Symposium Showcases Student Research

Its formal name is the 4th annual Temple Translational Science Symposium, but it’s easy to see why it could be referred to as “science speed dating.” 

“The purpose of this symposium is to showcase research being done by our MD and PhD students and post-doctoral fellows, but it also serves to connect researchers across our health system and foster new collaborations,” said Walter Koch, PhD, the William Wikoff Smith Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine, Professor and Chair of Pharmacology, and Professor and Director of Temple’s Center for Translational Medicine.

“This type of event is also part of the students’ training,” he continued. “It’s important for them to learn how to publicly talk about their science.”   

The centerpiece of the symposium, held on Sept. 8, was the presentation of 92 posters by students and fellows from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine and Fox Chase Cancer Center. Presenters stood in front of their posters and shared their research projects with 24 roaming judges and hundreds of symposium attendees. For two hours they had the chance to explain their research and hone their presentation skills.

“We spend so much time in the lab, so it’s nice to get out and see what everyone else is working on,” said Sarah Schumacher, PhD, a poster presenter and post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Koch’s lab. “It’s great to be exposed to Temple’s other research centers and see how departments are working together.”

Scott Shipman, a second-year medical student whose poster focused on surgical outcomes in Urology, commented on the importance of research for future physicians.

“The ability to understand research is critical to a practicing physician,” he said. “It’s great participating in this symposium, because it exposes you to a lot of research you wouldn’t otherwise know about. What we’re seeing here isn’t even in journals yet.”

The symposium also included a morning series of lectures by a variety of researchers from the Katz School of Medicine and Fox Chase Cancer Center and the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to Alfred Bove, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, who spoke about “Communication Technologies for Improving Health.”

And the Winners Were…

Post-doctoral fellows

Pooja Jadiya
Mentor: John Elrod
Temple Center for Translational Medicine

Rossella Tricarico
Mentor: Alfonso Bellacosa
Fox Chase Cancer Center

Claudio de Lucia
Mentor: Walter Koch
Temple Center for Translational Medicine

Sabrina Holland
Mentor: Gareth Thomas
Shriners Hospitals Pediatric Research Center

MD/PhD students

Jonathan Lambert
Mentor: John Elrod
Temple Center for Translational Medicine

Jessica Wagner
Mentor: Wafik El-Deiry
Fox Chase Cancer Center

Alexander Deneka
Fox Chase Cancer Center

Walker Lyons
Mentor: Konstanitnos Drosatos
Temple Center for Translational Medicine