Scientific overview: CSCI-CITAC Annual General Meeting and Young Investigators' Forum 2014

The Canadian Society of Clinician Investigators (CSCI) and Clinical Investigator Trainee Association of Canada/Association des cliniciens-chercheurs en formation du Canada (CITAC/ACCFC) annual general meeting (AGM) was held in Toronto during November 21-24, 2015 for the first time in conjunction with the University of Toronto Clinician-Investigator Program Research Day. The overall theme for this year's meeting was the role of mentorship in career development, with presentations from Dr. Chaim Bell (University of Toronto), Dr. Shurjeel Choudhri (Bayer Healthcare), Dr. Ken Croitoru (University of Toronto), Dr. Astrid Guttman (University of Toronto), Dr. Prabhat Jha (University of Toronto) and Dr. Sheila Singh (McMaster University). The keynote speakers of the 2014 AGM included Dr. Qutayba Hamid, who was presented with the Distinguished Scientist Award, Dr. Ravi Retnakaran, who was presented with the Joe Doupe Award, and Dr. Lorne Babiuk, who was the CSCI-RCPSC Henry Friesen Award winner. The highlight of the conference was, once again, the outstanding scientific presentations from the numerous clinician investigator (CI) trainees from across the country who presented at the Young Investigators' Forum. Their research topics spanned the diverse fields of science and medicine, ranging from basic science to cutting-edge translational research, and their work has been summarized in this review. Over 120 abstracts were presented at this year's meeting. This work was presented during two poster sessions, with the six most outstanding submitted abstracts presented in the form of oral presentations during the President's Forum.