Joshua Uhlorn Conference Summary
Joshua Uhlorn
Ph.D. Candidate
Physiological Sciences
Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions
New Orleans, LA
September 5-8, 2019
As a recipient of the Summer 2019 Herbert E. Carter Travel Award, I was able to attend Hypertension 2019 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans. Hypertension Scientific Sessions is unique, in that it is small enough to maintain focus on a particular disease, but large enough to cover all clinical and scientific aspects of that disease. During the conference I presented a poster titled, “Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of CD4+ T Cells to Identify Sex Differences in Angiotensin II Signaling Pathways” and was a recipient of the onsite poster presentation award. During my presentation I was able to thoroughly discuss details of my work to the judges and received constructive feedback on current interpretations of my research and future experiments that should be done to strengthen my work.
Another benefit of attending the conference was the time I was able to interact with graduate student peers and professors. The conference included a Trainee Advocacy Session and a Trainee Mixer where I was able to learn about current programs within the American Heart Association designed to assist my career progression, as well as interact informally with graduate students in my field from around the nation. Developing a network of peer contacts will allow for future collaborations and career advancements as we begin academic and industry positions post-graduation. Further, I was able to attend numerous talks on research related to my current focus: the influence of the immune system in hypertension. Through interaction with the principal investigators following the talks I was able to establish a connection and display my interest in the work they are conducting should I decide to pursue a post-doctoral degree in their laboratory.
Clearly, attending Hypertension Scientific Sessions positively impacted my current research and my future career and I am grateful the Herbert E. Carter Travel Award made my attendance possible.