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Keck Annual Research Conference 2007: "Science in Our Future"
On October 11 and 12, 2007, more than 190 biomedical research scientists and trainees gathered at the Southshore Harbor Conference Center in League City, Texas for the 17th Annual Research Conference of the Keck Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Training, the training arm of the Gulf Coast Consortia.
The 70 Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows supported by the seven training grants administered by the Keck Center presented their research results in poster sessions and platform talks. They competed for awards for their presentations, and were joined by their mentors and other biomedical research scientists in attending research presentations and panel discussions by distinguished scientists from across the country.
The scientific lectures highlighted emerging areas of biomedical research that are shaping the future of the research enterprise, and two panel discussions highlighted the challenges and opportunities facing research scientists over the next five years and the next twenty years.
View from the South Shore Harbour Hotel conference site in
League City, Texas
Keck Annual Research Conference 2007 co-Chairs Ted Wensel, BCM (left) and Stan Watowich, UTMB
Panel on, “Biomedical Science 5 Years from Now: Challenges, Funding and Job Prospects”: Panel Chair Kathy Matthews (RU) introduces (from left) panel speakers Neal Lane (RU), Bill Brinkley (BCM), and Steven M. Block ( Stanford University)
Panel talk by Malcolm Gillis University Professor and former Director of the NSF Neal Lane (RU)
From front left: Mallory Salter (RU), Tim Palzkill (BCM), Olivier Lichtarge (BCM), Mary Estes (BCM), Ian Rees (BCM), and Gerd Brunner (UH)
Panel talk by Senior Vice President and Dean of the Baylor College of Medicine Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Bill Brinkley
Panel talk by S.W. Ascherman Professor of Sciences Steven M. Block, Stanford University
The panel held lively discussions about questions submitted by the trainees in advance
The panel also discussed questions posed from the floor
Conference attendee Neal Pellis, Senior Scientist, Space Life Sciences Directorate, NASA Johnson Space Center (left), with Kathy Matthews and Neal Lane (both RU)
Trainee Kurtis Anderson (UTMB), left, chats with speaker Neal Lane (RU)
Door prizes were gift cards for Starbucks or for Barnes and Noble. The first door prize winners were predoc Anne van de Ven, left, and postdoc Pam Constantinou (both Nanobiology Training Program, RU), here pictured with Computational Biology and Medicine (NLM) predoc trainee host Nasos Dousis (RU)
Plenary talk: "Gene Targeting Using Mobile Group II Introns (“Targetrons”), RNAs that Insert Site-Specifically into DNA," by Alan Lambowitz, Mr. and Mrs. A. Frank Smith, Jr. and Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Regents Chairs in Molecular Biology and Director, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Lambowitz described the latest developments in his group’s work on catalytic RNA and its possible applications in gene therapy.
Plenary talk: "Tissue Microfabrication," by Jason Shear, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Shear described the creation of micron-sized structures for manipulating living cells.
Door prize winners: Pharmacoinformatics Training Program postdoc Gustavo Rodriguez (BCM), left, and Houston Area Molecular Biophysics Program (HAMBP) predoc Aron Ben Goins (UTHSC-H), pictured with HAMBP predoc trainee host Megan Guelker (RU)
Poster sessions:
The emphasis of this year’s speed poster competition was on effective communication of research goals and results to people who are in another field. This skill is essential for working in multi-disciplinary research teams, securing funds for research from either public or private sources, and disseminating research purposes and accomplishments to the general public. In a twist of the usual poster competition, the Keck Center paired graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in its various training programs, then gave them the opportunity to learn each other’s research and present their partner’s project to judges, rather than their own research project.
