General Information
Health & Safety
Code of Conduct
Program Committee
Future Meetings
About Anatomy Connected
Anatomy Connected is the annual meeting for the American Association for Anatomy. For almost 30 years, the annual meeting has been held as a part of Experimental Biology, a combined meeting with several other scientific societies. Starting in 2023, we launched our inaugural stand-alone meeting in historic Washington, DC. Anatomy Connected was created to inspire educators, researchers, and students to explore the latest research, expand their knowledge and skills, create valuable relationships, and discover what's ahead in anatomy.
#AnatomyConnected will be a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive conference for anatomy and related sciences. We will continue our popular Lunch & Learns, and welcome reception. And include some exciting new events!
Meeting Location
Anatomy Connected 2024 will take place in person at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel in Toronto, ON, Canada. All registrants may pick up badges and conference materials at the registration desk located inside the hotel.
Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel
123 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2M9, Canada
For attendees outside of Canada, please refer to the Hotel & Travel page for more information about international entry requirements.
Health & Safety
COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are recommended for anyone attending the meeting. Mask-wearing and other requirements will be based on the local guidelines and will be communicated with attendees before the start of the event. Please refer to the latest local guidelines below.
Access the latest COVID-19 guidelines:
Healthy Habits to Follow
Travel and gathering assume a risk and everyone is on their own to make decisions and take personal responsibility. In order to keep attendees, exhibitors, vendors, and staff safe, prior to your attendance at Anatomy Connected, please consider the following healthy habits:
- If you have symptoms of COVID-19, have tested positive, or are sick please email AAA at [email protected] to cancel your registration and/or inform staff. This applies to before or during the meeting. Refund requests are taken on a case by case basis.
- We strongly recommend that you test yourself before traveling and wear a mask while traveling to the meeting.
- Masks are optional throughout the event but strongly recommended. You are encouraged to practice health and safety habits that make you most comfortable. Masks will be available upon request.
- Frequently wash your hands
- Regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19. You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19, but do not yet have test results. If your results are positive, follow the full isolation recommendations from the CDC.
- Be vigilant after the meeting when you return to your home and office and consider testing yourself.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation!
Safety tips for visitors:
Visitors to Toronto are advised to observe some basic safety tips that you should follow whenever you are traveling.
When out and about:
- Remove your conference badge; don’t draw attention to yourself and the fact that you are a tourist.
- Safety in numbers: grab a friend or colleague while exploring the city.
- Walk in well-lit areas; use main streets and avoid shortcuts through alleys.
- If alone after dark, use a ride service such as Lyft, Uber or a cab.
- Be conscious of your belongings. Keep personal/valuable items in your hotel safe or close at hand.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Keep your eyes up and not on your phone.
- Pay attention to your instincts. If something does not feel right, you can always walk into a business/hotel for help.
- If you are in a drinking establishment, don’t leave your drink unattended.
- Walk with purpose and project an assertive and business-like image. Criminals will be discouraged if you do not appear vulnerable or easily intimidated.
- Pickpockets are often attracted to crowded places. Be aware of someone who bumps, shoves or gets too close to you.
- Purses should be closed, held in front of your body, with your arm across it. Wallets should be carried in a front pants pocket or in an interior jacket pock.
- Use luggage tags that close or are covered, so a passerby cannot read the information.
At your hotel:
- Keep room numbers private. Don’t sign bar or restaurant checks with your room number.
- Keep track of room keys. If a key is lost, ask the front desk to reset your locks and issue new keys.
- Use all locks on hotel door, particularly the double lock. Always make sure door is locked when leaving.
- When returning to your room, make sure that you have your room key out and ready.
- If someone claims they are from maintenance, security or a hotel employee, phone the front desk to make sure the visitor is legitimate.
- Put valuables in the room safe.
- Be alert for suspicious persons in the hotel hallways. Report them to the front desk or hotel manager.
- Locate fire exits, elevators and the nearest phone. Plan the best way to exit the building in an emergency.
Code of Conduct
Mission: Advancing anatomical science through research, education, and professional development
Vision: Inspiring scientific curiosity and discovery.
Values: Community, respect, inclusion, integrity, discovery
The American Association for Anatomy (AAA) is committed to providing a professional, inclusive, welcoming, and safe environment that is free from harassment and discrimination of any kind. AAA seeks to provide a respectful community to allow all participants to take part in advancing anatomical science through research, education, and professional development.
This policy applies to all members, employees, applicants, vendors, contingent workers, and any person professionally affiliated with AAA during association-related activities. All participants in attendance of AAA events agree to comply with this Code of Conduct Policy and in doing so also agree to conduct themselves in a professional manner. These events include, albeit not limited to, conferences, meetings, trainings, and any virtual program.
Under this policy, harassment includes verbal, written, or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility toward an individual on the basis of any Protected Factors and that: (1) has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment; (2) has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual’s performance or ability to participate in AAA events; or (3) otherwise affects an individual’s ability to participate in AAA events due to unwelcomed verbal or physical conduct which can adversely affect the environment, or results in a decision adversely affecting the individual based upon the their rejection of such conduct. Thus, all AAA participants are expected to avoid any inappropriate actions or statements based on individual characteristics such as age, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, physical appearance, marital status, nationality, political affiliation, ability status, educational background, or any other characteristic. Promoting or encouraging inappropriate actions and/or statements is also prohibited.
AAA takes all harassment claims very seriously and will not tolerate any violations of this policy. If AAA receives an allegation of harassment, or has reason to believe harassment is occurring, the association will take the necessary steps to ensure that the matter is promptly investigated and addressed. AAA fully supports anyone wishing to address an incident of harassment and reserves the right to take necessary action against a participant who engages in any form of harassment which violates this policy.
Reporting an Incident
Program Committee
Co-Chairs
| Joan Richtsmeier |
Pennsylvania State University |
| Matthew Vickaryous |
University of Guelph |
Members
| Kristin Artinger |
University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus |
| Jeffrey Bush |
UCSF |
| Keely Cassidy |
University of Nebraska Medical Center |
| Jennifer Dennis |
Kansas City University |
| Eustathia Lela Giannaris |
UMass Chan Medical School |
| Margaret Hall |
Midwestern University |
| Angelo Iulianella |
Dalhousie University |
| Paul Kulesa |
Stowers Institute for Medical Research |
| Smart Mbagwu |
Nnamdi Azikiwe University |
| Callum Ross |
University of Chicago |
| Xiangmin Xu |
University of California, Irvine |
Future Meetings
2025 - TBD
2026 - TBD
Past Meetings
Anatomy Connected 2023 Abstracts and Report
Programmed and approved abstracts will be published in either Developmental Dynamics (all scientific research abstracts) or Anatomical Sciences Education (all education research abstracts).
Meeting Report by Paul Trainor, Editor of Developmental Dynamics
Scientific research abstracts were published in Developmental Dynamics, July 2023, Volume 252, Issue 7
DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.632
Education research abstracts will be published in Anatomical Sciences Education, November/December 2023 Issue*, Volume 16, Issue 6