2024 has been a year of growth and transformation for the lab. Several long-standing members who’ve helped to define the atmosphere and approach of the lab have moved on to exciting new roles and programs, and so we’ve welcomed nearly an entire new team of enthusiastic researchers bringing fresh perspectives and new ideas. Similarly, we’re wrapping up three large research projets that have been central to our lab’s work over the last few years, while starting up three new projects that will take us in new directions.

As part of this turnover, we had to bid a bitterweet goodbye to Clara, who is returning to Europe for another postdoc that will bring her back closer to family as she grows her own family. We are all so excited for her and Aurelien and look forward to many updates and photos. By sheer luck and coincidence, Rea turned out to be returning to Europe for her Winter Break on the exact same flight! So, we got to wish them off with a very American lunch of burgers and fries before sending them off to the airport. We’ve still got some exciting scientific projects to wrap up with Clara even after her postdoc is officially over, so there will be much more work and personal catching up over the next few months, but we’ll really miss having her in person (while also acknowledging that her family is very excited to have her back)!