Harvard professor, students to present at graduate research forum this week

March 17, 2015 | Events, Research, UToday, Medicine and Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
By Samantha Watson



The University of Toledo’s Council of Biomedical Graduate Students will hold its Graduate Research Forum Thursday and Friday, March 19 and 20.

Flaherty

Flaherty

Dr. Keith T. Flaherty, associate professor in the Department of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of Developmental Therapeutics at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, will be the keynote speaker.

He also will be one of the final judges for student oral and poster presentations, which will be the main focus of the annual event.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for students to present their research,” said Jennifer Ohtola, president of the Council of Biomedical Graduate Studies and an MD/PhD student in the infection, immunity and transplantation track.

Ohtola has presented at two Graduate Research Forums and said that they’re invaluable practice.

“It really has helped me to better prepare my presentations so I can see where my strengths are and if I need to work on certain things,” Ohtola said. “It’s also a great way to prepare for other presentations like dissertations or other conferences.”

On Thursday, March 19, around 50 PhD students will present in preliminary poster and oral sessions judged by biomedical sciences faculty in infection, immunity and transplantation; neurosciences and neurological disorders; cancer biology; cardiovascular and metabolic diseases; and pharmacy. Each student will receive feedback from judges both inside and outside their field of study.

“It’s a good opportunity to get out there and talk about your research outside of the normal group,” Ohtola said. “In the past, the faculty that have judged me have been from some of the other tracks, and I think it’s good to get some perspective from outside.”

Selected finalists will present the morning of Friday, March 20, and winners will be chosen from that group. Flaherty also will give his keynote address to the public that day from 4 to 5 p.m. in Collier Building Room 1000B, immediately following a reception from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Collier Building lobby.

For more information, visit utoledo.edu/med/grad/biomedical/cbgs.

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