Research Center News: Events
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2011
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Biomedical Research Symposium
The third annual Biomedical Research Symposium, presented and organized by research center graduate students, postdoctoral and clinical fellows was held to great success on September 9, 2011. This event showcased the ongoing research conducted by the trainees at the research center.
Guests from Chicago-area universities, including new graduate students from the Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (NUIN), the Integrated Graduate Program in the Life Sciences (IGP) and the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) listened to presentations, viewed scientific posters and
interacted with other members of the biomedical science community.
The day began with oral presentations selected from submitted abstracts. At noon, Ross Cagan, PhD gave the Bernard L. Mirkin Honorary Lecture on “A Drosophila approach to cancer and diabetes therapeutics”. The trainees then competed in a poster session. A reception and awards ceremony followed.
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From left: Jessica Naiditch, MD, Ben Yang, Sarah Mercer, Rodney Dale, PhD, Jennifer Krcmery, Ross Cagan, PhD, Vanessa Montoya, Hans-Georg Simon, PhD, Sean Chen, Jorge Cantu.
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The poster winners were:
Staff: Sean Chen, laboratory of Jhumku Kohtz, PhD (Developmental Biology Program); Ben Yang, laboratory of Yong-Chao Ma, PhD (Developmental Biology Program)
Junior graduate students: Sarah Mercer, laboratory of Hans-Georg Simon, PhD (Developmental Biology Program); Vanessa Montoya, laboratory of Nikia Laurie, PhD (Cancer Biology and Epigenomics Program)
Senior graduate students: Jorge Cantu, laboratory of Jacek Topczewski, PhD (Developmental Biology Program); Jennifer Krcmery, laboratory of Hans-Georg Simon, PhD
Postdoctoral associate: Rodney Dale, PhD, laboratory of Jacek Topczewski, PhD
Clinical fellow: Jessica Naiditch, MD, laboratory of Mary Beth Madonna, MD (Cancer Biology and Epigenomics Program).
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Learn more about the Training Program at the research center.
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The Center for Reproductive Science at Northwestern University held its 31st Annual Minisymposium on Reproductive Biology on April 12, 2011.
The work of Jerry Rhee, PhD, postdoctoral associate in the laboratory of Philip Iannaccone, MD, PhD was selected to appear on the program cover.
Cover Photograph courtesy of the Iannaccone Lab: Images from top to bottom
1) The first two images are a close-up view near the central vessel of the 12dpc gonad shown in the bottom row. The last two are close-up views of a different gonad stained for Quaking5 (red) and PECAM (green) to show differences in Qk5 nuclear localization in germ cells and different PECAM membrane distributions in a putative female gonad.
2) Bigger views of a different 12dpc gonad stained for pan-Laminin (Sigma, red) and PECAM to highlight boundary between mesonephros and gonad.
3) Wide-field views of 12dpc gonad stained for PECAM (Pharmingen, green) and Quaking5 (Bethyl, Polyclonal)
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2010
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Biomedical Research Symposium
Friday, September 10, 2010
The second annual Biomedical Research Symposium presented and organized by research center graduate students, postdoctoral and clinical fellows was held on September 10, 2010. This event showcased the ongoing research at the research center.
Guests from Chicago-area universities, including new graduate students from NUIN, IGP and MSTP listened to presentations, viewed scientific posters and interacted with other members of the biomedical science community.
The day began with oral presentations selected from submitted abstracts. At noon, the Bernard L. Mirkin Honorary Lecture was presented by Kenneth Cadigan, who spoke on "Regulation of gene expression by the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway". The trainees then competed in a poster session, with a reception and awards ceremony following.
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Kenneth Cadigan, PhD,
Associate professor,
Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology,
University of Michigan
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The poster winners were:
- Staff: Kristin Kalita, laboratory of Christopher Payne, PhD (Human Molecular Genetics Program)
- Junior graduate students: Austin Gillen, laboratory of Ann Harris, PhD (Human Molecular Genetics Program); Catherine Willis, laboratory of Michael Klüppel, PhD (Human Molecular Genetics Program)
- Senior graduate students: Diana Himmelstein, laboratory of Jhumku Kohtz, PhD (Developmental Biology Program); Grant Parker Flowers, laboratory of Jacek Topczewski, PhD (Developmental Biology Program)
- Postdoctoral fellows: Rudyard Sadleir, PhD, laboratory of Hans-Georg Simon, PhD (Developmental Biology Program); Rodney Dale, PhD, laboratory of Jacek Topczewski, PhD
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Silverstein emphasizes the importance of science education
View a segment of Silverstein's lecture to C2ST (Windows Media Player)
On March 11, 2010, Samuel Silverstein, MD, the John C. Dalton Professor of Physiology and Cellular Biophysics and Professor of Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, met at the research center with program administrators from Illinois universities, consortia, corporations and non-profit entities to discuss the possibility of launching a training program.
In 1990, Silverstein started the Summer Research Program for Science Teachers at Columbia to give middle- and high-school science teachers in New York City experience in research laboratories. His intention was to provide teachers with experience that would improve the quality of science teaching and ultimately lead to an increase in student interest and achievement. In addition to being mentored by bench scientists, the teachers participate in a rigorous professional development series.
