From the Editor’s Desk
Annie Ginty, PhD
APS Newsletter Editor
Welcome to the Special Edition newsletter featuring the upcoming American Psychosomatic Society Conference. This year’s conference promises to be filled with innovative and interdisciplinary science, with invited panels on interoception, the microbiome, and best practices in teaching. Additionally, this year is special for me, as it marks the 10th anniversary of my first APS conference attendance (Chicago, 2009). I vividly remember sitting in the opening session as a senior undergraduate student, captivated by Dr. Sarah Pressman in the Data Blitz session. I kept thinking to myself, “Dr. Pressman has an extraordinary gift to make science come alive.” I left the conference with an even greater love of research and desire to pursue a career in the field of psychosomatic medicine.
Fast forward 10 years later with Dr. Pressman serving as the Program Chair and myself being the Newsletter Editor, I am constantly reminding myself how truly thankful I am for serving alongside incredible individuals and the opportunity to discuss the latest research with APS colleagues every March. With this special edition, we hope to provide a ‘sneak peek’ into some highlights of the upcoming conference. The Meeting Update from Dr. Pressman provides an essential guide to this year’s conference.
A special thank you to the Program Committee, who in addition to working extensively to prepare for the conference, wrote many of the pieces in this special edition. Be sure to check out the summaries for some of the major tracks and sessions: Neuroscience, Microbiome, and Salons. The Meet the Scientist section is extensive and includes interviews with the four major award winners. You will not want to miss these interviews, which will allow you to get to know these amazing scientists before their award talks at the conference. Further thank yous to Drs. Christopher Fagundes, Paige Greene, Judith Carroll, Richard Lane, and Thomas Neylan for conducting the interviews of their fellow colleagues. Thank you to Dr. Crista Crittenden for all of her work on the Charity Initiative. This year APS will be raising funds for the Downtown Eastside Women’s Center. See Dr. Crittenden’s article to learn more about this amazing organization and the silent auction. Finally, thank you to Degnon Associates for making this newsletter possible.
Looking forward to seeing everyone in Vancouver!