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HQP stands for Highly Qualified Personnel. HQP are the undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctorate fellows and research associates involved in the AFMNet research projects. HQP are the foundation on which this network is built. The AFMNet offers many funding, training and networking opportunities for HQP(for details, follow the tabs on right-hand side of page). All HQP within the network, past and present, are considered vital members of the HQPA (Highly Qualified Personnel Association).

Letters from HQP on the Move

Bibiana García

This past summer, I obtained an AFMNet Research Travel Grant to go to the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark. My supervisor, Dr. Ahmed El-Sohemy, spent part of his sabbatical this spring working with Dr. Lars Dragsted, a world leader in the field of metabolomics, and he suggested that I seek out funding to spend some time in Dr. Dragsted's lab. The research travel grant covered all of my expenses for what turned out to be a great learning experience and a fantastic trip.

I left Toronto on July 3^rd and returned on July 9^th, and while the trip was short, it certainly packed a punch! I spent my week in Copenhagen working closely with Dr. Dragsted and his research team, learning novel bioinformatics techniques to identify potential metabolites of interest in global plasma metabolomics data from coffee drinkers and from individuals who are fast or slow caffeine metabolizers. Learning these techniques actually allowed me to build upon previous metabolomics training that I obtained at the University of Victoria in 2009, with funding from another AFMNet research travel grant. With the knowledge I acquired in Copenhagen, I am now able to identify novel metabolites that differ between coffee drinkers and non-drinkers, and between and fast and slow metabolizers of caffeine. This type of research opens up new possibilities to learn more about the metabolism of this widely consumed substance and the patho-physiologic pathways that may be affected by its intake. The analysis techniques I learned from Dr. Dragsted and his group are extremely novel and we are among the first groups worldwide to be able to carry out this type of analysis. As a result of this trip, I am now in a position to be able to teach this technique to the other HQP in my lab.

My time in Copenhagen was not only very fruitful in scientific terms, but it also allowed me to establish a fresh network of connections with scientists and HQP at the University of Copenhagen. Since my trip, we have developed plans to collaborate on several research projects, and I hope that more HQP from both groups will be able to benefit from the connection. These connections proved particularly valuable in the evenings following long days of work in the lab! Dr. Dragsted and his group took it upon themselves to show me what a good time in Copenhagen looks like, and as it turns out my trip coincided with the city's annual jazz festival and the soccer World Cup semi-finals. Many patios were visited, and I even got to watch Spain (my country of origin) beat Germany on a giant outdoor screen at the city waterfront. I will admit that I got very little sleep that night, but it was well worth it!

Overall, the trip was extremely rewarding on all fronts and I cannot thank AFMNet enough for providing me with this opportunity. I strongly encourage all HQP to take advantage of the Research Travel Grant program. Submit your application, pack your bags and take the world by storm!

Bibiana García-Bailo
PhD Candidate - El-Sohemy Lab
University of Toronto