We are pleased to announce the first mentoring event that is co-sponsored by Gordon and Betty Moore fundation and International Society of Protistologists. This event aims at supporting the next generation of protistologists—specifically students and early-career postdocs—as they navigate their future careers in science.
This mentoring event is designed to foster meaningful connections between early-career researchers and established scientists in the field. It will serve as an informal platform for mentors and mentees to meet, exchange experiences, and discuss career paths, research challenges, and professional development opportunities.
The event will take place shortly before the official start of the conference, providing a relaxed setting for participants to engage in open dialogue and begin building professional networks that can extend throughout the meeting—and beyond. We believe this initiative will not only enhance the conference experience for younger participants but also contribute to a more inclusive and supportive scientific community.
Participants will have the opportunity to sign up as either mentors or mentees during the conference registration process. We warmly encourage all interested students, postdocs, and senior scientists to take part and help make this inaugural mentoring session a valuable and lasting tradition within ISOP.
Organizers of the event
Tomáš Pánek
Tomáš is an Assistant Professor at Charles University in Prague, where he leads a small research team focused on comparative genomics of protists, with a particular emphasis on the evolution of mitochondria, biology of non-photosynthetic plastids, and on the evolution of alternative genetic codes. He is actively involved in the International Society of Protistologists (ISOP) as its Executive Secretary. Among other initiatives, he revived the Protistology Newsletter to share news from across the field and within the ISOP. This mentoring event is especially important to him, as it aims to create meaningful connections between young scientists just entering protistology and the senior researchers who have helped shape the field. Although protistology is not a mainstream discipline, it is a fascinating field filled with passionate and inspiring scientists, and he strongly believes that supporting young talents - and helping them continue their personal and professional growth within the protistological community - is key to ensuring its future.
Vanessa Loiacono
Vanessa is Group Leader of the Laboratory of Plant Organellar Gene Expression at Charles University in Prague. Trained in Italy, Austria, Germany, and the United States, she studies RNA in plant organelles. Alongside her scientific work, she is actively engaged in social and artistic initiatives and is a long-standing advocate for LGBTQ+, FLINTA, and equal-opportunity communities. She strongly believes that science thrives through people, not just results, and that mentorship is essential for creating spaces for exchange across career stages and for empowering both early-career and established scientists. Through this mentorship event, she is committed to helping build a more inclusive, supportive, and resilient scientific community where no one has to navigate academia alone.
