Danny and Stemmy go to Boston for SCIENCE!!!!, Day 5

*Sigh*, so it's come time for Stemmy and I to wrap up our amazing trip to Boston for the ISSCR conference.  It was a great time, we had a blast, learned a ton, got a ton, and even made some contacts for potential post-docs.  However, through all that, I'm missing my girls and am ready to go back to good old SA.

Dr. Chambers from Edinburgh.  Yes, I took his picture because he has a Scottish accent.  I don't care that you can't tell since it's a picture.  That's him and he talks awesome.

For lunch, instead of just having  lunch at a round table as I did on Thursday (or buy overpriced sausage as yesterday) there was the so-called 'career panel', a group of researchers from various backgrounds in science doing a Q&A.  Though there were a lot more A's than Q's.  In other words, they spoke a great deal and answered very few questions.  On top of that, they did not answer my question :( .  Sad times, but free lunch.

Panel introductions; the phone number was for texting questions via Google voice.  Pretty cool.

Meat spice from a Kansas City, MO based lab cabinet company.  Yes, it's sad that it isn't Texas, but the representative grew up in SA, so I guess that's something.

Final plenary session was pretty awesome; all about making tissues and organs from stem cells.  A lot of matrix and scaffold based tissue growing stuff.  Really cool.  Very exciting.

The final talk; the only one titles as a "Keynote" by Eric Lander, one of the founders of the Whitehead institute at MIT, an integral part of the Human Genome Project.

And thus ends a great conference and a wonderful trip.  There was a little 'social reception' at the end of the talks that wasn't very interesting.  Similar to the Junior Social Night on Wednesday, but not as fun because there were the full professors.  So we headed back to the hotel with our swag and to get some noms.  Yeeeaaaaaa.

Once again, Stemmy insists on trying to eat all the pizza.  Ordered from a local place rather than a chain, really good.

Soooooooooo, this being the last day of the conference, exhibitors were anxious to get rid of their various stuff.  Long story short, I have 7 ISSCR tote bags.  Should've gotten more...... good for groceries.  So, anyone back at home was a bag?  I've got a couple extras.

Thus ends the conference, our trip, and my diary thereof.  I hope that it was an enjoyable little aside from your days to read my random ramblings.  Until next time, I'm out!

Danny and Stemmy go to Boston for SCIENCE!!!!!, day 4

Ahhhhhhh, trip winding down for us after a wonderful couple of days.  Very dense conference with a lot of wonderful information.  Unfortunately, at this point, Stemmy and I are both getting rather tired.  Not of the science, don't get me wrong, just exhausted.  Early mornings and late nights take their toll.

Stemmy is just exhausted.  Can't even keep his head/body up.

Yes.  Of course, now he's awake.  As soon as you bring out food his eyes light up.

 One of the best sessions of talks today was, I thought, on cancer stem cells.  Naturally a very important subject for me personally.  Some disagreed.

Melanoma lecture.  Stemmy approves.

He does not approve of cancer stem cell lectures.

After a good long day of various sciencing, time to relax a bit at the hotel.  I went for a swim.  Stemmy came along, but unfortunately can't swim on account of he has no arms.  Or legs.  Or a brain.  Not much of anything, really.  He'd probably differentiate if he hit the water.

Very nice pool.  Totally gotta get in with the kickboards.  Super awesome.

Sooooooo we still needed dinner.  Unfortunately the 'dinner' provided by the conference was cheese and vegetables.  Not so good for me.  Option?  Chinese food.  Noms. 

Stemmy approves.  He can smell it.  Even without a nose.  Pretty impressive.

King of the sesame chicken.  It's ok, i just grab him and move him off.  I've cool like that.

Holy crap giant eggroll!!!  It's bigger than Stemmy!!!  And it was really good.  But it's gone now.  Stemmy probably ate it.  Whole.  Looked good.

Only a day and a half ish left.  Unfortunate; the science is awesome and this hotel is amazing.  I miss the fiancee and the pup pup though.  Can't wait to get back to them.  Bye until tomorrow!

Danny and Stemmy go to Boston for SCIENCE!!!!!, Day 3

Ahhhhh..... day 2 of the conference and day 3 of our trip.  Stemmy and I had an interesting time this day.  It was a unique one; expert lunch for us "lowly" students/young PIs and a fun night out at a local pub.  Good times.  But, as always, we must start at the beginning:  the morning.

Morning coffee (for those who partake).  Neither stemmy nor I are among them.  Still really impressive.

Nice panorama of the main hall for lectures.  Like I said before, absolutely enormous.

Nearly front row seats for Stemmy and I.

Yamanaka and Jaenisch.  Jaenisch was the chair of this initial talk group.

