Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine biomedical sciences students, in collaboration with students from West Virginia University, the University of Kentucky and Ohio University, have hosted the first Appalachian Regional Cell Conference in an effort to expand the field of cell biology research in the region.
The conference, held on October 12 at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at Charleston Area Medical Center, was funded by a grant from the American Society for Cell Biology.
“The goal of this scientific meeting was to foster interactions among students at four universities within the Ohio Valley/mid-Appalachian region: West Virginia University, Marshall University, the University of Kentucky and Ohio University,” says M. Allison Wolf, one of the conference organizers and a graduate student at Marshall. “An annual, regional meeting of students from these peer institutions will generate unique benefits emerging from a larger gathering of students, including stimulating professional networking and discovering common research interests that may lead to future collaborations and sharing of resources.”
Dr. Richard Niles, senior associate dean for research and graduate education, praised the students for their efforts to coordinate the initiative.
“This was an outstanding opportunity for our graduate students to gain valuable experience in organizing and dealing with the logistics of running a scientific conference,” says Niles. “It will also develop their peer networking skills, which will become important for whatever career path they choose. I am very proud of Allison for taking on this organizational task despite her demanding Ph.D. research activities.”
The conference featured keynote speaker Dr. Vinay Pathak, a senior investigator with the National Cancer Institute, whose area of study includes research on projects relating to HIV drug resistance.
