Postdoctoral Research Scientist Dr Raffaele Sarnataro has received a Professional Development Award from The Physiological Society. This competitive merit-based award is awarded to Early Career physiologists to aid their development of specific skills and techniques in support of their physiology research project and to enhance their academic skills portfolio.
Dr Sarnataro recently completed his DPhil in Neuroscience in Professor Gero Miesenböck’s group at DPAG. During his studies, he was President of the Cortex Club and Scholar at Jesus College. He is now undertaking his first postdoctoral project in the Miesenböck lab based at the Centre of Neural Circuits and Behaviour, where he aims to understand the bioenergetic molecular machinery and circuitry network dynamics of sleep-control neurons.
Dr Sarnataro’s Professional Development Award provides funding for his selection to take the 2023 Experimental Neuroscience Bootcamp NeuroKit course by the CAJAL Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme. CAJAL was founded by The Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) and the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) to establish a high-level neuroscience training hub in Europe. The aim of the programme is to teach state-of-the-art techniques, data analysis and computer skills to train the next generation of top-notch neuroscientists. The Bootcamp introduces a wide range of essential skills including sensors, motor control and microcontrollers by guiding students through the “hands on” construction of an increasingly capable robot. Students are also equipped with the tools to tackle the challenges involved in designing and building their own intelligent system.
Dr Sarnataro said: “I am excited to attend a course by the acclaimed Cajal programme with such a pioneering format and contents. I will broaden my skillset with hands-on training on modern technologies that will help me designing novel neuroscience experiments and equipment, benefiting my current projects and my future research career. I thank the Cajal Advanced Neuroscience Training Programme team for selecting me and for putting together such a spectacular course despite the difficulties of the worldwide supply-chain crisis for the required electronic equipment.
“I am also grateful to The Physiological Society for the Award, and its tangible commitment towards training early career physiologists and valuing high-level scientific programmes with other European partners.”