An unfortunately sideways Dr. Jaenisch.

A sideways Dr. Jaruhisa Inoue discussing Parkinson's and Alzheimer's

 After talks, we had our lunch with the expert thing.  I got to sit in with Stephen Minger, a high-level executive for GE healthcare.  AKA BFD.  Interesting guy, very fun to talk to.  Incidentally, also managed to chat with a couple of people for potential post-docs.  Afterwards, on to poster sessions and more exhibit visitation.

OMG the food will be MIIIIIINNNNEEEE!!  So hungry it's ridiculous.

So this booth has cheese and beer.  I hung out awhile.

 Quick stop at the hotel to get ready for the Junior social night a couple miles away.

Stemmy got his swag on!!  Including another shirt!

Hallway of the Quincy Marketplace on the way to the Junior Researcher social event.... thing.

Yes.  They made a special drink just for us.  Not supreme, but not terrible.

And end of day.  Late night on account of the social night but certainly worth it, just hoping that getting up isn't too big of a deal.  Bye until tomorrow!!

Danny and Stemmy go to Boston for SCIENCE!!!, Day 2

Yippie skippie!!  Time for day 2 of our Boston trip!  This is technically the first official day of ISSCR, just got here last night for the early badge pick-up and to try and catch the early events.  Overall a good day; today was my poster presentation, which went well, and first day of the exhibitors means plenty of SWAG!!!!!

Ready at the convention entrance!  Huzzah!

Lunch on our own??????  NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

It's a good thing we got the badge early; that line looks like it suuuuuuucks.  Incidentally, there are currently around 3400 people in attendance.  Pretty impressive.

 For the start of the day, Stemmy and I went to a pannel discussion on the ethics regarding use of somatic cell donation samples (including organ tissues) for iPSC generation.  Asked a couple of questions, went really well and was very interesting.  Afterwards was lunch break.

Stemmy the drunk has to go here.  I said no.  In a food court where a small salad is $8, we can wait until later.

 After lunch it's time for talks!!!  YAY SCIENCE!!!!  Just quick half hour ones (if even) not meant for questions but more as overviews

Good seat.  This hall is enormous.  Easily accommodated everyone present.

Dr. Yamanaka; the stem cell version of a rock star.  Nobel Prize winner last year for first development of induced pluripotent stem cells.  Incidentally first presented at an ISSCR conference.

One of the slides from Yamanaka's talk.

Presentation of the McEwan award for innovation to James Thompson (first person to culture human ES cells)

Doug Melton, diabetes researcher

Melton's title page

Deval Patrick, MA governor speaking on behalf of the state and hundreds of millions of $$$ for research.

 Post initial talks in the afternoon, it was time to set out on a journey of self-discovery.  Nah, I'm kidding, it's time for EXHIBITION SWAG!!!!!!

Stemmy wanted to hit all the booths, but there's just not enough time.

 Back to talks for the afternoon; not too many of interest, but one big one!

George Daley of Boston Children's Hospital.  Another rock star in the field.  He's the guy news organizations go to when stories on stem cells hit.

 After a long day of talks, exhibitors, and poster presenting (which went decently well, but no pictures allowed), it was back to the hotel.

Stemmy wanted to count swag.  Decent haul, but not much substantial.  Got a shirt with a sheep on it, though.

Long story short, the only substantial food served was during the poster session.  I presented the first hour, so by the end of said time all the food was gone.  Added to not wanting to pay $8 for an effing salad, and Danny orders Domino's from a 4 star hotel.  Cause that's how he rolls.  Also, hotel room service was more expensive than the center.

And thus ends day 2 of our diary.  Tomorrow are sessions I get to pick, lunch with an expert (hopefully provided -.-) and a social night at a pub once all the excitement is over.  Bye until then!

Danny and Stemmy Go To Boston for SCIENCE!!!!, Day 1

This is a huge week for me.  Not only me, but big for the entirety of the stem cell research collective.  This is the week of the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) annual meeting.  I say, however, that it is important for me particularly since I'm a 4th year PhD student.  The program I'm in is meant to be 5 years total (I'm looking at about 5.5 at present time, based on how my work is progressing) and afterwards going onto other things, namely postdoctoral fellowships and the like.  In order to get postdocs, however, one needs to know people, and conferences such as this are enormously important for getting people who have positions available to know who I am and what I've done.  Like I said, extremely important.  That being said, it's 4 days jam packed with SCIENCE in a gorgeous city.  And hopefully the conference has food.  Because I have no money, on account of getting here.  So here's the first day of my and Stemmy's trip to Boston (and yes, it takes a lot of willpower to not type Baaahhhhhstin.)

