Retreats

A highlight of our T32 program is our annual T32-sponsored retreat, held in March or April of each year. The retreat includes a Keynote Address by a well-known scientist, who will be hosted in Rochester by training faculty mentors as well as trainees. The Keynote Speaker will have dinner with the T32 Trainees, lunch with a diverse group of graduate students that include T32-ineligible students, and meet with all current and past T32 Trainees. The retreat is held on campus to maximize participation by the greater scientific community. The retreat also features two talks by former trainees, who are introduced by representative current trainees.

Coverage of the Latest T32 Retreat

Retreat Photos

Past Keynote Speakers

• Harry Noller, PhD, University of CA, Santa Cruz, “Structure and Dynamics of the Ribosome” 5/8/13
• Brian Shoichet, PhD, University of Toronto, “The Metabolic Code” 5/7/14
• Jonathan Weissman, PhD, UC San Francisco, HHMI, “Monitoring Translaction in Space and Time with Ribosome Profiling” 4/1/15
• Carl Wu, PhD, HHMI, Janelia Farms, “Chromatin Dynamics of Histone Variants H2A.Z and CENP-A at Yeast Promoters and Centromeres” 4/13/16
• Feng Zhang, PhD, MIT, “Exploration of CRISPR Diversity: from Microbiology to Biotechnology” 4/19/17
• C. David Allis, PhD, Rockefeller University: “When Genetics and Epigenetics Collide: Insights Gained into Human Cancer” 4/25/18
• John Lis, PhD, Cornell University: “Collaboration of Transcription Factors at Promoters and Enhancers to Regulate Distinct Steps in Gene Expression” 4/17/19>/li>
• Titia de Lange, PhD, Rockefeller University: CANCELLED due to COVID-19 (prev. scheduled for 4/15/20)
• Erik Sontheimer, PhD, U-Mass Medical School: “Pro- and Anti-CRISPR” 4/14/21
• Eva Nogales, PhD, UC Berkeley: “Visualization of Macromolecular Structure, Dynamics and Interactions in the Regulation of Human Gene Expression” 3/16/22

The T32 2022-2023 Training Program held its Annual Retreat on March 15, 2023 with Dr. Jerry Workman, PhD, Investigator and Director of Postdoc Affairs at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in Kansas City, MO as the Keynote Speaker: “Signaling through Chromatin for Transcription and Metabolism”, hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Hayes, Co-PI of this T32.

Presentations by past T32 Trainees

• Wesley Chiang, 2021-2022 Trainee (Dr. Todd Krauss, Advisor) “Probing Potential Origins for COVID-19 Associated Neuroimmune Activation Using a Quantum Dot Biomimetic of SARS-CoV-2” (Introduced by T32 Trainee Jessica Perciaccante)
• Kala Hardy, 2021-2022 Trainee (Dr. Toru Takimoto, Advisor) “Functional Analysis of Human Coronavirus Host Shutoff Protein nsp1” (Introduced by T32 Trainee Leon Harvey)

NEW: Wellness and Resilience Panel

New this year, as part of a supplement to this T32, the Annual Retreat featured a Wellness and Resilience Panel after the Keynote. Panelists included:

• Brigid Cahill, PhD, Director, University Counseling Center; Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, University of Rochester
• Kermin Martínez-Hernández, PhD, Principal Facilitator, Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER); Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, St. John Fisher University
• Susan H. McDaniel, PhD, Dr. Laurie Sands Distinguished Professor of Families & Health; Director, UR Medicine Physician Communication Coaching Program; Chief of Psychology and Director, Institute for the Family, Department of Psychiatry; Vice Chair, Department of Family Medicine, University of Rochester
• Adrienne Morgan, PhD, Vice President & Senior Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion; Associate Professor, Department of Health Humanities and Bioethics; Associate Professor, Warner School of Education, University of Rochester