MedImmune’s Department of Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity invites authors to submit abstracts for consideration in the 3rd Annual MedImmune Research Abstract Competition. Qualified applicants include graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Abstracts will be reviewed by a panel of experts and selected for awards on the basis of scientific merit.

Authors of the top ten abstracts will be invited to present at MedImmune’s headquarters facility in Gaithersburg, MD, with travel expenses (including two-to-three nights’ lodging) covered by MedImmune. Three winners will be selected based on presentation content and delivery, with cash awards of $2,000, $1,000, and $500 issued to the first, second, and third place awardees.

The deadline for abstract submission is October 10, 2008. Please submit via email to abstract@medimmune.com. Notification of acceptance or rejection by the scientific committee will be mailed on October 17, 2008. Abstract presentations will take place on November 14, 2008.

Guidelines for the preparation of abstracts:
• Maximum one page with size 12 font
• A title (in capital letters) that clearly indicates the nature of the investigation
• Abbreviations should be avoided in the titles, but may be used in the text if they are defined on the first usage
• The author’s full name and place of work (institution, city, country)
• The abstract should be as informative as possible
- State the specific objective of study
- State the methods used, if pertinent
- Summarize the results obtained
- State the conclusions reached

The reviewers will judge the abstracts according to objectivity of statement, description of what was done, suitability of methods to aims, conclusions confirmed by objective results, ethics, scientific value, potential clinical value, originality of work and overall impression.