The challenge
We started this collaboration with a challenge in mind that we come across a lot in the field of glioma research: brain activity data measured with magnetoencephalography (MEG), is a rare good around the world. Glioma is an incurable type of primary brain tumor with a bad prognosis and patients suffer from a wide variety of different symptoms. To really be able to uncover new perspectives on this dismal disease we need to combine forces and datasets, potentially making our findings on disruptions in brain function more generalizable and robust. But we need to start step by step. This is where my work visit came in. During my time in the USA I did a lot of data preparation, exploration and visualization to see how comparable our brain activity data is. I explored the data in and out, looking at both the raw measures and higher level metrics from the network neuroscience field for different subgroups of glioma patients. And indeed, our first deep dive indicates that the deviant brain activity patterns that we have seen in the past are consistent across our different MEG systems and glioma cohorts. This is a big win for data sharing and collaboration across our two centers and a great start for the rest of our project where we will answer more specific questions regarding the neurophysiology in the different disease stages of glioma and how they relate to outcome in this patient group.
Collaboration on site trumps online meetings
I really enjoyed my time in San Francisco. It was very powerful to brainstorm, discuss, collaborate and analyze in person, on location. Being there allowed me to learn a lot about the similarities and differences in working cultures between our countries and between research labs. It was a great learning opportunity for me as an early career researcher to find my way in a new environment, surrounded by international researchers at the forefront of my field. I was able to connect with the researchers on a different level than online meetings allow.
Life in San Francisco
During my time overseas I of course also got to explore San Francisco next to my work, which was amazing! The city is beautiful and I already miss its hilly streets and breathtaking views (quite some getting used to being back in the flattest country of the world). The city is so vibrant, on every corner you can observe something new: be it a dance party that emerged out of nowhere, a group of elderly people making music together in the park or the most precious dogs being let out on a stroll in the warm California sun.
I learned so much during my stay both professionally and personally and am very grateful to the Cancer Center Amsterdam to have made this work visit possible!
