Day one was all about building connections: Following a warm welcome by BRICS speaker Melanie Brinkmann and insightful updates from the Executive Board – the BRICS Spaces that have emerged from the new BRICS Strategy showcased their latest progress. From the Metabo Space and Eco Space to the Whole Body Space, the presentations highlighted the breadth and strength of research across BRICS.
A major highlight of the afternoon was the roundtable discussions. After a brief introduction, participants moved straight into brainstorming project ideas in the areas of Immunity & Infection, Quantitative Biology, and Modelling. At the end of the day, the relaxed atmosphere of Kloster Drübeck provided the perfect setting for inspiring conversations and a successful conclusion to a productive day.
On the second day, the focus shifted to further developing BRICS as a network and strengthening the community. Under the theme “Growing BRICS: Visibility, Collaboration, and Community,” approaches were developed to increase the visibility of BRICS, intensify collaboration, and further strengthen connections within the community. In parallel sessions, ideas were further developed and translated into initial concrete plans for BRICS Collaboration, BRICS Funding, the BRICS Symposium, and BRICS Community Building.
A huge thank you to all participants for their incredible dedication, creative input, and the actionable to-dos we are now highly motivated to put into practice! Another thanks goes to our partners: Leibniz Institut DSMZ Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH, Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt, PTB an Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung, HZI. BRICS is all about collaboration and exchange – and this retreat was a great opportunity to connect, share ideas, and move forward together.
BRICS is all about collaboration and exchange – and this retreat provided a great opportunity to strengthen connections, exchange ideas, and move forward together.