The 8th Annual Postdoc Research Day (PDRD) took place on September 19 at the Academic Rotunda, where researchers from UConn Health and The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine came together to share their research. This half-day event featured oral and poster presentations by the postdocs, as well as a keynote address.
PDRD is an annual event to celebrate postdoc research. The event attracted 70 attendees, including faculty, staff, graduate students, and postdocs.
“PDRD is an opportunity for the UConn Health and Jackson Lab communities to come together and learn about all the great research our postdocs are doing, while giving the postdocs a highly visible platform to introduce themselves to everyone,” said UConn Health Director of Postdoctoral Affairs Dr. Chris Heinen.
The afternoon event began with a warm welcome from Dr. Heinen who highlighted the significant role of postdocs in building a strong and collaborative research community.
Following this, nineteen postdocs presented research talks as part of the annual Speak4Science competition, each with four minutes and one slide to describe the significance of their research question. Three awards were given to the best research presentations: Drs. Anirudhya Lahiri, Moriah Turcotte, and Lisa Wren.
“It’s exciting to hear about each other’s research,” shared Sama Abdulmalik, a member of the UConn Health and Jackson Laboratory PostDoctoral Association (UJPDA).
Dr. Brian Coombes, a distinguished professor and chair in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, served as the event’s keynote speaker and was introduced by UJPDA member Patience Shumba. Coombes’ research focuses on enteric bacteria associated with acute and chronic human diseases, including Crohn’s disease.
The final event of the day was a reception that combined poster presentations and networking opportunities. Researchers showcased their latest findings, sparking informative discussions and conversations.
Drs. Alexander Calderon, Ying Tang, Anvar Sariev, Sama Abdulmalik, Patience Shumba, Chrysoula Argyrou & Chris Heinen (not shown: Zeynep Altunay).
Special thanks to the PDRD’s organizing committee, Director of Postdoctoral Affairs, Chris Heinen, Sama Abdulmalik (UCH), Zeynep Altunay (UCH), Chrysoula Argyrou (UCH), Alexander Calderon (JAX), Anvar Sariev (UCH), Patience Shumba (UCH), Ying Tang (UCH), as well as Stephanie Holden (UCH) and Jane Tran Sills (UCH) and Sarah Wojiski (JAX), Dawn Traficante (JAX) and Rowena Grainger (JAX), who developed a successful event.
Thanks to everyone who participated in making this research day a great success.
Speak4Science Short Talk Awards included:
- Anirudhya Lahiri, Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health
Psychosine alters astrocyte secretome
- Moriah Turcotte, Calhoun Cardiology Center, UConn Health
β-adrenergic receptors in heart disease
- Lisa Wren, The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine
Base editing in dilated cardiomyopathy
