The University of Toledo’s Council of Biomedical Graduate Students will hold its Graduate Research Annual Forum (GRAF) on Health Science Campus Thursday and Friday, March 30 and 31.
Dr. Rudolf Jaenisch, a professor of biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a founding member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, will be the keynote speaker. He also will be one of the final judges for student oral and poster presentations, which is the central focus of the annual event.
Jaenisch
“Every year, GRAF gives students a chance to present their work in a professional and friendly environment,” said Ben French, president of the Council of Biomedical Graduate Studies and a Ph.D. candidate in the molecular medicine track. “It’s especially nice that this year, we get to return to an in-person presentation format; we haven’t been able to present like this since 2019 and we are all very excited.”
French has presented and moderated at two Graduate Research Forums and said that they’re invaluable practice.
“With GRAF, we always work on creating a supportive atmosphere. Personally, I have been able to identify areas where I need to work on improving my presentations, while also learning what my strengths are,” French said. “It’s also a great way to prepare for other presentations like dissertations or other conferences.”
On Thursday, March 30, around 40 Ph.D. students will present in preliminary poster and oral sessions judged by biomedical sciences faculty in medical microbiology and immunology; neurosciences and neurological disorders; cancer biology; physiology and medicine; bioinformatics; and pharmacy. Each student will receive feedback from judges both inside and outside their field of study.
“It’s a good opportunity to get up in front of an audience and talk about your research outside of your usual collaborators,” French said. “In the past, the faculty who have judged me have been from some of the other tracks, and I think it’s wonderful to get some feedback from an interdisciplinary perspective.”
Selected finalists will present the morning of Friday, March 31, and winners will be chosen from that group. Jaenisch also will give his keynote address, titled “Genomic integration of SARS-CoV-2 in humans and bats,” to the public that day from 4 to 5:15 p.m. in Health Education Building (HEB) Room 105, immediately following a reception from 3 to 4 p.m. in the HEB foyer.
For more information, visit the forum website.
