Each year, MSBM invite an MSBM Alumni to return to the Summer School, to act as an ambassador for our Alumni network, and to document the week through images & our social media channels.
This year, we are joined by Leah Amod. When she attended MSBM in 2025, she was still a PhD Candidate at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. In fact, Leah just recently passed her PhD! Leah bought a fantastic energy to our 2025 event, and we couldn’t be more pleased to have her back again in 2026. We sat down with Leah to ask her a few questions, ahead of her return to Dubrovnik in 2026.
How have you implemented what you learnt at MSBM into your studies/work?
“Our research group has since been very focused on native mass spectrometry so that knowledge has been very beneficial. It’s also challenged me to interrogate my MS data more and extract more information than I would have previously taken from an experiment.”
Did MSBM change the way you think about mass spectrometry more broadly? If so, how?
“Definitely – I’m an organic chemist so previously I’d utilised mass spectrometry as more of a “supplemental’ tool and hadn’t really considered its use outside of synthesis. But learning about all its different applications, particularly in translational medicine, was so fascinating and has made me really interested in pursuing a career in the field.”
How did you find being surrounded by peers at a similar career stage to you? What did you gain from this?
“It was genuinely one of the best experiences of my PhD journey. Meeting students from other institutions and research fields made me realise how universal our experiences are but it also opened my eyes to incredible science that I would have otherwise not been exposed to. It made me view my own research from a different perspective and think of how my work could be enriched by potential collaborations or new approaches.”
What was your highlight of MSBM 2025?
“Being in Dubrovnik alone was a highlight, especially the day trip to Lokrum! In terms of the course, the mass spec imaging content was probably my favourite.”
Are you still in contact with staff/students you met in 2025?
“Yes, we still chat on our WhatsApp group and I’m actually visiting one of my MSBM friends in Germany this year!”
How did MSBM compare to other events (conferences/schools) you’ve attended?
“What stood out to me the most was how approachable the faculty was and how invested they were in engaging with the students. I’ve often left conferences feeling like I hadn’t maximised the networking opportunities because in the moment it can be quite intimidating, but at MSBM everyone was so friendly and sincere. The balance of lectures, workshops, and social activities also set it apart from other events I’ve been to, and it helped me absorb a lot more of the content.“
What are you looking forward to at our 2026 event?
“I’m excited to meet the new faculty and connect with a new group of people. I think it will be interesting to see the content from a different perspective, having had more hands-on experience with mass spectrometry than last year.”
What would you say to those thinking of joining us in 2026?
“If you are at all hesitant because you don’t think you know enough about mass spectrometry going into the course, don’t be!”
MSBM will run from the 5th to the 10th July 2026 this year, hosted in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Dubrovnik, Croatia. MSBM is an excellent opportunity to experience a crash course in Mass Spectrometry Fundamentals & Applications, meet with industrial experts and vendors, and build your network with peers and faculty. You can read more about our 2026 Faculty so far here.
You can register for MSBM by clicking here.
Got any questions? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page or contact the team at [email protected]
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