The second EASD Early Career Academy Meeting was hosted by the German Diabetes Center (DDZ) in Düsseldorf, Germany, from March 30 to April 1, 2026. Chair Dr Yanislava Karusheva and Co-Chair Dr Simon Dreher positioned it as a unique opportunity for young researchers to find a mentor who can support their scientific development.
Building on the well-established Mentorship Programme, the EASD Early Career Academy Meeting 2026 served as a hub to bring together early-career scientists with established researchers to accelerate their network development within the diabetes field. “This also includes discussing personal development, career choices, and the various challenges young researchers face and need to overcome, especially early in their career, how to deal with failure and how to ultimately maintain the passion to pursue excellence in research”, elaborated Karusheva, clinician scientist at the German Diabetes Center and the University Hospital Düsseldorf.
I would hope that the participants who attended the second Early Career Academy Meeting realised the importance of finding the right mentor to develop your potential to the fullest. Hello, my name is Yanislava Karusheva. I’m a medical doctor, currently a resident physician at the University Hospital of Düsseldorf. I specialise in endocrinology and diabetology and my primary interests include obesity, insulin resistance, beta cell dysfunction, and metabolic dysfunction. I’m a member of the EASD Early Career Academy and more specifically of the Board. We are currently 12 members on the Board, and I joined it in the beginning of last year. This was the second Early Career Academy Meeting in person, face-to-face. And it took place at my home institution, the German Diabetes Centre where I have been working for the last 10 years, from the 30th of March until the 1st of April in Düsseldorf, initiated by the EASD Early Career Academy. So the attendees were early-career scientists, physicians as well, members of the EASD with a keen interest on sharing their work, insights of their work, and also networking, and looking for mentors. The faculty comprised outstanding researchers and clinician scientists from Germany, but not only. We had speakers from all over Europe and one speaker from the US. The opening lecture delivered by Professor Michael Roden was with the focus on precision in diabetology. The scientific programme of the second Early Career Academy Meeting had a few highlights, among which lectures on precision in diabetology, adipose tissue physiology, and lifestyle interventions as measures for prevention of diabetes. I would hope that the participants who attended the second Early Career Academy Meeting realised the importance of finding the right mentor to develop your potential to the fullest. Also that they realised how vital it is to network within your field of interest. And how important it is to build a team, the right team. We had a lecture on the third day which was called “Seeds of Success”. It focused on building bridges between mentors and mentees. So, after this lecture I had the impression that there were many participants who were interested in taking part into this mentorship programme offered by the Early Career Academy and they most certainly declared their interest also during the discussion that they were about to approach us to be connected to mentors in the future. I would encourage young researchers to take part at next year’s Early Career Academy Meeting as this meeting serves as an innovative platform for educational exchange, networking, bringing together renowned experts and also emerging investigators who are actively engaged in basic and clinical research in the field of diabetes. And it showcases cutting-edge research, addresses pressing issues in diabetes, and also fosters innovation and collaboration. The feedback has been extremely positive. The participants of the Early Career Academy Meeting in Düsseldorf turned back to us in various ways, complimenting us for the outstanding scientific programme, but also for the social events and for the network opportunities we managed to create. The Early Career Academy Meeting, which is going to take place in the spring of 2027, is the perfect platform where you can meet your future mentors.
Video transcript
The Meeting commenced with welcoming remarks by EASD President Prof. Francesco Giorgino and Prof. Robert Wagner (Vice-Director, DDZ). Prof. Michael Roden (Director, DDZ) followed with an opening lecture on precision in diabetology. “As the scientific director of the German Diabetes Centre and my mentor, Prof. Roden, kindly agreed to open the meeting with a keynote”, said Karusheva.
The further programme comprised a broad range of lectures presented by leading experts in their fields, for example, Professors Andreas Birkenfeld (Tübingen University), Kirsi Virtanen (Turku University), and Francesc Villarroya (University of Barcelona), joined by emerging researchers. Lecture topics included prevention and heterogeneity of diabetes, nutrition and exercise in diabetes management and adipose tissue physiology. Karusheva marked the latter as highlights alongside sessions on career development, such as “Seeds of success: Building bridges between mentors and mentees” and “From academia to industry”.
63 participants from all over the world attended the 2026 Meeting. Their feedback was extremely positive, remarked Karusheva. “The participants complimented us not only for the outstanding scientific programme, but also for the social events and the networking opportunities we managed to create.”
The location for the 2027 Meeting is not yet confirmed. However, Karusheva already encouraged young researchers to use the innovative platform for educational exchange, networking, and bringing together renowned experts and emerging investigators.
“My personal tip for young researchers who have not networked before is to do it as soon as possible and not to underestimate the power of personal contact. If you are shy or feel insecure about approaching your dream mentor or future employer, you should work up your courage and just make a pitch”, she advised. “Networking and finding the right mentor, especially at an early stage of your career, is extremely vital. I would say it is of utmost importance to find your mentor as soon as possible and not to underestimate the power of personal contact!”
Visit easd.org to keep up to date with upcoming EASD in-person courses.