Clinical Academics in Training Annual Conference 2018

Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh

The Academy's Clinical Academics in Training Annual Conference (CATAC) is a unique cross specialty event designed to bring clinical academic trainees together to present their work, meet one another and network with senior researchers. What was previously the Spring Meeting, CATAC is the result of the evolution of the prestigious meeting following an independent evaluation, you can read more here.

Our keynote speakers will be Dr Katherine Sleeman, NIHR Clinician Scientist and Honorary Consultant in palliative medicine, King's College London, speaking about her 'Adventures in academia: from womb to tomb' and Professor Ed Bullmore, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, author of 'The Inflamed Mind: a radical new approach to depression'.

The full programme is available here.

Are you a clinical academic trainee looking for a chance to present your research, perhaps for the first time? CATAC 2018 is a great opportunity for you to:

• Develop your presentation skills.
• Meet with your peers and senior academics and build networks.
• Raise your profile within the clinical academic community.
• Meet Academy Fellows.

Find out more about CATAC, and previous Spring Meetings, here.

CATAC combines research presentations from attendees with inspiring talks from Fellows and other academics, and meaningful networking with your peers. There are three competitions for early career researchers who hold a medical, dental or veterinary undergraduate degree:

• A poster competition for all clinical academics.
• A Pre-Doctoral Plenary Competition.
• A Post-Doctoral Plenary Competition.

The Abstract booklet is available here.

All are welcome to attend. Registration is mandatory, please complete the form on the right and please let us know if there are any other requirements that would facilitate your attendance, e.g. nursing room, prayer room.

Watch Dr Katherine Sleeman's keynote talk from CATAC 2018 here: 

Check #CATAC2018 on Twitter to see what attendees thought on the day.

Competition winners:

• Post-doctoral plenary competition

Winner 2018 - Dr Kate Marks (University of Leeds) 'An assessment of the mutation rate of normal colorectal epithelium in patients with cancer compared to patients without'

Runner up 2018 - Dr Muzaffer Kaser (University of Cambridge) 'Computational approach to reinforcement learning in patients with remitted depression: results from a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study'

• Pre-doctoral plenary competition

Winner 2018 - Dr Angela Lucas-Herald (University of Glasgow) 'Altered vascular function in boys with hypospadias - role of reactive oxygen species'

Runner up 2018 - Dr Duncan Brian (University College London) 'Forced expression of retinoic acid receptor alpha potentiates differentiation of acute myeloid leukaemia'

• Poster Group A - Applied health services research; Epidemiology; Population health sciences

Winner 2018 - Dr Zenas Yiu (University of Manchester) 'Risk of serious infection associated with biologic therapies in psoriasis: prospective cohort study from the British Association of Dermatologists Biologic Interventions Register (BADBIR)'

Runner up 2018 - Dr Christoph Mueller (King's College London) 'Antipsychotic use in dementia: the relationship between neuropsychiatric symptom profiles and adverse outcomes'

• Poster Group B - Cellular and molecular biology; Genetics

Winner 2018 - Dr Claire Salter (University of Exeter) 'Exploring the neuropathological outcomes associated with different classes of choline transporter mutation'

Runner up 2018 - Dr Adam Sharp (Institute of Cancer Research) 'Novel strategies to target RNA splicing to overcome androgen receptor splice variant-7 (AR-V7) signalling in castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)'

• Group C - Inflammation; Infection; Immunity

Winner 2018 - Dr Karen Mackenzie (University of Edinburgh) 'cGAS detection of micronuclei links immune surveillance to autoinflammation'

Runner up 2018 - Dr Tariq Farrah (University of Edinburgh) 'Endothelin receptor antagonism improves lipid profiles & reduces myocardial injury in patients with chronic kidney disease'

• Group D - Neurology; Neuroscience; Imaging; Technology

Winner 2018 - Dr Zoeb Jiwaji (University of Edinburgh) 'Neuron-astrocyte signalling alters transcription to control CNS homeostasis and is dysregulated by ageing and anaesthesia'

Runner up 2018 - Dr Akila Visvanathan (University of Edinburgh) 'A qualitative study to improve communication and shared decision making on treatments after acute severe stroke'