[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/microscope student.jpg” caption=”McMaster will host the 20th annual Ontario Biology Day conference on March 17 and 18. File photo.”]University students from across Ontario will attend the annual Ontario Biology Day conference at McMaster on March 17 and 18. They will present results from their senior honours research projects, which are conducted under the supervision of faculty members at various universities.

This year, a record number of 160 students will make presentations and 250 people have pre-registered for the event.

“This is a fair-sized conference even for scholarly societies,” said Pat Chow-Fraser, associate chair of the Department of Biology and the 2007 OBD Conference organizer. “What impresses me is the 13 Ontario universities represented, along with three universities from the United States, Singapore and Taiwan. We also have students affiliated with three government institutions, so that really adds to its authentic nature as a scientific forum.”

Fifty-one presenters are supervised by McMaster professors from the Departments of Biology, Medicine, Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, and Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences.

“Our students really benefit from exposure to cutting-edge research in these projects, and they gain real-world experience working side by side with graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and their faculty supervisors,” says Chow-Fraser. “Many of my former students tell me that their most memorable experiences involve doing their thesis and attending the OBD conference.”

Kathy McIntosh, biology undergraduate administrator, is the person at the helm, keeping track of registration for the event and answering e-mails.

“I'm lucky to get a lot of help from undergraduate, graduate and faculty volunteers,” says McIntosh. “Seeing how well our students perform, and being able to share in their accomplishments is very rewarding.”

The Ontario Biology Day Conference is a good example of how the biology department promotes research in undergraduate curriculum, and gives McMaster students a head-start in their research career.

“It is a great opportunity for us to reinforce our reputation as a premier research-intensive university of Canada,” says Chow-Fraser.

The conference has been held annually at one of a dozen Ontario universities since 1988, making this year the 20th anniversary of the conference. McMaster last hosted the event ten years ago.