Scientists from more than 50 labs at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation gathered this month for the foundation’s annual scientific retreat.
Held March 14-15, the event featured discussions and presentations of work by graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and senior scientists within each of OMRF’s five research programs.
“We look forward to this event every year because it gives us a chance to spend time together in one room and learn from each other in a way that’s not normally practical,” said Vice President of Research Courtney Griffin, Ph.D. “It’s human nature to be acutely driven in our own research projects. This retreat reminds us of the amazing science, unique ideas and scientific techniques emerging throughout the foundation, which can inform and inspire us in new ways.”
Two scientists shared the William G. Thurman Award for Outstanding Research Assistant Professor. They are: Yen Chun Ho, Ph.D., a scientist in the lab of Sathish Srinivasan, Ph.D.; and Jacob Brown, a scientist in the lab of Holly Van Remmen, Ph.D.
Senior scientists also recognized their junior colleagues’ work. The award for best postdoctoral researcher paper went to Huiping Shi, Ph.D., a scientist in the lab of Lijun Xia, M.D., Ph.D., chair of OMRF’s Cardiovascular Biology Research Program.
Postdoctoral researchers are scientists conducting research after finishing their doctoral studies and pursuing further training and a well-defined career path. This period is similar to a clinical residency for medical students. Other postdoctoral and graduate students presented their research in the form of posters. Postdoctoral winners (and their supervising senior scientist) were:
- Walker Hoolehan, Ph.D., from the lab of Bill Freeman, Ph.D.
- Melinda Wu, Ph.D., from the lab of OMRF Vice President of Research Courtney Griffin, Ph.D.
- Bharath Rathnakar, Ph.D., from the lab of Lorin Olson, Ph.D.
Graduate student winners (and their supervising senior scientist) were:
- Keaton Minor, from the lab of Chi Fung Lee, Ph.D.
- Rahul Rajala, from Griffin’s lab
- Parker Kneis, from the lab of Tommy Lewis, Ph.D.
OMRF hosts about two dozen graduate students from Poland through its Visiting Research Graduate Traineeship/BioLAB Program. The winning poster from this group was submitted by Magdalena Makuch, from the lab of Umesh Deshmukh, Ph.D.
