Amy Sharkey
University of Oxford, UK

https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.92.8

As part of my intercalated medical degree, I recently completed a research project looking at the effect of neuronal stimulation on cardiomyocytes in neuronal-cardiomyocyte co-cultures. My lab encouraged me to apply for a Rob Clarke Abstract Award, in order to present my work as an undergraduate at IUPS 2013, and I was lucky enough to receive funding to attend the conference too.

At the conference I discovered Rob Clarke Abstract Awards had been granted to around 20 students from all over the world, providing a fascinating insight into how not only medicine but biomedical sciences and physiology are taught in different parts of the world. We presented our posters over two hours, to a panel of judges and also to several other eminent physiologists present at the conference.

Although the presentation initially seemed a daunting process, it was a joy to discuss my work with others interested in the same areas of research, and it was a great way of ascertaining new opinions as to future directions for my research.

The Rob Clarke Abstract Award also covered the cost of attending the congress dinner, which was a great night of food, drink and dancing, and also offered fantastic networking opportunities, as it was attended by scientists from across the globe. I would like to thank The Physiological Society for the opportunity to attend the conference, as well as my lab in Oxford DPAG and my tutors at St. Hugh’s College, Oxford, for supporting me.