Conference Attendance Spotlight
Student: Eliza O’Donnell
Conference: Molecular Mechanisms and Systemic Impacts in Mammalian Reproduction Gordon Research Conference
Location & Dates: Newry, Maine | August 9–14
Presented: Ten-minute research talk — “From crossover licensing to designation: the dynamic role of mammalian MSH5 in meiotic recombination”
Why I Attended: The conference provided exposure to the breadth of research across the field of reproduction, bringing together clinicians, engineers, germ cell biologists, and reproductive tract biologists.
What I Took Away: Through many thought-provoking conversations, I gained new connections with colleagues whom I look forward to seeing at future meetings. 
My Research: My research focuses on how mammals create egg or sperm cells with the correct number of chromosomes. A crucial step in this process is crossing over, and mistakes can result in infertility, miscarriage, or developmental defects.
The Bigger Question: My goal is to understand the proteins that make crossing over happen. To this end, my research asks three simple questions: when and where do these crossover-promoting proteins appear, and how do they interact?