So far, the program has been a success: To earn a high school diploma in New York state, students must pass several Regents exams, one of them in science. Teachers who participated in the Columbia program for more than one year saw their students’ passing rates go from about 45% to over 50%. The pass rate jumped to 10% higher for students of teachers who were in the program for three or more years compared to students of non-participating teachers.
A lively discussion among the meeting participants probed the challenges of obtaining buy-in from key parties (Chicago Public Schools administrators, teachers and universities), attracting funding and measuring outcomes. Silverstein argued that Chicago has an invaluable, unvalued resource in its rich array of institutions and faculty. He proposed that these resources be utilized to develop a Chicago program.
The meeting was followed by a public lecture at C2ST, the Chicago Council on Science and Technology, which “works to enhance public understanding of important science and technology issues critical to the health and well-being of our community”.
2009
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Children’s Memorial Research Center held its first Biomedical Research Symposium on September 18, 2009. Organized by members of the research center’s Pre- and Postdoctoral Training Program and its director, Hans-Georg Simon, PhD, the all-day event featured talks by trainees, a keynote speaker, poster session with an awards presentation and a reception. D. Woodrow Benson, MD, PhD, Director of Cardiovascular Genetics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, presented the Bernard L. Mirkin, PhD, MD Honorary Lecture. Northwestern University students, scientists from several Chicago universities and Children’s Memorial Hospital clinicians were among the attendees at the event. |
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Celebrating Bernard L. Mirkin, PhD, MD The memory and special contributions of Bernard L. Mirkin, PhD, MD, were celebrated during the unveiling of his portrait at Children’s Memorial Research Center on May 6, 2009. Dr. Mirkin, the founding director of the research center, was remembered by his colleagues, family and friends. Speaking to the audience, Mary J.C. Hendrix, PhD, President and Scientific Director of the research center, commented on his career, vision and humanitarian work. “He left an indelible mark on the lives of countless individuals whom he helped,” Hendrix said. Patrick Magoon, President and CEO of Children’s Memorial Hospital, spoke of Dr. Mirkin’s exceptional attitude of caring towards his colleagues, demonstrated by his willingness to share personal stories and ask questions about others, and by his insistence that colleagues be inquisitive about their own lives and work. Thomas Green, MD, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and a former mentee of Dr. Mirkin, called him “one of the original translational scientists,” committed to excellence in science and to improving the care of children. Dr. Mirkin’s widow, Sarah, emphasized the importance he placed on scientists’ abilities to operate not in silos but across areas of investigation. She stressed that the research center would not have existed without the vision of the Children’s Memorial Hospital leadership combined with Dr. Mirkin’s determination to make it a reality.
Following the remarks, Hendrix introduced the artist, Richard Halstead and the frame designer, Christopher Cismesia. A reception followed the unveiling. The portrait has been hung in the Wolfson Conference room at the research center’s Halsted Street building.
For more photos from this event click here. |
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Research Scholars Day 2009
The Department of Pediatrics at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, in association with Children’s Memorial Research Center, hosted the 5th annual Research Scholars Day on May 11, 2009. Postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows, graduate students and staff members showcased their research with poster presentations. Posters were evaluated by a team of judges, and winners were presented with awards at a reception:
1ST YEAR FELLOW: Monica Shah, MD – Neonatology (Mentor: Kathryn Farrow, MD, PhD)
2ND YEAR FELLOW: Kerri Machut, MD – Neonatology (Mentor: Raye-Ann deRegnier, MD)
3RD YEAR FELLOW: Jennifer Desireddi, MD – Neonatology (Mentor: Paul Schumacker, PhD)
MEDICAL/GRADUATE STUDENT: Kelly Bergmann – Neonatology (Mentor: Isabelle De Plaen, MD)
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW: Aleksandra Glavaski-Joksimovic, PhD – Neurobiology (Mentor: Martha C. Bohn, PhD)
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2008
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Research Scholars Day 2008
Children's Memorial Research Center and Children's Memorial Hospital hosted the 4th annual Research Scholars Day on May 13, 2008. Postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows, graduate students and research technicians showcased their research with poster presentations. Peter F. Whitington, MD, director, Siragusa Transplantation Center; Sally Burnett Searle Professor of Pediatrics and Transplantation, and professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, presented the keynote address. Posters were evaluated by a team of judges, and the winners were presented with awards at a reception.
Many thanks go to the event's organizers:
Denise Goodman, MD
Daniel Abbott, MD
Sara Ahlgren, PhD
Caleb Bailey, PhD
Denise Lilly
Yolanda Palmer
Read about Research Scholars Day award winners. |
The Children's Memorial Research Center's Research Progress Reports and Distinguished Lecturer Seminar series have been approved for Continuing Medical Education credits by Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine's CME Review Committee. Each participant will receive a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s) TM per lecture.
The Seminars and Research Progress Reports are scheduled for Wolfson Lecture Hall at 2430 N. Halsted St.
To view scheduled seminars, refer to the events bar on the right side of the Research Center's website.
Please contact Yolanda Palmer at ypalmer@childrensmemorial.org or 773 755-6384 if you have questions about the CME program.
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