Feedback from the Science Café roundtables at the ninth European Bioanalysis Forum Young Scientist Symposium: optimizing the work-life balance in a bioanalytical laboratory.

As part of the European Bioanalysis Forum's continued commitment to develop young scientists beyond their scientific skills, we also focus on soft skills and a community responsibility during the Young Scientist Symposia, with the Science Café. In previous years, we have focused on topics such as sustainability (green lab) or the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on career development. At the ninth Young Scientist Symposium, the Science Café roundtables focused on the work-life balance and how caring for it can be beneficial for both the individual and the company. Feedback from a premeeting survey and from the discussions during the roundtables can be an important addition to personal and professional development. If organizations are not already focusing on the importance of a healthy work-life balance, they can be inspired to include some aspects of the outcome of the Science Café discussions when developing their staff toward future (scientific) leadership.

Feedback from the 8th European Bioanalysis Forum Young Scientist Symposium.

After 2 years of COVID-19 restrictions, the 8th Young Scientist Symposium was organized again as a face-to-face meeting covering a broad array of scientific presentations. As in the previous editions, the meeting was organized by young scientists for young scientists under the umbrella of the European Bioanalysis Forum and in collaboration with academia. The traditional Science Café was again included as an interactive round table session. This year, the main focus was on the challenges of communication. New for the 8th edition was a session connecting the young scientists with more seasoned experts in an effort to bridge talent and experience. In this article, we share the feedback of the scientific sessions and the Science Café held at the symposium.

Antibodies reacting to mimotopes of Simian virus 40 large T antigen, the viral oncoprotein, in sera from children.

Recent data indicate that the Simian virus 40 (SV40) infection appears to be transmitted in humans independently from early SV40-contaminated antipolio vaccines. Serum antibodies against SV40 large T antigen (Tag) were analyzed in children/adolescents and young adults. To investigate antibodies reacting to SV40 Tag antigens, serum samples ( n = 812) from children and young adults were analyzed by indirect ELISAs using specific SV40 Tag mimotopes. Mimotopes were synthetic peptides corresponding to SV40 Tag epitopes. In sera ( n = 412) from healthy children up to 17 years old, IgG antibodies against SV40 Tag mimotopes reached an overall prevalence of 15%. IgM antibodies against SV40 Tag were detected in sera of children 6-8 months old confirming and extending the knowledge that SV40 seroconversion occurs early in life. In children/adolescents affected by different diseases ( n = 180) SV40 Tag had a prevalence of 18%, being the difference no significant compared to healthy subjects ( n = 220; 16%) of the same age. Our immunological data indicate that SV40 circulates in children and young adults, both in healthy conditions and affected by distinct diseases. The IgM detection in sera from healthy children suggests that the SV40 infection/seroconversion occurs early in life (>6 months). Our immunological data support the hypothesis that SV40, or a closely related still unknown polyomavirus, infects humans. The SV40 seroprevalence is lower than common polyomaviruses, such as BKPyV and JCPyV, and other new human polyomaviruses. In addition, our immunological surveillance indicates a lack of association between different diseases, considered herein, and SV40.