Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any formatting considerations when I prepare my abstract?

Any formatting you may have done in Microsoft Word— bold, underline, italics, ^superscript, _subscript, etc.— will be lost when you copy and paste your abstract into the submission form. However, tools for formatting your abstract (and instructions on how to use these tools) are available on the registration webpage. You will also be able to edit and correct your abstract's formatting after you have submitted it.

How long will oral presentations be?

Oral presentations will consist of a 10 minute talk and an additional 5 minutes for questions.

What is the limit on the number of abstract submissions made by a primary author?

A student may only appear as the primary author on one abstract, either for a presentation or for a poster. There is no limit on the number of co-authorships (i.e., or appearing as a contributor).

What is the limit on the number of abstracts accepted for oral presentation?

Each presentation category will have a maximum of five presenters. Once every category is filled, registration for Oral abstracts will close. Registration is on a first-come first-served basis and no exceptions to this rule will occur.

What is the limit on the number of abstracts accepted for poster presentations?

Presently, there is no limit.

What are the judging guidelines for my presentation or abstract?

Oral presentations will be judged by panels of volunteer faculty researchers. Presenters will be scored on a number of issues based on a standardized scoring sheet. After each presentation session, judges will convene to decide on a winner and runner-up. Poster presentations will be judged by panels of student volunteers and scored on similar criteria.

What should my abstract look like?

Summary of Information for the Abstract

1. State the purpose of the project, which is the introduction and question asked—the purpose of the project.
2. Give a brief description of the methods. Very brief without a lot of details.
3. Describe the results. Concise report, summarized data/ text, including statistical significance.
4. End with a statement of conclusion(s). Usually one or two ending sentences indicate if you answered your initial question (hypothesis), and if so, the implication/significance of the results.
5. Don't forget the 250-word limit.

Do you have a sample abstract for us to look at?

Yes:

Tolerance to ischemia: Toll-like receptors reprogram the brain's response to stroke

Jane Doe, John Doe, Mary Smith and Joe Johnston

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of pattern recognition molecules that bind conserved molecular motifs from pathogenic organisms or from damaged host tissue. The signaling cascade induced by TLR4 activation can proceed down two pathways: one pathway leading to activation of the transcription factor NFkB and the generation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the other leading to activation of the transcription factor IRF3 and the generation of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Here we show that TLR4 deficient mice exhibit less tissue injury following stroke, which suggests that TLR4 signaling exacerbates ischemic injury. In contrast, pretreatment with low dose endotoxin- a known TLR4 agonist- protects against subsequent ischemic injury. We show that endotoxin stimulation of TLR4 prior to ischemia activates endogenous feedback regulators such as TGF and Ship-1, which, in turn, inhibit ischemia-induced signaling via the pro-inflammatory arm. We further demonstrate enhanced post-ischemic signaling via the anti-inflammatory arm, as evinced by up-regulation of the transcription factor IRF3 and the cytokine IFNb- a cytokine we show is neuroprotective in cerebral ischemia. Thus endotoxin preconditioning may protect the brain from ischemic damage by reprogramming ischemia-induced TLR4 signaling from a damaging, pro-inflammatory pathway towards a neuroprotective anti-inflammatory pathway.

What if my research doesn't fit a topic?

The 14 topics were specifically chosen because we found that most research being done at OHSU can be associated with one of them. For example, nursing students working on symptom management would fit into the category into which the specific symptoms they are working with would fit. Similarly, dental students working on oral health might find that they fit into the Infectious Diseases and Immunology or Muscluloskeletal categories. Most of us have a disease process or a developmental process that drives our work forward, so think about the process that inspires your work, a find the category that best fits.

It is possible, however, that your research just does not fit into any of the 14 categories. If this is the case, please email your abstract to one of us and we will help figure out where your research best fits.

I didn’t receive a confirmation email after submitting an abstract. Did the submission go through?

You will not receive a confirmation email after submitting an abstract. You will only receive a confirmation email for registering. If you would like to confirm your successful abstract submission, log back into the SRF site to view your current status and access your abstract information for editing. Please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Is there a size limitation for my poster?

Your poster must fit on the provided 4x6' foam backing board.

Do I need to stand by my poster for the entire session, or just for a portion of it?

The poster session will run from 5-6:30pm. Attendance will be required for judging between 5 and 6 pm.

When/where will set-up and take-down of posters be?

Posters will be displayed in several rooms on the first floor of the Old Library, in and around the Great Hall. Please hang your poster by 10:30 on Thursday morning and take it down on Friday at 4:00. This will give as many people as possible a chance to view your poster during the Student Research Forum.

Will my poster have an assigned place?

There will be an assigned spot for your poster. Your name will be posted on your assigned location. There will also be a master list with poster locations at the registration table.