Dr. Spencer Ericksen, postdoctoral associate in physiology, with his poster exhibit at Postdoctoral Research Day, Oct. 24.
They toil mostly in obscurity, hunkered down in a lab for little pay and hoping that dim light at the end of the tunnel is a job.
But postdoctoral associates are invaluable to Weill Cornell Medical College for their energy, exuberance and laboratory prowess. Their research allows principal investigators to focus on setting the overall direction of the lab, getting funding, teaching and representing the College at scientific meetings, confident that the day-to-day science operations are being expertly conducted.
In recognition of that work, Dean Antonio Gotto established the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs three years ago, headed by Administrative Director Karen Sherman and Faculty Director Dr. Joel Pardee, to take care of postdocs and publicize their research in the Medical College.
"Postdocs are largely underappreciated and under-recognized, so we wanted to give them a day where they could show off their work," said Sherman. This year, postdocs from both Weill Cornell Medical College and from Cornell University, Ithaca, submitted 15 oral and 31 poster presentations for review by their colleagues and mentors at the Annual Postdoctoral Research Day, held Oct. 24.
Drs. Kim Holloway (biomedical sciences, Cornell University) and Antje Blumenthal (microbiology and immunology, Weill Cornell) actually tied for top honors in the podium presentation. Dr. Blumenthal won the category last year as well. Dr. Holloway was one of 12 postdocs from Ithaca who presented research.
Dr. Aiqun Li, postdoctoral associate in ophthalmology.
In the poster division, Dr. Melissa Burmeister's (veterinary medicine, Cornell University) presentation on renovascular hypertension in mice was honored as the top poster.
"I am so proud of the trainees who participated as presenters at today's research day, as well as the Weill Cornell Medical College Postdoctoral Association who organized all aspects of the day-long event, from recruiting judges and the keynote speakers to the catering," Sherman said.
Dr. Gotto (right) presents Dr. Pickel and Dr. Inturrisi with the 2007 Faculty Mentoring Award.
The postdocs weren't alone in receiving the attention they richly deserve. Their professional mentors, the scientists who oversee their work and help usher them to the next level of their careers, were also recognized.
Dr. Virginia Pickel, professor in the Department of Neuroscience, and Dr. Charles Inturrisi, professor in the Department of Pharmacology, were honored by the Postdoctoral Association with the 2007 Faculty Mentoring Award, presented by Dean Gotto prior to a fascinating and lively keynote address from Dr. Bonnie Bassler, the Squibb Professor and director of Graduate Studies, Department of Molecular Biology, at Princeton University, and a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator.
Keynote speaker Dr. Bonnie Bassler of Princeton University and HHMI delivers a lecture entitled "Bacterially Speaking."
"I've been very much involved in all aspects of graduate education," Dr. Inturrisi said. "In that sense, I've been very fortunate because the students who come to my lab have all shared the same vision to improve pain management through research. They've been willing to undertake the hard work."
"We have pride in this. Although the non-pleasure is writing all the grants, the pleasure is working with all the postdocs," Dr. Pickel said.
This spring, postdocs from the Medical College will venture to Ithaca to participate in Cornell University's postdoctoral research day.
Photography by Amelia Panico.