What's Next Forum for Postdoctoral Researchers
Connecting and empowering postdocs to reach their full potential
Our 'What's Next Forum' connects and empowers postdocs affiliated with the Lund Stem Cell Center by providing them with the resources, networks, and opportunities they need to reach their full potential. It focuses on building a support network across different labs at the Center to foster collaboration and a sense of community.
Through this initiative, we strive to create an inclusive and dynamic environment where postdocs can thrive and advance their careers. Key objectives include:
- Creating a platform for open discussions to encourage experience-sharing and community building.
- Facilitating conversations on scientific and career-related topics to support professional growth.
- Encouraging collaborations to strengthen interdisciplinary research and networking opportunities.
What are we offering?
Weekly SCC Postdoc Fika
A casual space to connect, chat, and build community over coffee
Starting 05 June, 2025 | Thursdays | 10:00–10:30 | SCC Common Room, BMC A10
Take a break and join fellow postdocs from around Lund Stem Cell Center for a casual fika in the Center's Common Room on BMC A10! Whether you want to chat about science, explore potential collaborations, or just share experiences from postdoc life, this is a space for connection and conversation.
Starting on Thursday, 05 June, one of the postdoc organizers – Camila, Franzi, or Pavan – will be there each week.
No need to sign up – just drop by!
Postdoc Career Bites
Proactive career choice roundtables - A place for lunch & questions
Starting 26 August, 2025 | Every other Tuesday | 12.00 - 13.00 | Venue, TBA
Join us for informal lunchtime conversations with research group leaders and alumni from Lund Stem Cell Center, where we explore careers, choices, and everything in between. This series offers a chance to share experiences - successes, missteps, and the lessons they’ve taught us. Together, we’ll reflect on professional identity, motivation, and career development across academic stages and beyond.
These are informal lunch roundtables where one speaker shares their career story, followed by an open Q&A with the audience. The setting is designed to encourage open conversations, peer learning, and a spirit of collaboration.
Vegetarian lunch will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tuesday, 26 August
We launch this series with the Lund Stem Cell Center leadership duo, Malin and Göran, who will share their career paths and reflections.
Speakers:
- Malin Parmar, Professor of Cellular Neuroscience, Director of Lund Stem Cell Center, and Coordinator of the Strategic Research Area, StemTherapy
- Göran Karlsson, Associate Professor at the Division of Molecular Hematology, Deputy Director of Lund Stem Cell Center, and Deputy Coordinator of the Strategic Research Area, StemTherapy
Venue: TBA
Tuesday, 09 September
Speakers:
- Petter Hartman, CEO Medicon Village Innovation
- Francesco Bez, Innovation Manager at Medicon Village Innovation
Venue: TBA
Tueday, 23 September
We continue the series with a session called 'Meeting the Academic Parent', where Chris and Guilia will share their experiences juggling life inside and outside the lab.
Speakers:
- Chris Douse, Principal Investigator and head of the Epigenetics and Chromatin Dynamics research group at Lund Stem Cell Center
- Giulia Saredi, Researcher at the Lund Stem Cell Center
Venue: TBA
Tuesday, 07 October
Sofie Mohlin joins this session to discuss how to become a docent (also known as an associate professor or senior lecturer) at Lund University.
Speakers:
- Sofie Mohlin, Associate Professor at the Division of Pediatrics, head of the Molecular Physiology research group, and Co-chair of the DEI committee at Lund Stem Cell Center, and member of the StemTherapy Board
Venue: TBA
Tuesday, 21 October
Speakers:
- Olle Lindvall, Professor emeritus at Lund University, co-founder of the Lund Stem Cell Center.
Venue: TBA
Tuesday, 04 November
Former Lund Stem Cell Center researcher, Sofie Singbrant Söderberg returns for our next session to share how she went "From research to strategy – a journey between academia and life science innovation."
Speakers:
- Sofie Singbrant Söderberg, Principal, Science Strategy, BioInnovation Institute Fonden, Denmark
Venue: TBA
Tuesday, 18 November
Lena Gustavsson, a lead scientist at the pharmacuetical company Lundbeck joins us for our next lunch session to share her "Insights from a Drug-Drug-Interaction Lead Scientist at Lundbeck."
Speaker:
- Lena Gustavsson, Lead Scientist at Lundbeck
Venue: TBA
Tuesday, 02 December
More information coming soon
Tuesday, 16 December
OBS! Time change 11.45-12.45
For the final session of 2025, we are joined by Lund Stem Cell Center's own principal investigator Dr. Kees-Jan Pronk who will provide a clinical perspective on potential career trajectories.
Speaker:
- Kees-Jan Pronk, Head of Pediatric Oncology/Hematology/Immunology/Nephrology, and Senior Consultant, Childhood Cancer Center, Skåne University Hospital, Lund; Associate Professor, Division of Molecular Hematology/WCMM/Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, Sweden
Venue: TBA
Not yet part of our Microsoft Team?
If you are a postdoctoral researcher affiliated with the Lund Stem Cell Center we would love to have you join us!
Organizing Committee:
- Camila Vazquez Echegaray
- Christine Karlsson
- Franziska Olm
- Mattias Magnusson
- Nick Leigh
- Pavan Prabhala