Agustin Alejandro Martinez Chibly Conference Summary

Agustin Alejandro Martinez Chibly Conference Summary

Agustin Alejandro Martinez Chibly
Ph.D. Candidate
Cancer Biology GIDP

Conference Summary
GRC Salivary Glands & Exocrine Biology Meeting
Galveston TX
February 15-20, 2015

I recently attended the Gordon Conference in Salivary Glands and Exocrine Biology meeting, which was held in Galveston, TX the past February 15th- 20th, 2015. This meeting focuses on several aspects of biology of secretory organs, such as development, maintenance, function and repair. Despite its relatively small size, this meeting brings together top scientists and clinicians from around the world working on the salivary gland and other exocrine organs. Moreover, a unique aspect of the meeting is that it allows for the development of liaisons between experienced and new researchers, students, clinicians, and basic scientists. Indeed, I was able to network with the most renowned scientists in the field, as well as with other students and postdoctoral fellows. These interactions were in fact one of the most enriching and educational factors of the meeting, not only because they greatly improved my learning experience, but also because they turned into potential opportunities for career development.

The sessions were diverse but specific to salivary glands and/or exocrine biology, which was a great opportunity for me to broaden my knowledge in the field. Also, the unique design of the Gordon conference allowed me to attend every session in the program, without feeling overwhelmed or uninterested. On February 18th and 19th, I presented a poster about how cell polarity in salivary progenitors can be used as a target for regeneration. The poster included data from a paper I published recently, as well as preliminary data from my PhD research proposal. Many researchers, including experienced investigators, postdocs, and students, showed interested on my project and provided with excellent feedback, suggestions, or compliments.

Overall this has been a great experience and a huge opportunity for developing my career. I am grateful for the support provided by the H.E. Carter Travel Award to help fund my travel to the Gordon Conference in Salivary Glands and Exocrine Biology 2015.