Biomarkers Workshop Report

Jun 26, 2008

The summer workshop Integrating Biomarkers in Population-Based Research was successfully conducted June 2-6.  The course was developed under an NIH R25 training grant to CPC and taught by CPC's Deputy Director for Research Services Nancy Dole and CPC Fellow Andy Olshan.  It was designed to introduce social scientists to biomedical measures and their incorporation into population research. Additional lectures and demonstrations were provided by guest speakers, all with biomarkers research experience.  Held at the UNC School of Public Health McGavran-Greenberg Hall, the workshop's 19 attendees came from diverse disciplinary areas that included economics, sociology, demography, social work, nursing, epidemiology, gerontology, and communications.  Workshop feedback was positive and included these comments:

-  I really liked the hands-on part & having access to such great information & cutting edge training.  I felt very privileged to attend.
-  I definitely would recommend it.  I feel lucky that I was able to attend.  This is material I think is difficult for social scientists to obtain in normal research setting.
-  A unique opportunity for multidisciplinary, experienced instructors.  Invaluable.  Many thanks.
- I liked the freezer room visit!
- This was very useful!  Nancy and Andy covered material here which I had not even considered, and would not have obtained from reading paper.

The workshop was based on last fall's UNC course of the same name.  With interest in biomedical measures growing in the population research community, it is anticipated that both the semester-long course and week-long workshop will be offered again in the future.