OH RIGHT!  Forgot to mention.  Stemmy is a plush stem cell.  Not an embryonic stem cell like I work with, but a hematopoietic stem cell (see below), which give rise to blood cells.  It's one of several adult stem cells; that is, cells in grown organisms still capable of differentiation and renewal.

Cells like stemmy keep your blood up!

Alright, moving right along.

Stemmy and I waiting at the airport to head to DFW.

On the plane at DFW, Stemmy starts eyeing my lunch.... totes not cool.  Airport food is expensive.

NOOOOOOOOOOOO MY PRETZEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH BURRRRRIIIIIIITOOOOO!!!!!!  Thankfully he wasn't a huge fan.

He liked this blown glass sculpture just outside the gate at Logan Airport in Boston.  Just cause he lives in media he thinks he's a fish.  Totes not cool.

Very excited to see the official ISSCR poster  by the  baggage claim.  Though we both wondered if anyone else really cared.  There were other posters for a Red Hat (hacker) convention in town too.  Thought about skipping SCIENCE.  For like TWO SECONDS!!!  Pah!

 After the hotel, a quick bus ride took us to the hotel.  Some organization was even paying the fares for people coming from the airport, so pretty much greatest airport to staying trip EVAR.

King size bed.  Apparently all for Stemmy.  Totally sucks.

So incidentially this particular room has a giant TV and a Keurig machine.  One can only assume they all do.  Holy.  Crap.  Totally insane.  No hot chocolate for the Keurig, though.  Boo.

 On to the convention center!!!!  Early arrival badges were being given out until 6 and we got in our room around 5:45.  ONWARD!!  (the outdoor pictures are on the way back to the hotel)

View of the convention center where the convention is taking place.  Only about 5 min away from hotel.

View off to the side from the bridge to the convention center.

PANNING RIGHT!

PANNING MORE RIGHT!!!!  Incidentally, the building on the far left is the hotel.

PAN RIGHT SOME MORE!!!!

PAN RIGHT ONE MORE TIME!!!!  View of the Westin hotel, which is attached to the convention center.

Interesting memorial on the bridge to the convention center.  Slightly random memorial to underground Polish fighters who went against the Germans and Soviets in WWII.  Interesting placement.  And thing.

Dear hotel people - not having a floor labeled as 13 doesn't mean that there isn't a 13th floor.  Get over it.

 Thankfully, I made it to the convention center with barely enough time (~7 minutes) to get my conference badge and whatnot early.  It'll be great to hot have to wait in line tomorrow morning.

STEMMY GOT SWAAAAAAG!!!!!!  Freebie stuff just for picking up the badge.

Doesn't quite fit Stemmy, but it looks gooooood.  Feel free to scan the code.  It's not really interesting.

Scientific journals are like comic books, right?  The first one is worth a lot more?

Cards at the ready.  Gotta be putting myself out there, remember?  Very important.

After getting the badge and initial swag bag, Stemmy got hungry.  Also me.  Seeing as how four star hotels tend to have single entrees that cost more than a regular full meal for  myself and fiancee, we decided to head out of the immediate vicinity a bit.

Stemmy's idea for dinner.  In other words, yes, I brought a plush, toy stem cell to a restaurant.

Enjoying dinner with Stemmy on the Harbor at the (apparently famous) No Name Restaurant.

When in Boston, one has to drink Boston Lager.  And not let one's stem cell do it.

Real seafood chowder with awesome garlic bread.  Chunks of fish, whole shrimp, the works.  O.... M.... G.....

Broiled Scod (whitefish) with fries and coleslaw.  Stemmy ate the slaw.

He also ate the fish.

BUT HE WILL NOT EAT MY PIIIIIEEEE!!!!!!!!

Hotel room view after getting back from dinner.  The spotlight are in the harbor and the pier is where No Name is.

 After a long day of sad good-byes to the fiancee and new puppy, travel, and seeing a great many people in the hotel who probably think they're better than me in their fancy suits, my mom found a rather unfortunate issue with my poster that neither myself nor my boss saw.

Stemmy apparently can't spell "Acknowledgements".  Last time I outsource to someone with no thumbs.  Or it's own brain.  Or much of anything, for that matter.

Thankfully, the hotel has a great business center that includes  some awesome color printers.  So what do we do???  Fix Stemmy's error by just re-printing the repaired error.

Not too easy to see, and thankfully most looks will be long distance.  When one has less than 24 hours until presentation time and no way to print a new poster, we improvise as best as we can.

*Whew*.  So after a full day of travel, a splash of science, food, and erroneous issues, we end today.  Tomorrow comes with the start of the conference proper, great swag, some incredible SCIENCE, and my own poster presentation!  Going to be awesome!