The Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center of West Virginia University was the venue for the 7th Annual WV-INBRE Summer Research Symposium held on July 31st, 2008. The symposium featured both oral and poster presentations by participants in the state-wide network including faculty and undergraduate summer interns and a summer faculty fellow who participated in the WV-INBRE Summer Research Program. This biomedical research program is conducted jointly at Marshall University and West Virginia University. Faculty and students conducting research at their home institutions also presented the results of their research activities. Fifty-three poster presentations were displayed including three from the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program held at Marshall University.

The keynote speaker for the symposium was Dr. Robert Ruffolo, President of Research & Development, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Senior Vice President, Wyeth Corporation. Dr. Ruffolo’s presentation was entitled "The Trials and Tribulations of a Medical Breakthrough: The Discovery and Development of Carvedilol for Heart Failure". Dr. Ruffolo described the effort he directed at GlaxoSmithKline in developing carvedilol for which he faced significant opposition due to preconceived ideas about the anticipated harmful activity of the drug. His belief that the drug would be beneficial to patients with congestive heart failure, in spite of the resistance he received from within the company, and his perseverance in this effort provided an inspirational message to all in attendance; “If you believe in something, never give up.”

2008 Symposium Schedule [PDF]

2008 Symposium Abstract Titles / Authors [PDF]