Empowering the Next Generation of Surgeons-Scientists
In the rapidly evolving landscape of oncology, technical surgical expertise is no longer enough. To provide the highest standard of care, modern surgical oncologists must be equipped with the skills to critically evaluate scientific literature, design robust studies, and translate evidence into clinical practice.
This is the core mission of DISSECT COST Action Working Group 2 (WG2): Building Research Capacity.
We are excited to invite you to engage with our Virtual Journal Club, a cornerstone of our efforts to foster a sustainable culture of scientific inquiry and international collaboration across Europe.
Building on Success: Recap of Our Recent Session
Our journey toward research excellence is already underway
We recently hosted a highly successful Virtual Journal Club session titled "Surveys for Busy Surgeons in the era of GenAI". Led by expert methodologists Prof. Ineke Stoop and surgical data scientists Dr. Carmela Caballero and Dr. Dara Lundon, the session provided critical insights into maintaining rigor when developing surveys and evaluated the burgeoning role of generative AI in surgical practice.
During the meeting, Dr. Lorenzo Arboit, the leading author of the article "Surgeons' awareness, expectation, and involvement with artificial intelligence: a survey pre and post the GPT era," presented his insights and engaged the audience in an interactive discussion.
More than 40 participants gained valuable insights into key research fundamentals, including hypothesis generation, literature review, methodology design, ethical evaluation, data collection, data analysis, manuscript writing, journal selection, and article processing charges (APCs).
All Virtual Journal Club sessions will soon be available on the DISSECT Podcast platform.
Subscribe to the DISSECT Newsletter for the upcoming podcasts and educational materials crafted to support our members' research literacy.
👏 Let's wish him every success!
Following its attendance at the last Virtual Journal Club session, Dr. Kayra Cangoz successfully developed a project and was selected to present it at the European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO) Dragon's Den.
We are very proud to be part of his achievement and wish him the best of luck!
A Roadmap to Research Excellence: Upcoming Workshops
The Virtual Journal Club is just the beginning.
As part of a structured four-year research learning pathway, WG2 is organizing a series of intensive workshops designed to take you from foundational concepts to advanced research.
- Year 1: Foundations of Cancer Research: Master the basics of cancer research biostatistics, explore pragmatic study designs and randomized clinical trials integrating patient-centric questions, and learn the art of developing high-quality survey questions and performing systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
👉 Important reminder 👈
On September 24th and 25th, DISSECT COST Action is inviting you to take part in the Research Workshop, organized by the DISSECT Lead, Prof. Wim Ceelen and Dr. Sarah Cosyns in the beautiful city of Ghent. You can take part in the online Management Committee and Working Groups meeting on day 2 of the programme.
The link for online participation will be provided before the event.
More information about the meeting here.
- Year 2: Protocol Development and Ethics: Focus on the practicalities of writing a study protocol, the basics of translational research, and navigating the complexities of informed consent, ethical regulations, and data privacy requirements. This workshop also emphasizes the critical role of patient involvement in surgical research.
- Year 3: Data Management and Recruitment: Dive into the technical aspects of developing case report forms, integrating quality of life data or patient-reported outcomes, and mastering effective strategies for patient recruitment and retention.
- Year 4: Results, Collaboration, and Funding: Finalize your training with advanced skills in data analysis and visualization, presenting and writing results, and navigating academic and industry collaborations. Crucially, this session covers the business of science: cost drivers of research, grant writing skills, and strategies for funding surgical research.
Why Join Us?
Research capacity is unevenly distributed across Europe, often tied to a country's economic status. DISSECT aims to bridge this gap by connecting high-resource and lower-resource settings, ensuring that every surgeon—regardless of their geography—has the opportunity to contribute to scientific discovery.
By joining our community, you will:
- Enhance your clinical decision-making through improved research literacy.
- Collaborate across borders to develop multi-center studies.
- Partner with patient advocates to ensure your research addresses real-world needs.
- Gain mentorship from experienced investigators to help translate your ideas into feasible projects.
Get Involved Today!
Our vision is to establish a lasting European community of surgical researchers committed to enhancing patient outcomes through high-quality, evidence-based medicine.
Get involved in the Virtual Journal Club by joining Working Group 2 HERE.
In case you need more information, do not hesitate to contact:
WG 2 Lead:
Dr. Carmela Caballero
caballero.surgery@gmail.com
WG 2 Co-Lead:
Dr. Dara Lundon
daralundon@yahoo.uk.com
We look forward to collaborating with you!
