33rd Annual National MD/PhD Student Conference
The 33rd annual National MD/PhD Student Conference was once again held this year in Keystone, Colorado. Hosted by the University of Colorado MSTP and organized by 3rd year students, this conference seeks to bring together MD/PhD students from across the country to present their research while also interacting with other students and prominent researchers. This year’s conference was attended by Shan Parikh (M3), Stephanie Dudzinski (G4), Sumeeth Jonathan (G4), and Shawn Barton (G4). All gave poster presentations, while Sumeeth was also selected for an oral presentation.
In addition to student presentations, there were several keynote lectures given by esteemed faculty members including Mario Capecchi, PhD, who won the 2007 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his pioneering work on specific gene modification which led to the development of knockout mice. Jeff Lichtman, MD, PhD also presented on his work on neural development and connectivity using techniques he’s developed including Brainbow and automated serial electron microscope. James Crowe, MD, Director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, also gave a lecture on his approach for antibody discovery to combat major human pathogens including respiratory syncytial virus, rotavirus, HIV, and influenza.
Students also had the opportunity to meet with representatives from various residency Physician Scientist Training Programs and attend breakout sessions with topics including research ethics, career opportunities through NIH, interacting with industry, women in science, and how to convey your science effectively. While not in lecture, students were able to explore Keystone, Colorado on scenic hikes with breathtaking views (especially at 11,000 feet above sea level). We’d like to thank all the organizers for the opportunity to learn about opportunities available to MD/PhD students while also discussing exciting new science and meeting future colleagues.
