Dr. Christian Frank, a Postdoctoral Research Day organizer, illustrates his study on "membrane topology of Rft1p" to Dr. Stanley Goldsmith.
Postdoctoral associates and fellows at Weill Cornell Medical College and Graduate School of Medical Sciences convened on October 14 in the Lasdon Biomedical Research Center for Postdoctoral Research Day, showcasing the breadth and depth of the research done by postdocs at Weill Cornell. Dean Antonio Gotto Jr., who created the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs in 2003 to further the mission of bringing postdoctoral associates into the mainstream of Weill Medical College life, welcomed the eager participants to the Research Day.
"Postdocs" make up a significant part of the research enterprise at Weill Cornell, working in nearly every academic department to conduct lab experiments and to serve as intellectual resources that Weill Cornell depends on to produce important and timely scientific discoveries. The experiences gained from working in their labs help postdocs with skills and credentials necessary for future jobs in academia or industry and government.
Dr. William Muller looks on as Dr. Victoria Ballard, a postdoctoral associate in medicine, explains her research on cardiac repair.
There are hundreds of postdocs working at Cornell at any given time, according to Dr. Olga Steinberg, a postdoctoral associate in microbiology and immunology, and one of the organizers of the event. The Research Day was created by the Postdoctoral Association and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs to foster scientific interaction, interdepartmental collaboration, and garner greater exposure and recognition for the postdocs' invaluable work.
"We are enormously proud of the research contributions from our postdocs, and delighted to be able display their considerable achievements to the college," said Dr. Joel Pardee, faculty director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and associate dean of the Graduate School.
Dr. Olga Steinberg, a recipient of the Best Poster award, with Dr. Joel Pardee, faculty director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs.
Fifty-three postdocs in 13 different basic science and clinical departments presented posters or podium presentations to numerous faculty and postdoc attendees, providing the standing-room-only crowd the opportunity to learn about the cutting-edge research conducted in laboratories throughout the Medical College. The day also allowed postdocs the chance to fine-tune public speaking skills.
"I enjoyed hearing about the work of other postdocs," said Dr. Victoria Ballard, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Medicine. "Having the chance to listen to others present their work gave me a perspective on effective presentation styles and ways to communicate ideas to a more general scientific audience." Dr. Ballard won a "Best Podium Presentation" prize for her talk on regulation of tenascin-C expression in specific cell populations, as a possible means to restore vascular repair mechanisms in the aging heart.
From left: Dr. Cristina Cebrian, coordinator of Postdoctoral Research Day; Dr. Ruth Lehmann, keynote speaker; and Dr. Leonardo Pignataro, postdoctoral associate in anesthesiology.
Dr. Ruth Lehmann, the Julius Raynes Professor of Developmental Genetics at New York University School of Medicine, delivered the keynote address. Dr. Lehmann is a leader in the field of developmental genetics and is widely known for her pioneering work on germ cell development in the Drosophila embryo.
"Postdocs really appreciated the opportunity to present their data and the acknowledgement for their work," said Dr. Cristina Cebrian, coordinator for Postdoctoral Research Day. Organizers plan to make it an annual event.
Postdoctoral Research Day Awards-
Best Podium Presentation:
Dr. Victoria Ballard
Dr. Ulrich Hengst
Dr. Trine Krogh-Madsen
Dr. Silvia Barbieri (left), recipient of a Best Poster award, explains her research to interested onlookers.
Best Poster Awards:
Dr. Silvia Barbieri
Dr. Lorena Eguez
Dr. Kathleen Granger
Dr. Andree Lessard
Dr. Olga Steinberg
Dr. Oliver Tuescher
Photos by Amelia Panico.