POSTDOC WORKSHOP SERIES
The Molecular Biology Information Service (MBIS) of the Health Science Library System (HSLS) and the Center for Postdoctoral Affairs in the Health Sciences are pleased to present the fourth in a series of “how to” workshops taught by biomedical postdocs at the University of Pittsburgh.

Location: Falk Library Classroom 2 (upstairs)
Length: 1 hour

All are welcome to attend (not just postdocs).
Registration is NOT required.

  • Wednesday March 18th @ 2pm
    Gina Coudriet: “A ‘How-To’ Guide for Letters of Recommendation”

    • If asked to write a letter of reference for someone you many find yourself wondering, “Where do I begin?” This talk will address how to write a letter of reference for a colleague or student. We will also cover how to write a recommendation of yourself on behalf of a professor or mentor.

  • Thurs March 26th @ 1pm
    Hang Lin: “How to Use 3D Printing for Tissue Engineering”

    • Computer-aided additive fabrication technologies, AKA three-dimensional (3D) printing, are increasingly used to generate complex constructs in order to replace/repair damaged tissues. In this talk we will discuss how to use projection stereolithography to print patient-specific and biodegradable scaffolds for musculoskeletal tissue regeneration.

  • Mon April 6th @ 2pm
    Dipanjan Basu: “How to Grow Cancer Cells as Free Floating Tumor Spheroids”

    • In cancer research, three dimensional (3D) in vitro cell culture models are considered superior to two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cultured cells because they more closely resemble the in vivo condition. This talk will cover various methods of growing tumor cells in 3D with special emphasis on tumorospheres, a model of cancer stem cell expansion established in a serum free medium supplemented with growth factors. 

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Modeled after the MBIS workshops, postdoc instructors are encouraged to teach a 1-2 hour workshop (most are 1 hour) in the HSLS 2nd floor computer classroom. The specific topic is up to the discretion of the postdoc, but is a “how to” style talk rather than a seminar. The MBIS works with postdocs to create a workshop that is both a positive teaching experience and instructive to attendees.

Please note that the topic can be ANYTHING related to health sciences, not specifically molecular biology or bioinformatics.

All postdoc instructors receive feedback, a letter of acknowledgement, and optional videotaping of their session. Contact MBIS if you are interested in teaching a class in the next series.