Conference Summary
2007 International Gap Junction Conference
August 4-9, 2007, Elsinore, Denmark

Edward Parkin
PhD Candidate
Physiological Sciences GIDP

I would like to extend my thanks again to the committee for awarding me the Hebert E Carter Travel Award for this summer.

I used the award to travel to the 2007 International Gap Junction Conference, held every other year alternating between sites in Europe and North America. This year the conference was held in Helsingør, Denmark. Student Loans and travel awards enabled me to attend this conference, and as a 3rd year PhD student it was critical for me to meet the principle scientists in my field of Gap Junctions and Connexin physiology. This conference was held over 5 days; there were ~200 delegates, focusing on all areas of gap junction and connexin physiology. The opportunity to present my dissertation research and to receive critical feedback at this venue was invaluable.

The meeting was hosted within a hotel and conference center that provided all meals and session, which allowed an excellent opportunity to introduce myself to the scientists whose work I had read about and referenced, over breakfast, lunch, or dinner as well as at the seminar or poster sessions. The atmosphere throughout the conference was serious but informal, and I made a number of contacts that will be valuable at any stage in my career. The best programmatic feature of this conference was that there were no concurrent sessions, so I was able to attend every talk and poster session along with all members of the conference.

The primary reason I wanted to attend this conference, was to meet and interact with the principle investigators in my field. Another very strong goal to attending was to gain context for my dissertation research. The University of Arizona has a core group of scientist looking at connexin physiology that is an invaluable resource. This conference allowed to reach out and share my research project with scientists across the globe with interests ranging from biophysics to anatomy, and to glean a well-rounded framework of current connexin biology that would have been less clear by relying on published manuscripts alone. It reinforced the enthusiasm I have for my project, and allows me to plan and shape the final dissertation objectives to fit better with current science within the field.

I can't adequately articulate how important it was for my dissertation research, and future professional relationships, to have attended this conference as a doctoral candidate. The next conference is in 2009, when I hope to be in a post doctoral position.

Thank you.