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Getting to know you: IDRM DPhil students showcase their projects to researchers across the institute
The IDRM is home to three research themes; neurology, cardiology and immunology. Our mission is to develop interdisciplinary research programmes across these themes by providing an environment that promotes scientific collaboration and broadens horizons across disciplines. To this end, our research staff and students gathered together in mid-April for our first ‘Getting to Know Each Other’ event of 2024. This event focused on showcasing the cutting-edge science being carried out across the institute by some of the institute’s DPhil students with the aim of fostering cross-theme discussions and building connections, and included talks, a poster session and a networking lunch.
The event was kicked off with introductions from Professor Paul Riley, Professor Georg Holländer and Associate Professor Carlo Rinaldi . They introduced the research groups and themes from each of our three floors, as well as highlighting the world class technology and equipment housed within the IDRM that facilitates institute research. The students then took the floor, each delivering an engaging and informative five-minute overview of their individual research projects. The audience participated by asking insightful questions that allowed the students to delve deeper into the underlying science or specific techniques they had used.
This was the first chance some of the students had been given to present their data outside of lab meetings; for others further into their DPhil programmes, presenting to an audience wider than their specific research theme gave them another opportunity to develop their communication skills. Experienced or not, the students kept the audience engaged, with each giving an excellent insight into their research.
For those that didn’t have the opportunity to speak on this occasion, a poster session was run during the networking lunch. This enabled other DPhil students to present their work and stimulate discussions between researchers, with some conversations continuing after the event had come to an end.
After the final presentation, attendees were invited to vote for the talk and the poster they felt were the most engaging, with well-presented data. The winners were announced the following day and each were awarded with a gift voucher:
- Best presentation: Jack Saunders from Professor Tereasa Lambe’s group (Oxford Vaccine Group)
- Best poster: Liliana (Lili) Som from Dr Nicola Smart’s group (Cardiology)
Both were worthy winners and you can read more about Jack’s and Lili’s research on our featured member profile page. Our thanks go to all our students that participated, it was only a success because of them.
Our next ‘Getting to Know Each Other’ event will take place in the autumn and will highlight a cross section of the work being carried out by postdoctoral researchers and research assistants throughout the three themes. We are already looking forward to it.