I was delighted to attend the BALR Summer Meeting in September 2019, supported by a £125 BALR travel bursary. The meeting showcased the very best in respiratory research, and was an incredibly valuable and educational experience. The wide variety of topics covering a range of disciplines greatly enhanced my knowledge of current topics in respiratory research, including new research techniques. As a training physician scientist, I found the discussions around the potential clinical applications of the scientific research presented particularly interesting, and the meeting left me feeling inspired to continue my own academic career.
In addition to having the high quality presentations from leaders in respiratory research, the BALR Summer Meeting was a platform for early career researchers to showcase their work. I was honoured to be selected to share data from my own research on mesenchymal G protein signalling in lung development and repair in the PhD student competition. The audience was engaged and asked interesting questions, and gave me incredibly useful feedback on my work. I am very grateful to the BALR for the opportunity to present my work at this national meeting.
Between the spoken sessions there were also opportunities for discussions with other respiratory researchers at the poster area. These were excellent opportunities to make new professional connections, with a view to collaborations on future projects. I found these individual conversations incredibly useful to gain advice and suggestions regarding my own project, as well as sharing my own expertise with others. The environment of the meeting encouraged collaboration and discussion, and although this was my first BALR meeting I felt fully integrated into the BALR community.
Overall, the 2019 BALR Summer Meeting was an excellent experience, and I enthusiastically recommend attendance at future meetings for respiratory researchers both at early career and more advanced levels.
Dr Amanda Goodwin - Clinical Research Fellow, University of Nottingham