ICOCIMS is the first, international, biomedical student conference to ever take place in Italy.
ICOCIMS is organized by students, for students, and enables participants to meet and network with peers, and potential mentors, from all the world. Moreover, it offers an international stage for students to present their research, compete for our awards, and improve their dissemination skills.
Other than the oral and poster sessions, sessions as lectures held by internationally acclaimed professors and practical, cutting-edge workshops complement the event schedule. Coffee breaks and social program events allow for even more “melting” of people and ideas.
This project was launched with the aim of fostering cultural and scientific exchange among students, and in this way influencing Italian students into rethinking their academic careers.
Indeed, differently than in many other countries, in Italy it is indeed very rare for undergraduate and graduate students to involve in research significantly, i.e. as much as to satisfy criteria for authorship on a peer-reviewed journal. This is the “visceral” rationale of this venture: contributing, in the capacity of students, to fostering a radical change in the opinions and perspectives of other Italian students.
The conference took place, as a hybrid event, for its first time in November 2023, and gathered over 150 in-person attendees (9% from abroad), over 40 presenters (50% with an Italian affiliation, 50% with an international affiliation; 26 in person, among which 10 from abroad). We had the opportunity to host lecturers from prestigious institutions, e.g. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, “Johannes Gutenberg” University of Mainz, and University of Taipei.
In addition, in the past edition workshops/talks about the following themes were held: research integrity (with Adam Marcus from RetractionWatch), citizen science, gait analysis, and study techniques.
From this year on, a professor-led Advisory Board will oversee and cooperate the Organizing Committee in the organization of the event. Current (May 2024) members of the Advisory Board are: Prof. Elisa Araldi (University of Parma, Human Technopole), Prof. Marco Falasca (University of Parma), and Prof. Pier Giorgio Petronini (University of Parma).
Over 30 students volunteered in the organization of the 2023 edition, as of current recruitment data, the number of volunteers for the 2024 edition will be higher.
The 2024 edition will take place fully in person, from Nov 7 to Nov 9, at the Central HQ of the University of Parma. The abstracts submission timeframe will be Jul 1 to Sep 1, and selection results will be communicated by mid-September.