We aim to build a collaborative, supportive community of scientists, students, and postdocs who will grow as colleagues and continue working together as our careers evolve. Scientific independence is vital. We encourage you to challenge ideas, openly voice doubts, and engage fully in scientific discussions. Ask questions and don’t hesitate to speak up when you find something unclear. Honest debate and critical thinking drive strong science.
Resilience and Mentorship:
Failure is an inevitable part of research—papers and grants are often rejected, and not all experiments work out to your expectations. These setbacks are not personal failures, but opportunities to learn and move science forward. Especially early in your career, it’s natural to feel pressure, so we provide mentorship and guidance to help you grow and buffer you from setbacks whenever possible.
Work/Life Balance:
We believe in a healthy balance between work and personal life. Focus on being effective and productive rather than simply working long hours. At times, shorter hours with deep thinking may lead to fundamental breakthroughs.
Risk-Taking and Growth:
We work on both established and high-risk, high-reward projects. You won’t carry risky projects alone—collaboration and mutual support are key. Take on new challenges, learn from both success and failure, and know that unproven ideas and failed experiments still contribute to our collective progress.
Scientific Integrity:
Uphold the highest ethical standards. There are no shortcuts—avoid fabrication, falsification, poor statistics, and plagiarism. Integrity is the foundation of meaningful research.
Constructive Criticism:
Peer review can be tough, but the feedback targets your science, not you. Embrace critique as a tool for improvement, not as a measure of your worth.
The Reality of Research:
Much of science is routine and sometimes repetitive—testing equipment, debugging code, repeating procedures. Perseverance and diligence are essential.
Communication and Openness:
Be transparent. Share your work and progress, even when things aren’t working out. Our science improves through open communication, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas.
Community and Networking:
Connect with peers, ask questions, and reach out to others, even if you’re shy. Networking is about mutual learning, sharing ideas, and building a supportive scientific network, not data manipulation.
Data Organization and Visualization:
Clear figures are central to communicating your work. Organize your data, think ahead to how it will be presented, and create clear visuals for papers, presentations, and grants. Always plan your experiments with analysis and communication in mind.
Judgment and Growth:
Know when to persevere with a problem and when it’s time to move on. Seek feedback, accept that not all questions need immediate answers, and use your time for the greatest impact. Build confidence in your own scientific reasoning and judgment while remaining open to the insights of others.
Ultimately, strive for a balance between rigorous science, creativity, collaboration, and personal well-being. My lab is here to support students, postdocs, and early career researchers’ growth as the next generation of independent, responsible, and ethical scientists.