Introducing the 2023 Postdoc Slam Finalists!

Postdoc Slam, the annual research communications contest presented by the Office for Postdoctoral Scholars and the Graduate Division, returns this year on Tuesday, September 19. Postdoc Slam is the featured event of UCSF's celebration of National Postdoc Appreciation Week, September 18 to 22.

Postdoc Slam challenges postdocs in a range of disciplines to present a compelling presentation of their research in three minutes or less, using language that not only their peers but also non-specialists will understand. The intention of Postdoc Slam is not to dumb-down or trivialize research; rather, it is meant to incentivize postdocs to clarify their ideas and to help others appreciate and understand their work. 

We're excited to announce this year's ten finalists, selected by a panel of screening judges, who will compete for cash prizes of $4,000, $2,000, $1,000, and $750 at the live event on September 19. The entire campus community is welcome to join us for Postdoc Slam, either in person in Genentech Hall at Mission Bay, or via the live stream. In-person and remote viewers alike will be able to cast their vote for the "People's Choice" prize winner. Please mark your calendar for Tuesday, September 19, at 4 p.m. PDT!

These ten postdoctoral scholars will give 3-minute talks on a wide range of research topics at the lively Postdoc Slam event:


Biafra Ahanonu, PhD

Biafra Ahanonu, PhD
Allan Basbaum, PhD, faculty mentor
The Path to Pain: It's Not Only in the Brain

Helene Aschmann, PhD

Hélène Aschmann, PhD
Priya Shete, MD, faculty mentor
To Treat or Not to Treat: A Balancing Act in Tuberculosis Prevention

 

Tyler Huycke, PhD

Tyler Huycke, PhD
Zev Gartner, PhD and Ophir Klein, MD, PhD, faculty mentors
How the Gut Got Its Spots

 

Kritika Khanna, PhD

Kritika Khanna, PhD
John Fahy, MD, faculty mentor
Asthma on Fire: Keep Calm, It's a False Alarm

 

Amanda McQuade, PhD

Amanda McQuade, PhD
Martin Kampmann, PhD, faculty mentor
Speaking to Cells

 

Jay Moltzau Anderson, PhD

Jay Moltzau Anderson, PhD
Susan Lynch, PhD, faculty mentor
This Stool is Taken: Harnessing the Power of Poop

Fate Noohi, PhD

Fate Noohi, PhD
Virginia Sturm, PhD, faculty mentor
Life Without Emotions…A Symphony Without Music

Laura Persson, PhD

Laura Persson, PhD
Noelle L'Etoile, PhD, faculty mentor
The Wormnado: What a Tiny Worm Can Teach Us About Collective Behavior

Ayush Srivastava, PhD

Ayush Srivastava, PhD
Bjoern Schwer, MD, PhD, faculty mentor
Let's Help You Age Better

Christopher Williams, MD

Chris Williams, MD
Atul Butte, MD, PhD, faculty mentor
Code Blue: Unmasking Racial Disparities in Emergency Triage


 

Watch the livestream on September 19.

Read more about the Postdoc Slam competition.