Computational and Structural Biology in Biodefense (CSBB) predoc Troy Hammerstrom, (UTHSC-H), left, and Computational Biology and Medicine (NLM) predoc Nasos Dousis (RU), examine a poster at the first poster session
Former NLM trainee Matthew Ward (BCM), left, and HAMBP predoc Mike Perham (RU)
HAMBP predoc Kim Mankewicz (UTHSC-H) and Pharmacoinformatics Training Program predoc Robert Malmstrom (UTMB)
Pharmacoinformatics Training Program postdoc Bernhard Sielaff (BCM) explains his poster to SCBMB trainee Michael Lopez (BCM)
Nanobiology Training Program predoc Carly Filgueira (RU), left, listens as NLM predoc Jillian Webb ( UTHSC-H) explains her poster
HAMBP predoc Mallory Salter (RU) explains her poster
NLM trainee Brian Kirk (BCM) explains his poster to HAMBP trainee Travis Schrank (UTMB)
NLM postdoc JJ Heyd (UTHSC-H), left, explains his poster to NLM postdoc Ben Janesko (RU)
Nanobiology Training Program predoc trainee Amarda Shehu (RU) discusses her poster
Biomedical Discovery from Large Scale Data Sets Training Program (BMDTP) predoc Sara Kalla (RU) explains her poster
Pharmacoinformatics Training Program predoc Rashim Singh (UH), left, discusses her poster
Pharmacoinformatics predoc Rashim Singh (UH), left, discusses her poster
HAMBP predoc David Ortiz (BCM) draws a crowd
HAMBP predoc Kerry Fuson (UTMB) explains his poster
Nanobiology Training Program postdoc Pam Constantinou (RU), right, explains her poster
BMDTP postdoc Mike Marsh (BCM)
Poster Judges Kevin MacKenzie (RU), left, and Bob Fox (UTMB), listen as Chaoping Qin (BCM) explains his poster
Pharmacoinformatics Training Program predoc Vashti Bryant (UTMB) displays her poster
Poster Judge Neal Waxham (UTHSC-H), middle, explains a point to Nanobiology Training Program predoc Analette Lopez (UH), and to fellow Poster Judge John Olson (RU), far left
From left: the team of NLM predoc Jesse Turner (RU), and Pharmacoinformatics postdoc Panagiotis Katsonis (BCM) present to Poster Judges Tim Palzkill (BCM) and Jamie Catanese (BCM)
NLM predoc Jesse Turner (RU), right
Nanobiology predoc Jennifer Jamison (RU) explains her poster to D. Wayne Bolen (UTMB)
Pharmacoinformatics predoc Rashim Singh (UH) explains her poster to co-Chair Stan Watowich (UTMB)
Pharmacoinformatics postdoc Hong Yang (UTMB), left, explains her poster to conference co-Chair Ted Wensel (BCM)
Poster partners Nanobiology trainee Analette Lopez (UH) and SCBMB trainee Amadeo Biter (BCM)
CSBB predoc Suzanne Tomlinson (UTMB), left, with Gulf Coast Consortia Executive Director Karen Ethun at the poster session
NLM predoc Anna Chen (UTHSC-H) displays her poster
HAMBP predoc Aron Ben Goins (UTHSC-H)
Pharmacoinformatics predoc Zhao Ge (RU)
Nanobiology Training Program postdoc Pam Constantinou (RU)
HAMBP predoc David Ortiz (BCM) explains his poster to Irina Serysheva (BCM)
Former HAMBP trainee Char Hu (BCM) explains his poster to Nanobiology predoc Amarda Shehu (RU)
JJ Heyd (UTHSC-H, back to camera) presents his partner Anup Parikh's (BCM, in yellow shirt) poster to the judges
NLM predoc Jesse Turner (RU)
Pharmacoinformatics predoc trainee Kendra Carmon (UTHSC-H), left, listens as her advisor David Loose (UTHSC-H) makes a point
SCBMB trainee Michael Lopez (BCM) explains his poster to Jane Grande-Allen (RU) and her daughter Sydney
Kim Mankiewicz (UTHSC-H) tests her partner Robert Malmstrom (UTMB) on her poster
From left: Mark White (UTMB), Cathy Higgins (GCC), Pharmacoinformatics postdoc Hong Yang (UTMB), and former NLM trainee Graham Randall (BCM)
From left: Kathy Matthews (RU) speaks with Monte Pettitt (UH) and D. Wayne Bolen (UTMB)
Co-Chair Stan Watowich (UTMB), left, and Monte Pettitt (UH)
The keynote address was given by S.W. Ascherman Professor of Sciences Steven M. Block, Stanford University. Dr. Block presented an exciting account of studies of the molecular machinery of gene expression measured at the level of individual molecules.
Exemplary trainees chosen to give platform talks, from left: CSBB predoc Suzanne Tomlinson (UTMB), BMDTP postdoc Seth Tomchik (BCM), Pharmacoinformatics predoc Lauren Becnel (BCM), and Nanobiology postdoc Hugo Sanabria (UTHSC-H)
Trainee speaker Pharmacoinformatics predoc Lauren Becnel (BCM)
Trainee speaker Nanobiology postdoc Hugo Sanabria (UTHSC-H)
Trainee speaker BMDTP postdoc Seth Tomchik (BCM)
Trainee speaker CSBB predoc Suzanne Tomlinson (UTMB)
Door prize winners Kay Choi (UTMB) and Austin Elam (UTMB)
Door prize winner Kurtis Anderson (UTMB)
The second poster session
Nanobiology predoc Nolan Harris, left, explains his poster to speaker Nipam Patel (UC Berkeley)
NLM predoc Elizabeth Jones (BCM, in green sweater) explains her poster
HAMBP predoc Mallory Salter (RU) and her mentor John Olson (RU)
From left: Aleksander Milosavljevic (BCM), Tim Palzkill (BCM), and plenary speaker Alan Lambowitz (UT Austin)
Plenary talk: "The Evolution of Animal Segmentation and Body Patterning," by Nipam H. Patel, Howard Hughes Investigator and Professor of Genetics and Development and of Integrative Biology, University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Patel reported on his use of genetic studies in model organisms to understand the evolution of animal body plans.
