Manuscript Editorial and Reviewing Session

MaNnERs is a manuscript review workshop where participants submit drafts, peer-review others’ work, and gather both the review process and improve peers’ manuscripts. The in-person session, led by editors-in-chief or associate editors in relevant scientific fields (KUH), will be held on the morning of January 16, 2025, before the Annual Symposium.

The workshop aims to help trainees practice peer-review, refine their manuscripts, discuss writing and publishing, and network with journal editors. It concludes with a panel discussion on scientific publishing, the review process, and current trends.

7:30 A.M. – 8:00 A.M. – Sign in/ Contenintal Breakfast Available 

8:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M. – Manuscript Review in Small Groups

10:15 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. – Techniques for Strong Reviews

11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. – Panel Discussion with Editors

12:00 P.M. – 12:55 P.M. – Lunch, Registration, and Networking

12:55 – 1:00 P.M. – Welcome and Logistics

1:00 P.M. – 2:00 P.M. – Session 1 – Keynote – Opeyemi Olabisi, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine
“APOL1 Kidney Disease: From Bench to the Community”

2:00 P.M. – 3:15 P.M. – Session 2 – TL1 Scientific Impact: Trainee Oral Presentation I 

3:15 – 4:00 P.M. – Break and Networking

3:45 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. – Session 3 – Posters, Networking and Professional Development 

Disscussion Tables:

• CV/Biosketch
• Questions for Editors
• LinkedIn
• Access and Opportunity
• Collaboration and Skills Development

7:00 P.M. – Dinner at The Fish Market

612 22nd St S, Birmingham, AL 35233

7:30 A.M. – 8:00 A.M. – Contenintal Breakfast Available

8:00 A.M. – 9:30 A.M. – Session 4 – Exploring Career Pathways and Discovering Opportunities

9:30 A.M. – 10:30 A.M. – Session 5 – Keynote – Kristina Penniston, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health “Catalyzing Interdisciplinary Research Connections and Building Collaborative Research Capacity”

10:30 A.M. – 10:45 A.M. – Break

10:45 A.M. – 11:45 A.M. – Session 6 – TL1 Scientific Impact: Trainee Oral Presentations II

11:45 A.M. – 12:45 P.M. – Session 7 – Mentoring Strategies

12:45 P.M. – 1:00 P.M. – Closing Remarks and Pick up Boxed Lunch

Denisha Spires was born and raised in Jackson, MS where she attended Tougaloo College, a noteworthy HBCU. While earning her bachelor’s degree in biology, she focused on the pathophysiology of type 1 and type 2 diabetic nephropathy in relation to endothelin 1 working with Dr. Jan M. Williams, PhD at the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology. [PMID: 29846112; PMC6230747] she received her PhD in Physiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin (November 2020) where her thesis was centered on examining the sex-based differences in the progression and severity in type 2 diabetic kidney disease working with Dr. Alexander Staruschenko, PhD. [PMID: 33870721] [PMID: 29923767] Currently as a postdoctoral fellow, she is continuing her studies of the pathophysiological role of various factors in diabetic kidney disease and other renal diseases in relation to mitochondrial dysfunction with Dr. Daria Ilatovskaya, MS, PhD, FAHA at Augusta University’s Department of Physiology.

Dr. Maggie E. Jones-Carr is a TL1 post-doctoral trainee at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Department of Surgery, Division of Transplantation. Dr. Jones-Carr works under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Cannon and Dr. Paige Porrett. Her research focuses on bias in transplant waitlisting and policy interventions to promote equity in healthcare access. She is concurrently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health with a focus in Health Policy and Organization.

Dr. Jones-Carr is a general surgery resident from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where she will return to finish her general surgery training after her post-doctoral fellowship. She will then complete a clinical abdominal transplant surgery fellowship, with the ultimate goal of being a transplant surgeon-scientist.

Currently residing in Childersburg AL, Lance is a postdoctoral trainee conducting research in the Division of Nephrology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Heersink School of Medicine under the mentorship of Jennifer Pollock, Ph.D. Lance obtained his B.S. in biochemistry and molecular biology (magna cum laude) from Harding University in 2018.

Dr. Amanda Clark is a Birmingham native, with deep roots in the city. She attended UAB as an undergraduate and completed her Ph.D. at Auburn University. She has been in research since her sophomore year in the summer of 2010, and she’s had the opportunity to train in five different research labs!

Abby Brooks holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and an M.S. in Biotechnology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Driven by a profound passion for research, she is currently pursuing a PhD within the P³ theme of the Graduate Biomedical Sciences program at UAB, supported as an AMC21 Scholar. Under the guidance of Drs. Carmen De Miguel and Andre Ballesteros-Tato, Abby’s research delves into unraveling the intricate interplay between endothelin-1, immune cells, and kidney health amidst hypertension and diabetes. A noteworthy aspect of her work is its focus on discerning sex-specific disparities within these diseases. Beyond academia, Abby finds solace in embarking on adventures with her beloved canine companion, Lila.

Huy Nguyen is a Ph.D. student in Biomedical Science at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) under Dr. Hyndman’s mentorship. With a background in organic chemistry from HCMC University of Education, Vietnam, Huy transitioned to biotechnology, earning a master’s degree in the United States.

His interest in kidney disease research was sparked during work in a kidney xenotransplantation lab. Huy aspires to become a principal investigator, focusing on developing therapies for kidney diseases. He is driven by a passion for making impactful contributions to healthcare.