Deadline:  April 8, 2014

How to Prepare your Abstract:

1. Your abstract should be informative, containing: (a) the study's specific objective, unless given by the title; (b) brief statements of methods, if pertinent; (c) a summary of the results; and (d) the conclusions. It is NOT satisfactory to state: "The results will be discussed."
2. Use short specific titles. Avoid using superfluous words such as: "preliminary studies on", etc.
3. Tables and figures are permitted within this space. They may be reduced in size, but must be legible.
4. Each abstract must be reviewed by the preceptor and, when submitted, include his/her signature of approval. This signature provides assurance of adherence to the guidelines and the validity of the presentation.
5. Submit the original with the preceptor's signature at the bottom of the page, to Dr. Pamela Feldhoff, Office of the Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation, Jouett Hall. Please include your email address. If the abstract is larger than 5 ½ in. (width) x 4 ¾ in. (see example), it will not be accepted.
6. The presenter's name should be typed first on the abstract. Underline names and initials of all authors (see example).
7. When listing authors from different affiliations, list by author order, but no reference markers are needed.
8. Remember that your abstract will be used as you submit it; any typographical errors, misspellings, poor hyphenations and deviations from acceptable usage will be reproduced in the program. Also, please include any special symbols, such as Greek letters where necessary.
9. When using abbreviations for compounds, spell out the compound in full the first time it is mentioned, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Do not abbreviate compounds in the title of the abstract.
10. An abstract should be submitted regardless of the format of presentation. Students are encouraged to present a poster or exhibit. If the discipline does not lend itself to these formats an equivalent demonstration of the research will be arranged. Indicate the preferred format of presentation at the bottom of the abstract beneath the Preceptor’s signature.

Sample abstract size Your abstract should be informative, containing: (a) the study's specific objective, unless given by the title; (b) brief statements of methods, if pertinent; (c) a summary of the results; (d) the conclusions. It is NOT satisfactory to state: "The results will be discussed.” Use short specific titles. Tables and figures are permitted with this space. The allowable abstract size is 5 ½” (width) x 4 ¾” Top, left and right margins: 1 ½ inches Font: 10-point, single-spaced (This example is NOT to scale.) Do NOT put lines around the abstract

Sample Abstract

"THE CONSERVED DXD MOTIF IS ESSENTIAL FOR GANGLIOSIDE GM2 SYNTHASE ACTIVITY. J. Li, M.L. Allende, D.S. Darling, C.A.Worth, & W.W. Young, Jr. Departments of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, and Molecular, Cellular, & Craniofacial Biology.

GM2 synthase produces gangliosides that are functionally important to nervous systemmaintenance. The DXD motif is highly conserved in 13 families of glycosyltransferases including GM2 synthase. Mutation of the aspartic acid residues of the motif in two glycosyltransferase families markedly reduced enzymatic activity. In human GM2 synthase this motif is 352-VLWVDDDFV. To examine the importance of the DXD motif in GM2 synthase, we prepared a series of mutant DNS constructs by site-directed mutagenesis and stably expressed them in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. For the D356A and D358A single mutations, the D356A/D358A double mutation, and the D356N/D357N/D358N triple mutation, the overall folding of these mutated enzymes appeared normal as judged by assembly into a homodimer and by Golgi localization. However, their activities were reduced at least 900 fold to background level. In contrast, the activity of GM2 synthase singly mutated at V352A and W354A was greater than wild type and 20% of wild type, respectively. We conclude that V352 is not essential for activity, W354 is required for full activity, and the highly conserved D356 and D358 are critical for GM2 synthase activity. (Supported by GM42698)"

Suggestions for the Presentation of an Effective Poster

Posters have become the principal mechanism for the efficient transfer of information at many scientific meetings. However, poster quality is often uneven. The chief reasons for low quality posters are poor planning and inexperience. The information on this sheet should help you improve the effectiveness of your poster presentation.

1. INITIAL PLANNING. Your poster area will be approximately 4' high by 6' wide. You will need a title board or banner that includes the title of your abstract, authors and department(s). Lettering should be about 1" high and can easily be done with computer programs available in most departments. The banner should be at least 4' wide and can be done as soon as your abstract is finished. A copy of your abstract, typed in large type should be posted in the upper left of your display. Time will be saved if the copy of your abstract for the poster is prepared at the same time as the final copy (due in the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation, Jouett Hall, April 8, 2014).
2. ROUGH LAYOUT. Meet with your mentor to decide what data will be included and how it will be presented (i.e., Tables or Figures and how much data to include in each). Sketch rough graphs and tables and tape them to a 4' by 6' area on a wall to be sure the information flow to the reader is clear, logical and legible from a distance of 3' to 5'. Consider the use of color to differentiate between several lines in a figure or to emphasize specific information. In a balanced poster, figures and tables cover about half of the display area. Figure legends (do not omit) and any other written material should be succinct. Avoid abbreviations, acronyms and jargon. Resist the temptation to overload your poster. Try to efficiently communicate to the viewer how you got your results and what they mean. Use a consistent large type style throughout. Write a summary list of your conclusions for display on the right side of your poster area.
3. FINAL FORMAT. Each department should have computer programs to draw and appropriately label figures. Work with your mentor or lab associates to learn how to put the data into final form. If possible, use a laser printer for the final copy. Inexpensive framing for your data can be made by cutting colored posterboard 1" larger than your figure. The combined data and frame can then be tacked to the display area or moved around as necessary. Thumbtacks will be provided. You should decide, in advance, how you will verbally present your studies (in 5-7 minutes) to interested students and faculty. Normally, people will want a couple of minutes to review your poster and information on why the problem is important (Introduction) and how you approached it (Methods). After reviewing the Results and Conclusions, you may want to briefly discuss how your study relates to other work done in the area and the future direction of the project. Be prepared to answer relevant questions (Significance), but don't be surprised if there are some you can't answer or don't fully understand.

Poster Information

The Center for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and IT Design and Printing Services have the capability to make color posters for faculty, staff, and students at the University of Louisville.

The Center for GIS

Posters may be in Microsoft PowerPoint, CorelDraw, Microsoft Publisher, or Adobe Illustrator format.  Maximum poster dimensions are 60” high for glossy paper and 54” high for standard paper.  Be sure to set your page size accordingly in the Page Setup option of the File menu.