MolBio Retreat 2024 attendees settling in on Saturday afternoon for the last 13 of 34 twelve-minute talks, in Frick Chemistry Laboratory's Taylor Auditorium. Oct. 2, 2024 The 40th annual MolBio Retreat, a two-day science marathon on Friday and Saturday, September 27-28, 2024, convened in Frick Chemistry Laboratory's Taylor Auditorium and Atrium. Chaired by assistant professors Cameron Myhrvold and John Jimah, the retreat included over 300 attendees, 2 new faculty, 8 sessions, 34 talks, 56 posters, and countless cups of coffee!The annual retreat is an opportunity for the MolBio community to share current research interests across the department and to welcome new first-year graduate students who will rotate across three labs during their first year before settling into a home lab. The 2024 MolBio First-Year Graduate Students. Photo by Richard Thornton. Visiting prospective graduate students, the MolBio Scholars, had the chance to see up close the life and research of the department. 2024 MolBio Scholars (l-r) Cheikh Mbow, Yeongseo Son, Geselle Sotelo Mendoza, Diana Turrieta, Jessica Lin, and Raheem Sheikh. Photo by Richard Thornton. Service and advocacy awards were presented at Friday's final session.Distinguished Postdoc Service Award: Karishma Bisht (te Velthuis) and Aaron Lin (Ploss) [no photo] (l-r) Martin Jonikas with Distinguished Postdoc Service Award winner Karishma Bisht (te Velthuis). Teaching Award: Danielle Bolton (Gavis) and Haoyu Wu (Jonikas) (l-r) Teaching Award winner Danielle Bolton, graduate student (Gavis) with Danelle Devenport. (l-r) Danelle Devenport with Teaching Award winner Haoyu Wu, graduate student (Jonikas). Thomas J. Silhavy Graduate Advocacy Prize: Sabrina Solley (Adamson, Toettcher) (l-r) Danelle Devenport, 2024 Thomas J. Silhavy Graduate Advocacy Prize winner Sabrina Solley (Adamson, Toettcher), and Tom Silhavy. Runner up to the Thomas J. Silhavy Graduate Advocacy Prize: Jonathan St. Ange (Murphy) (l-r) Danelle Devenport with Jonathan St. Ange, graduate student (Murphy), runner up to the Thomas J. Silhavy Graduate Advocacy Prize. Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy Award: Richard Thornton (Toettcher) [no photo]Retreat best poster and talk awards were presented after dinner on Saturday.Best Poster Awards: Karishma Bisht, postdoc (te Velthuis) and Haoyu Wu, graduate student (Jonikas) (l-r) John Jimah, Best Poster Award winner Karishma Bisht, postdoc (te Velthuis), and Cameron Myhrvold. (l-r) Cameron Myhrvold and John Jimah with Poster Award winner Haoyu Wu, graduate student (Jonikas). Best Talk Awards: Ryan Feathers, postdoc (Hughson), Caitlin Lamb, graduate student (te Velthuis and Myhrvold), Linnea Lemma, postdoc (Brangwynne, Jonikas, Wingreen) [no photo], and Tavis Reed, graduate student (Cristea) [no photo]. (l-r) John Jimah, Best Talk Award Winner Ryan Feathers, postdoc (Hughson), and Cameron Myhrvold. (l-r) John Jimah, Best Talk Award Winner Caitlin Lamb, graduate student (te Velthuis, Myhrvold), and Cameron Myhrvold. On Friday night, Jonathan St. Ange (Murphy) hosted a trivia contest, and on Saturday night DJ Jaden Sharkey (Hughson) spun tunes for dancing and socializing.Looking ahead…Next year's MolBio retreat is scheduled for October 3-4, 2025.
