The Leading Edge Fellows gathered this week to celebrate Zara Weinberg, a beloved member of our community. Our 7th cohort of Leading Edge Fellows (2026) will be named in her honor. The Zara Weinberg Leading Edge Cohort application is now open! Due Feb 2. www.leadingedgesymposium.org/apply/

Zara Weinberg passed away earlier this week. She joined my lab earlier this year when her postdoc lab formally closed. She was a brilliant scientist, supportive mentor, dear friend, avid music fan, rabid believer in public transit, open science champion, and above all just an amazing human.

We are all better because of the energy, inspiration, brilliance, and tenacity that Zara was. A bright light, role model, advocate & snarky tweeter... everything I needed in a person when I was navigating dark times when we met in 2021. You will be missed deeply, Zara, but never forgotten ❤️

100% all of this 👇. So grateful to have had you in my life, Zara, and I will miss you so much.

Grateful to the incredible team we put together for this project: @cterminiphd.bsky.social, @biophysgal.bsky.social, @jpflores.rbind.io, Joselyn Landazuri, Esteban, and Karen❤️. You all inspire me! Also, huge thanks to friends helping to share and amplify this: @sciforgood.bsky.social

Be the scientist who provides thoughtful and critical feedback to strengthen an idea without changing the idea completely. We need creative minds, not clones of thought. Mentors who foster creativity can have an enormous impact on the scientific enterprise: self-awareness is key ♥️ 🔑

✅ I had my first screening mammogram performed today: with a familial history of breast cancer spanning generations and most of my maternal aunts, it was time to check in. Happy to report that it was easy to schedule after getting a referral from my PCP, painless, and fast.

Early morning flash talk ready at @thevfoundation.bsky.social Thank you for inviting me to sharing our work on the sparkle code in leukemia ♥️ 🩸

#NewPI achievement unlocked: first manuscript rejection 🫠☢️🫠🩸🫠 Bart is disappointed that we weren’t invited to resubmit, but at least we made it to review and got some useful feedback. Gotta keep it moving…

With everything being such a mess lately, I’m thankful to have a team that is passionate about science, yet sensitive to the strains I am feeling. Thank you, Termini lab, for giving me space and being patient. I’m thankful I still get to make discoveries with you everyday ♥️🩸

Interested in doing a postdoc in Seattle? Join us on May 6 for Seattle DROP, a virtual biomedical postdoc recruitment event. The first 250 US registrants enjoy lunch via delivery voucher! 🥪 All postdoc candidates are invited to attend. 👇👇👇 Registration: tinyurl.com/seattledrop25

My auntie fought breast cancer hard, but recently passed away. She would always ask, “Have you found a cure yet?” to which I would say, “We’re working on it!”. And we are still working on it. Learn about her journey or donate to her cancer research fund: engage.fredhutch.org/goto/Yolanda...

We as a scientific community need to be more intentional than ever in supporting, mentoring, and being available to help scientists from disadvantaged backgrounds. I urge everyone to think deeply about what they can do. For example…

As a person who directly benefitted from many of the programs being dismantled (F31 Diversity, diverse postdoc seminar series, cluster hire, etc), it hits so hard every time I see one of these programs go away. I am gutted.

I’m learning to immense value of self-preservation for persisting in this job. If I acted on or even just reacted to every single thing I felt outrage about, I’d have an empty tank. This is a really hard part of the job, but essential.

It’s just one of those days where I feel like a total loser and like I don’t belong here (in academia, in science, in a leadership position). I keep showing up, though, because I know I actually do deserve to be here. It’s just hard… 😩 🥸

The wave of energy I get from talking to the scientists in our lab about their projects and discoveries is unparalleled. It truly keeps me going! ♥️♥️♥️

We were delighted to have @king5news.com.web.brid.gy visit us in the Termini Lab to discuss how NIH funding cuts could affect cancer research: m.youtube.com/watch?v=Szo9... We NEED indirect costs to provide funding needed complete research studies that will lead to life saving discoveries.

How it felt when my R01 score dropped last year…

Where will you be on March 7th? 👀 @standupforscience.bsky.social

If you are an @isehsociety.bsky.social member, don't forget to vote for leadership before March 18. There are so many dedicated, hard working people to choose from and if you're not a member consider joining just for this-great time to benefit from the international community!

My study section (DDK-D) met last week! Score release is being held up… but it still feels good to know the science was at least seen.

