Damm, Professor, Consultant, Center for Pregnant Women with Diabetes, Department of Obstetrics, Rigshospitalet (DK)
• Tine Dalsgaard Clausen, Dr, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Gynaecology, Righshospitalet, University of Copenhagen (DK)

Organisers:

The DDEA-Cambridge networking event is jointly organised by the Danish Diabetes and Endocrine Academy, the Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge Metabolism.

Organising committee of the scientific programme:

• Allan Vaag, Professor, Consultant, Lund University (SE), Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen (DK)
• Irving Aye, Dr., Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Cambridge (UK)
• Karoline Kragelund Nielsen, Senior Researcher, Team Leader, Steno Diabetes Center Copenhagen (DK)
• Laura Dearden, Dr., and Principal Investigator,  Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge (UK)
• Susan Ozanne, Professor, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge (UK)
• Ulla Kampmann Opstrup, Associate Professor, consultant, Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus, Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University (DK)

This DDEA-Cambridge networking event is intended for early career researchers and clinicians, primarily PhD students and postdocs, working in any field of pregnancy, diabetes, obesity, metabolism and endocrinology. 

Any early career researchers interested in the programme are welcome to apply. Priority is given to early career scientists from the University of Cambridge or at Danish research and health institutions or in the life science industry. 

Participants are selected based on abstract submission. Therefore, you are welcome to apply right up to the deadline. 

After the registration deadline, all applicants will be informed whether or not they have been allocated a seat at the networking event. Notification will be by email from DDEA no later than 30 June 2024. 

Please note that you are not guaranteed a seat at the networking event if you do not meet the target group requirements. The DDEA and Cambridge Metabolism, the Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories at the University of Cambridge reserves its right to select participants based on the defined requirements.

Accommodation and meals

DDEA provides and covers the costs of accommodation and meals for all selected participants at the University of Cambridge, from 16-18 September 2024.

Please sign up for accommodation, when you register for the event.

Cambridge Metabolism, the Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories at the University of Cambridge organises and sponsors the networking dinner for all participants, speakers and organisers on 16 September 2024.

All travel costs and the costs for overnight accommodation before or after 16-18 September are at the participants’ own expense.

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 2000 DKK if you do not show up and have not unregistered from the event by 12 August 2024.

Deadline for submission of abstracts:  23 June 2024, 23:59

Abstract guidelines:
Be sure your abstract contains the following information and adheres to the following formatting guidelines before submission:

You may download the template here

The abstract should be max 1500 characters incl. spaces and written in Arial 10.

• Title of abstract (Use a short and specific title with title-style capitalization and put it in bold)
• Presenting author name(s) (Underline the presenting 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 following content: background and aim, rationale, methods, results (if obtained to-date), conclusion (and perspectives)
(Text in Arial 10)

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.

Format of poster

Size of poster: A0 or A1 – width max. 1 m/height max. 1.25 m in portrait format to fit the poster boards.