The EIC conference was a fantastic intellectual experience for me. The conference covered topics in both the clinical and fundamental research areas. The program was divided into different subjects, each subject starting with an overview presentation by an invited speaker, followed by short presentations on specific research being conducted within that subject. Of particular interest was a talk on the regulation of hepcidin by H3K9 acetylation and H3K4 methylation, as this was relevant to my research project (epigenetic regulation in iron-deficiency). Having spoken to the presenter, I may have obtained the possibility of collaboration with his group, which is based in the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (WIMM) here at Oxford. I am currently trying to set up a formal meeting with him to discuss this further.

My poster presentation was more successful this time than it was during the BioIron 2015 conference. I received many compliments on my current work, and many people expressed interest in my future endeavours and are looking forward to seeing these results, perhaps during the next Iron meeting, the BioIron 2017, in May next year. I still do feel, however, that the results presented during this EIC 2016 conference were mostly proof-of-principle type of data, and my research could attract more interest once I can show results that have a greater implication on differential gene regulation by iron-deficiency. I am happy to report that I have now received my first set of next generation sequencing results back, and am in the process of sifting through the data. My hope is that, by the next conference in 2017, I will be able to present this and other sequencing results, as well as preliminary results on the effects of differential gene expression on cardiac pathophysiology.

The conference as a whole was extremely useful for me. The lectures and presentations were very educational; above all, I now have a better understanding of the progress and difficulties of iron therapies and interventions in the clinical setting. Furthermore, not only did I meet new people, but I was also able to reconnect with some of the people I had met last year and to discuss their research with them further. Finally, knowing the general interests of the members in the iron field, I have a greater appreciation for what is lacking from my project in order to make it more relevant and interesting. This is something on which I will be working between now and the next conference!

Once again, I thank the members of the OMT for their generous support that made this experience possible for me.

Find out more about the range of travel grants and scholarships available to assist Univ students on our Travel Grants page or read further travel reports.

Published: 5 November 2016

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