5 June 2024 Articles

ITM introduces four new clinical expert courses

Enhance your skills in immunomonitoring, laboratory preparedness, or PrEP consultations.

Are you looking for opportunities to fulfil your professional needs? In the upcoming academic year, ITM is launching four expert courses designed to advance your knowledge in critical areas of biomedical and clinical science. These courses will help you master the intricacies of immunomonitoring, establish resilient district laboratories, or become familiar with PrEP consultations. To cater to students’ professional and learning needs, the short courses on immunomonitoring and lab preparedness can be taken as standalone courses or as part of a master’s programme.

Patient Immunomonitoring 1 & 2

The Patient Immunomonitoring short courses (PIM1 and PIM2) offer a comprehensive understanding of immunomonitoring principles and methodologies. By the end of these courses, participants will be equipped to design, implement, and interpret immunomonitoring studies to advance clinical and epidemiological research agendas. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to design their own Lab Analytical Plan tailored to specific research questions.

PIM1 is designed for clinical immunologists who work or plan to work in the field of patient immunomonitoring, especially those involved in infectious diseases research in both high- and low-resource settings.
PIM2 provides further knowledge and lab training on immunomonitoring techniques. Participants gain hands-on experience in the brand new Clinical Immunology lab of ITM.

Participants must hold a master’s degree in biomedical or clinical sciences and have a background in human immunology. It is recommended to complete PIM1 in order to follow PIM2.

Field Laboratory Preparedness

It is essential to equip biomedical professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to establish and operate a district laboratory in resource-limited settings, all while adhering to Quality Management System principles. This dynamic course immerses participants in the essential aspects of running a district lab through a blend of lectures, exercises, self-study and face-to-face discussions.

This short course is designed for biologists, pharmacists, biomedical scientists and laboratory staff intending to work in clinical diagnostic laboratories in low-resource settings.

Continuing education in Belgium: PrEP - the role of GPs

General practitioners remain a crucial point of contact for information about HIV Pre-Exposure Prohylaxis (PrEP) use. PrEP is a crucial preventive intervention that significantly reduces the risk of HIV transmission among high-risk individuals. This course (“PrEP: De rol van de huisarts” in Dutch) aims to familiarise GPs with all aspects of a PrEP consultation. Participants will learn about HIV prevention, the target group, and the necessary care for clients who use PrEP or are interested in doing so.

This course is designed for GPs (in training), but other interested specialists, such as gynaecologists, are also welcome.