Written by Merci Best, MS, PhD, Research Fellow, Department of Neurology, University of Michigan
Thank you, Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, for affording me the opportunity to attend the 2023 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Three highlights from my experience include: participating in the 6th Annual National Institute on Aging (NIA) Symposium, presenting my research, and meeting Dr. Bengt Winblad. First, the NIA symposium provided me with the knowledge and tools to understand how precision medicine and open science can be utilized to delay, treat and, one day, cure neurodegeneration. Second, I was selected to present my research in the exhibit hall on Wednesday, July 19. The consistent traffic to my poster on my dissertation research study reaffirmed that my proposed postdoctoral research exploring the pathogenic mechanisms of tau-mediated neurodegeneration will lead to a fruitful career in academic science. Finally, during my lunch break, I was honored to sit next to Dr. Winbland, the co-founder of the International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease, which is now AAIC. He smiled ear to ear as he said, “I remember when I started this conference and there were only 300 attendees… look at it now.” “Wow, this is my first time attending AAIC. I am grateful that you took that first step,” I replied as I smiled too!