First names of all of the PIs of labs on my floor: Bruce, Brandon, Naresh, Soheil, David, Derek, Julian, Toni, Irv, Keith, Jerry, and Tina. One of these things is not like the others 🫠

Said farewell to Jen Adair who is heading to UMass Chan to lead their Gene Therapy Center. Couldn’t be more grateful to have gotten to learn from her scientifically & professionally. I’ll keep holding down the fort here, but it’s gonna be harder now ♥️ 🧬 Congrats, Jen: www.umassmed.edu/gtc/

My anxiety has been through the roof lately, which is making is extremely difficult to do my job well. I’m doing my best - carrying on with mentoring, reading, writing, thinking, leading, planning, managing, and everything else that comes with this job… but I am struggling 😔

The Termini Lab at Fred Hutch in Seattle is recruiting a Lab Aide to join our group - more information and instructions to apply can be found at the posting below 👇🧫👇🔬👇🐁 careers-fhcrc.icims.com/jobs/29265/l...

My new routine is that every morning, I spend about 30 minutes ruminating in despair with Bart. I’m so profoundly sad about what science has become. Sending strength to everyone who is trying to carry on ♥️ 🐈‍⬛ #NewPI

Everything is a mess, so here’s a timeline cleanse: give it up for the purrfessors behind the research grants 🐈‍⬛ 🩸 ✍️ 🧫 🐾 if you have a furry collaborator, please post them below!

NIH-funded research is at risk. Cuts to federal funding could harm science and the economy. Contact Congress now to protect research. Every call matters. Find your reps at govtrack.us and speak up today. #FundScience www.ascb.org/science-poli...

Dittoooooo

LOI submitted. The show must go on… 🙏🏻🩸🔮

Celebrating my three fabulous undergraduate research students on “International Day of Women and Girls in Science”. It’s been a honor to have them in my research lab and support them as they discover new antiviral therapies! #womeninscience #11Feb 🧪

“Ask for forgiveness, not for permission” is the name of the game right now. Easier said than done, but the next generation of great scientists are watching and learning from our sentiment and actions. Mentors: stay strong and focused - your words and actions matter more than you know.

Everything feels weird and uncertain, and I can only imagine how trainees feel right now… so are some things mentors can do to support mentees during these challenging times: 🧵

The US plans to cut billions in reimbursements to medical researchers for items such as hazardous waste disposal.

Scientists work hard to make breakthroughs that benefit all. Fracturing the research infrastructure of universities, crippling technical and didactic education, and depleting the morale of staff, researchers, janitors, students, & patients is no way to lead global innovation. #leadership #vision

I want to share wisdom or guidance but it’s hard to find the right words at this time. Mentoring is going to become an even more challenging job than it already was. I’m up for it, but I also need to make sure I’m okay. It’s a lot of pressure but I’m going to figure it out - I will persist.

My quote was added about the loss of these programs: “Our country is quite literally hobbling ourselves by cancelling these programs," which support undergraduates, grad students and postdocs "who bring important, unique and novel insights and breadth to solving challenging, scientific problems”

Feels even weirder/more important to share this news... last night, I was honored with the Fred Hutch Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion award at our faculty conclave. I'm thankful that my efforts continue to be supported, especially during these complex times 🧵

It feels weird to share happy news when everything around me is melting, but here we go… I am proud to be named a 2025 ASH Scholar🩸♥️ I am thankful for supportive mentors, colleagues, and lab members who helped me make this goal reality. tinyurl.com/y832hjs5

I don’t even have the words to describe how I feel about this 😭

Blessed with a community of brilliant scientists, pioneering leaders, and committed individuals paving a path for others to follow. May each of you continue to shine brightly; your light is leaving a significant mark.

Come Speed Mentor this afternoon!! 👇👇👇 #ASCB2024 #WICB

I knew how to feel when my NIH grant was trashed, or funded… but no one prepares you for the feeling when the application you poured your heart and soul into is withdrawn by the agency. Sad/mad/hurt/confused/misled. You can find me sulking around today.

I find it annoying when someone is giving a talk, they’re over time, they put up another slide and say, “I don’t have time to go through this, but…” and then go through it. It’s okay to gracefully end your talk when time is up even if you don’t get through everything.

Time to bring #TheLabEdit to this blue place… We implemented a riser spice rack into our chemical bay to make it easier to see/grab the chemicals in the back. Form and function, would definitely work inside of fridges or cabinets as well 🫙🫙🫙

I am scheduled to give my mid-promotion review in January, 2.5 years after starting my lab. I know this is going to be fine, but feeling extremely inadequate without corresponding author publications yet. What are people using these seminars to evaluate? What do I focus on?

Out here defying gravity in and out of the lab 💚

Easier said than done, but I highly recommend finding a Best Pal™️ who is at a similar career stage to share the good, bad, and ridiculous with. Sometimes you just gotta slide into someone’s DMs to ask if they wanna hang out and talk about PI things 😂🍹

Please welcome Bart to @bsky.app #CatsOfAcademia