Big Lights Will Inspire You
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the 2024 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) Biological Data Science Meeting in Cold Spring Harbor, New York. The conference was a fantastic opportunity to learn about the latest trends in computational biology and network with researchers from around the world. In addition to the conference, I also had a chance to explore the city and take in the sights and sounds of the Big Apple.
The Very “Big Apple”
While I’ve never visited New York City before, I have had the opportunity to visit other big cities (Houston, Los Angeles, London). Somehow none of those cities could prepare me for NYC. The energy, the people (many, many, many people), the food, the culture—everything was vibrant and alive. I spent a day exploring Central Park, Times Square, and East Village. I also had AMAZING food including the BEST cheesecake (at Petit Chou) I’ve had in my life. There were so many people, and I felt at home in the midst of the hustle and bustle. I can’t wait to go back and explore more of NYC.
Learning about the Latest Trends, Presenting My Research, and Networking
The CSHL Biological Data Science meeting showcased recent advancements in biological data science, specifically single cell, machine learning, and precision medicine approaches. I had never attended one of these meetings, but I was excited to visit the beautiful campus and meet leaders in the field.
Some of the most interesting tools I learned about were SQANTI3 by the Conesa Lab for functional isotranscriptomics and BPCells by the Greenleaf lab for single-cell analysis. Additionally, many approaches focused on modeling and analyzing large datasets in ways that lead to practical applications. One of the biggest questions researchers were trying to answer was how to bridge the gap between large datasets/data complexity and actionable insights to drive advances in precision medicine.
During the conference, I was able to meet other students and researchers and present a poster on my research (the identification of drug targets for pulmonary arterial hypertension). I received valuable feedback on my work, and it has inspired new ideas for future directions. I was also able to visit the DNA Learning Center (Thank you, Jason!) and learn about the history of CSHL!
Thanks to the JXTX Foundation
Lastly, I want to thank the JXTX Foundation for awarding me with a scholarship that paid for my conference registration (including lodging at CSHL). It was an honor to represent the foundation at the conference, my university, and my lab at the meeting. Moreover, it was inspiring to meet so many leading scientists and experience the legacy of CSHL that was shaped by Nobel Prize winning scientists like Dr. Barbara McClintock and Dr. Carol Greider.
Also, thank you to my lab, CGDS, and my mentor, Dr. Liz Worthey, for their continuous support and guidance. I wouldn’t have been able to attend the conference without their help.
Check out more photos
You can view more photos of my time in New York here.
Shaurita D. Hutchins
Graduate Research Assistant