Hayley Moyer is a rising senior majoring in Biology. She was awarded a Summer 2018 Conference Grant which she used to attend the Experimental Biology Conference.
If you’d have told me when I started college that I’d find a home in a renal physiology research lab by the end of my undergraduate career, I wouldn’t have believed you. I never in a million years considered research to be something I could actually conduct and present to others myself. While I’d always loved science, I was sometimes intimidated by its uncertain, always-developing nature. Three years into my undergraduate career, however, here I am with two solid years of research under my belt, planning to continue my investigations into my senior year and even possibly beyond.
I became involved in undergraduate research after deciding to challenge myself to push my limits, put myself out there, and attempt something completely new. I came in with a clean slate – no formal research experience to my name. With the help of my mentor and other undergraduate students in my lab, however, I quickly learned the ropes and began to conduct experiments for my individual investigation.
My mentor, Dr. Brandi Wynne, studies the effects of increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in salt-sensitive hypertension. Within the scope of her big idea, she helped me develop my investigation of the underlying signaling mechanisms connecting the elevated cytokine levels (observed in a subset of hypertensive patients) to increased sodium reabsorption in the kidney and ultimately to increased blood pressure.
In addition to helping me grow as a scientist by training me to run experiments, connect ideas, think critically, and analyze data, Dr. Wynne has played an instrumental role in helping me develop as a person. I certainly did not expect to grow so much as an individual as a result of this opportunity, but participating in undergraduate research for the past two years has truly made an impact on my student experience at Emory.
With my time spent in lab, I have grown to be a more independent, free thinker, an innovator, and a problem solver. I have also been fortunate to have had the opportunity to present my work at a few different research conferences, too. The most recent convention I attended was the Experimental Biology Conference (EB), which is an international meeting attended by thousands of scientists from around the globe.
This year EB was held in San Diego. The annual meeting boasted 14,000 attendees this year with 925 speakers, 437 oral sessions, and 521 poster sessions with primary focuses in the areas of anatomy, biochemistry, molecular biology, investigative pathology, nutrition, pharmacology, and physiology. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to present my research in the American Physiological Society’s Undergraduate division, where I competed in the poster competition and ultimately came home with two awards for my work!
While competing was one of the highlights of the trip, the EB conference was also an incredible opportunity to explore all kinds of research happening around the globe. I not only learned about protocols and data that supported ideas within my own investigations, but I also was able to explore completely new and exciting research areas, too! Conferences are a great chance to meet and network with people from all fields, even those outside academia. I met a number of amazing individuals on my trip, and I learned even more from my encounters with each of them.
Overall, participating in research at Emory has had a tremendously positive impact on my undergraduate career. Not only have I grown as both a scientist and an individual, but I have also been able to continue my passion for learning and exploration. My experience at EB this spring has re-ignited my curiosity and quest for knowledge, and I am so eager to begin my summer research fellowship with this spirit in mind.
Visit the Undergraduate Research Programs website to learn more about applying for Conference Grants.
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