Hung M. Bui, currently a PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA, under the supervision of Dr. Mark L. Kahn received a travel award from LE&RN to attend the 2016 Gordon Research Conference in Lymphatics held in Ventura, CA. We asked Hung M. Bui to share his thoughts on that experience with us and to tell us a bit about his research and future plans.
What did you get out of the Conference? Why did you feel it was important to attend?
The 2016 Gordon Research Conference in Lymphatics was an amazing experience for me. The conference provided me not only an opportunity to present my research, but also to connect with other researchers in the field of lymphatics. This networking strengthens our knowledge and broadens our perspectives. In fact, it is very important for me, as a young researcher, to attend this conference as one of the first stepping-stones in pursuing my career in research.
What are your areas of interest in research?
My research focuses on the early development of the lymphatic vasculature, aka lymphangiogenesis, which must be regulated precisely to preserve lymphatic function. Loss of lymphatic function due to primary (congenital) defects in lymphatic growth results in edema and lymphatic malformations that may be fatal.
What are your hopes and plans for your career and your research?
My ultimate goal in research is to gain a better understanding of the development, as well as the maintenance, of the lymphatic vasculature. With this passion, I hope to be able to alleviate patients’ sufferings either through academic research or industrial R&D.
Why do you believe that, in general, lymphatic research is important? What might the field accomplish within the next few years?
Discoveries in lymphatics have bloomed in the recent years due to a significant increase in understanding lymphatic functions. Furthermore, it is important to see that our basic research could be a foundation to develop a framework for translational research in the field of lymphatics to deal with current lymphatic diseases including lymphedema and lymph malformations.