The 2004 Experimental Biology Conference presented by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology was held in Washington, DC. The conference, titled “Translating the Genome,” took place in the new Washington Convention Center, a stunning and enormous new building.

Since I didn’t want to miss too many classes, I flew out to DC on Friday and returned home late Sunday evening. My trip consisted of only three short days. During the 45-mile ride in the taxicab from the airport to my hotel, I had the pleasure of seeing the beautiful green countryside. Everything in DC is so green and full of life. The weather was amazing -- clear, sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-eighties.

The next morning, we headed out for our six-block walk to the Washington Convention Center; I had a choice of attending numerous seminars and lectures given by chairmen on the FASEB board and other guest speakers. Three lectures sparked my interest: “Overview of Human Disease and the Role of the Immune System,” which discussed the different physiological mechanisms used by the immune response of the human body to battle different diseases; “Unraveling Cardiovascular Disease through Physiological Genomics,” which discussed the possible genes involved in predisposition for cardiovascular disease,” and “Lung Clearance and Disease,” which described the pathophysiological malfunctions of the lungs during different states, such as emphysema and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The speakers were interesting and informative
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After attending these lectures, we had the opportunity to do a bit of sightseeing. The city was beautiful, with its amazing architecture and green grass. We were able to see the White House, but could not get inside because its security status, which allowed only authorized people to enter. We also saw the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, State Capitol, World War II Memorial and numerous monuments, including the Washington Monument. Washington, DC is a beautiful city.

The next day, the poster presentations began. A number of the posters caught my attention. I was able to listen to some very interesting poster presentations, including presentations on: Stress, Mood, and Anatomic Function; Blood Brain Barrier; Liver Physiology and Pathophysiology; Microcirculation; Ion, Nutrient, and Metabolite Transporters; Immunoendocrinology; Lipids, Lipoprotein, and Cholesterol Metabolism; and more. There were so many interesting topics that I had to make difficult choices.

After browsing and listening to the poster presentations, I had some lunch and then it was our turn to present. We set up our poster and waited in anticipation for someone to come to our poster and display interest in our research. To our surprise, numerous people showed an abundance of interest in the “Influence of Prenatal Nicotine Exposure on Postnatal Development of Breathing Pattern” in neonatal rats. This research is quite interesting because we are the first lab to study the developmental influence of prenatal nicotine exposure on neonatal rats. We study the breathing pattern of these neonates over a period of 18 days. We were also amazed that so many people knew our PI, Dr. Ralph Fregosi. He is quite a popular research professor among research physiologists.

For three hours, we presented our research and answered numerous questions. We met some remarkable research scientists during this time and were amazed that they expressed interest in research conducted by two undergraduate students. They were quite impressed with our work and with the wonderful job that Dr. Fregosi has done in guiding the path for our success.

On the plane trip home, I was able to reflect on this amazing accomplishment. I was one of the few undergraduate students to attend the EB conference and to present data, which may play a significant role in contributing to and advancing research. It was exciting to present this data and to do what few undergraduate students have the opportunity to do. It was also wonderful to see that so many others hold the same passions and interests in research that I hold. I really felt at home and comfortable at this conference. I am grateful that I had this fantastic opportunity to attend the EB Conference. My only regret is that I could not spend more time enjoying the beautiful sites and listening to more late breaking abstracts. There is always next time!

Amanda R. Brown, UBRPer in Dr. Ralph Fregosi’s Respiratory Neurophysiology lab