The second annual spring symposium for the Molecular Mechanisms of Disease Pre-doctoral Training Program will take place April 22.

This training program prepares new scientists for professional careers in contemporary research on disease mechanisms, with a focus on building team-oriented skills for working at disciplinary boundaries and providing opportunities for communication, leadership and presentation.

The full day of events will take place in the Champions’ Club. Keynote seminars will feature two invited speakers. Celia Goulding, from the University of California – Irvine, will present a seminar titled “Structural insights into Mechanisms of Bacterial Survival.” John Denu, from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, will present “Newly Discovered Pathways that Regulate Metabolism and Healthy Aging.”

A complete list of symposium activities, including oral and poster presentations by the program trainees, can be found at http://mmod.unl.edu/annual-symposium.

Approximately 100 students, postdoctoral associates and faculty will be in attendance, with more than 50 student abstracts representing 32 different mentor labs in departments of biochemistry, chemistry, chemical and biomolecular engineering, biological systems engineering, animal sciences, school of biological sciences and food science and technology.

The purpose of the symposium is to foster interactions among faculty members, students and members of participating labs involved or interested in the study of disease mechanisms at the molecular level and to showcase the talent and potential within this exciting new graduate program.

Registration for the event is closed. If a person is interested in attending, please contact the program director, Melanie Simpson, at msimpson2@unl.edu.