Plenary talk: "The Future of Measuring Brain States and the Mind they Support" by P. Read Montague, Professor of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Montague described functional imaging of regions of the human brain involved in establishing trust, and applications of magnetic resonance imaging to understanding autism.
Door prize winners HAMBP predoc Benjamin Bammes (BCM), left, and Corwin Joy (Life Biosystems)
Nanobiology postdoc trainee Lavanya Rajagopalan (BCM)
CSBB predoc Suzanne Tomlinson introduces members of the second panel on “Biomedical Science 20 Years from Now: Visions and Possibilities”
From left: conference co-Chair Stan Watowich (UTMB), Kevin MacKenzie (RU), John Olson (RU), HAMBP predoc Mallory Salter (RU), and HAMBP predoc Megan Guelker (RU)
Panel on, “Biomedical Science 20 Years from Now: Visions and Possibilities”: from left Panel Chair Bob Wells (TAMU-Houston), and panel members Alan Lambowitz (UT Austin), Nipam Patel (UC Berkeley), Jason Shear (UT Austin), and Read Montague (BCM)
Dave Gorenstein (UTMB), left, and Neal Pellis (NASA-JSC)
Attendees from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas
From left: Pharmacoinformatics postdoc Hong Yang (UTMB) and colleague
From left: Nanobiology predoc Anne van de Ven (RU), HAMBP predoc Mike Perham (RU), and Nanobiology predocs Jennifer Jamison (RU), Carly Filgueira (RU), Gidon Ofek (RU), and Amarda Shehu (RU)
From left: Nanobiology postdoc Pam Constantinou (RU), Nanobiology postdoc Hugo Sanabria (UTHSC-H), unknown, and BMDTP postdoc Seth Tomchik (BCM)
From left: Dimitra Georgiou (BCM) and Nanobiology postdoc Panagiotis Katsonis (BCM)
From left: plenary speaker Nipam Patel (UC Berkeley) and conference co-Chair Stan Watowich (UTMB)
From left: GCC faculty members John MacMurray (MDACC), Jim Briggs (UH), and Ed Nikonowicz (RU)
From left: former NLM trainee Graham Randall, Nanobiology predoc Analette Lopez (UH), SCBMB trainee Amadeo Biter (BCM), former HAMBP trainee Char Hu (BCM), and former NLM trainee Matthew Ward (BCM)
Attendees from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas
Poster competition winners
Although there were only 3 "top team" poster awards planned, due to the large number of excellent presentations, 5 teams were selected to receive awards.
Poster competition winner Elizabeth Ostrowski (RU) (poster partner Kerry Fuson (UTMB) was unavailable for this photo) and conference co-Chair Ted Wensel (BCM)
From left: Poster competition winners Anup Parikh (BCM) and JJ Heyd (UTHSC-H), and conference co-Chair Ted Wensel (BCM)
From left: Poster competition winner Robert Malmstrom (UTMB) (poster partner Kim Mankiewicz (UTHSC-H) was unavailable for this photo) and conference co-Chair Ted Wensel (BCM)
From left: Poster competition winners Mike Marsh (BCM) and Pam Constantinou (RU), with conference co-Chair Ted Wensel (BCM)
From left: Poster competition winners Ke Zhang (BCM) and Gidon Ofek (RU), with conference co-Chair Ted Wensel (BCM)
Door prize winners Rashim Singh (UH, left) and Jian Li (BCM)
Door prize winners Oliver Hampton (BCM), left, and Anne van de Ven (RU) with conference co-Chair Ted Wensel (BCM)
Door prize winners Mark White (UTMB), left, and Elvira Kurmaeva (Stephen F. Austin State University), with conference co-Chair Ted Wensel (BCM)
Jie Fang (UH), won the Grand Prize, a Continental Airlines Travel Voucher for $300
One last chat before the conference is over: from left Kevin MacKenzie (RU) and Michael Schmid (BCM)
Looking ahead: Keck Annual Research Conference 2008 co-Chairs George Stancel (UTHSC-H), left, and Tim Palzkill (BCM)
The Gulf Coast Consortia/Keck Center: from left Dr. Cathy Higgins, Melissa Glueck, Deborah Miller, Lisa Blinn, and Karen Ethun
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