May 2, 2022

LMP celebrates diverse research at in-person conference

Programs: Graduate, Programs: MHSc Lab Medicine, Programs: Postgraduate, Research: Artificial Intelligence in healthcare

A large room where people are listening to a presentation

Dr. Michael Ohh opening the LMPRC 2022

“The exciting thing about this conference is that we get to hear about the fascinating research our trainees, residents, and faculty are doing. We get to see that first-hand, speak to them, and learn from them,” said Dr. Michael Ohh, Vice Chair Education in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, after he opened the first LMP research conference (LMPRC) since 2019.

Over 300 registered to attend the day filled with oral presentations and posters from learners across graduate and postgraduate programs, and talks from invited faculty such as keynote speaker, Dr. Sonya MacParland.

A busy product show had several life science companies, such as Cedarlane, interacting with attendees and giving out freebies. Alumni and friends attended to give group mentoring sessions and career talks.

The atmosphere was electric in the poster rooms and many agreed it was a highly valuable experience to see the diversity of research currently being conducted in LMP.

Dr. Sonya MacParland gives the keynote address

LMPRC organizing committee member and PhD candidate, Maryam Khalil, particularly enjoyed the oral presentations: “It gives us a chance to understand what they’re doing in the lab and what new research is going on in LMP.”

“I saw a lot of excellent research in different areas. Hearing from the fantastic presenters makes me feel that this is the best place to learn, to collaborate and to advance fundamental and translational research,” said Hematopathology resident, Qianghua Zhou.

There was much excitement in the air as many met each other for the first time in person. “Being in person and seeing people in three dimensions was definitely an exciting part of today,” said MSc candidate, Matt Renaud.

8 oral presentations were given by learners, and 94 abstracts were submitted with awards presented to the top presentations and posters.

Thank you to the organizing committee

The committee led the day but we also must thank the large number of volunteers who helped on the day as judges, mentors and more!

Graduate students: Emily Foster; Rupal Hatkar; Maryam Khalil; Negar Khosraviani; Atefeh Mohammadi; Kuganya Nirmalarajah; Siobhan Wilson
Post-graduate learners: Youheng (Henry) Xie
Staff: Jenni Bozec; Nelson Cabral; Ian Marquez; Paula Nixon; Emma Sanchez-Swaren; Brandon Wells

Oral presentations

There was a tie for the oral presentation, so a joint prize was issued to:

Tarlan Kehtari, MSc candidate in Joanne McLaurin’s Lab for her presentation on ‘In vivo direct reprogramming of reactive astrocytes to neurons in a rat model of Alzheimer's Disease'.

Gemma Kabeya and Gabrielle Retta from the Translational Research Program (TRP) for their presentation on ‘The Black Birthing Experience Project (BBEP)’.

Brain and Neuroscience

Joseph Hannah, PhD candidate in Carol Shuurmans Lab: ‘PTEN controls the timing of photoreceptor development in part through its regulation of glycolytic flux’.

Cancer, Development and Aging

Richard Huang, MSc candidate in Michael Ohh’s lab: ‘The characterization of a cellular and animal model for clear cell renal cell carcinoma’.

Cardiovascular, Physiology and Metabolism

Erika Jang, PhD candidate in Warren Lee’s lab: ‘IL-1β induces LDL transcytosis via LDLR and RAB27A: implications for atherosclerosis’.

Molecular and Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Coulter Montague, MSc candidate in Michael Laflamme’s lab: ‘Scalable maturation of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes using a high-density adherent scaffold bioreactor’.