“The discussion groups segued perfectly into the poster session that evening. After the abstract discussion session, there was an air of camaraderie and relief not usually evident at poster sessions. This was only enhanced by the opulent, open space at the Fairmont Hotel and the cocktails being served conveniently close to my poster. I have attended poster sessions before, but this was by far the most engaging and fun session I have ever experienced. The Foundation investigators also attended the cocktail/poster session, so it was the perfect opportunity to introduce myself to leaders in the field with my poster as a backdrop.
“I had a long discussion at my poster with Jane Buckner, MD, of the nearby Benaroya Research Institute, who happened to be the featured speaker, detailing her research career during the dinner that followed the poster session. The ballroom was magnificent, with gold-trimmed pillars and balconies, and I felt transported from Seattle to Spain. At that moment, I thought that I had singlehandedly vanquished the long and arduous Boston winter with my decision to apply for this workshop. By this point, the ACR Research Workshop and Foundation Investigators’ Meeting attendees had effectively merged into a single, well-fed group.
“The next morning, we resumed a relaxed poster session over breakfast, and I was able to visit the remaining posters and presenters I was unable to see the night before. The rest of the morning consisted of presentations from the Foundation investigators. It was impressive to see many diverse projects, ranging from basic science to clinical trials to biomarkers, in varying stages of development. In particular, I was intrigued to hear details of an ongoing clinical trial at the University of California, San Francisco on adalimumab and cardiovascular risk among RA patients given by Jonathan Graf, MD. Other highlights included an interesting talk on trogocytosis, the “shaving” of cell surface antigens, after rituximab by William Rigby, MD, and the preclinical development of autoimmunity in RA by Kevin Deane, MD, PhD, of the University of Colorado, Denver.
“The second afternoon of the workshop was devoted to career development strategies. Over lunch, we had a speed mentoring session followed by a series of lectures providing important practical advice on how to succeed in academics. There were two concurrent sessions—one aimed at fellows/residents and the other aimed at junior faculty. I must admit that I wish I had attended the fellow session one year earlier as a second-year fellow, because it directly addressed many research obstacles that I had grappled with by myself at that time. These topics included grantsmanship, preparing for the ACR Scientist Development Award, mentorship and advice on the NIH K award. The junior faculty session gave tips on the NIH R award as well as assembling collaborations and research teams. The entire workshop then regrouped to hear insider tips on study sections from Joan Bathon, MD, of Columbia University and negotiating academic jobs from Stephen Anderson, PhD, of the University of Colorado, Denver.
