ARO 2026 - San Juan, PR

This year, we did something unusual: we brought the entire lab to the ARO MidWinter Meeting in San Juan.

Austin, Lyn, Jiayi, and Xiangyu presented posters. Former postdocs Mitsuo and Marie presented work they conducted in our lab. Ayse/Rocio, Ishwar, and Stefan gave talks. Across most projects, Nesrine was senior author - a visible sign of her increasingly central role in shaping the scientific direction of the lab.

For some, this was a first major meeting. For others, it was a chance to reconnect, network, and pressure-test ideas. Presenting unpublished work is always a bit uncomfortable - which is precisely why it is valuable. We received honest feedback, and several conversations will directly influence the next round of experiments.

We also used the meeting to calibrate ourselves. In a small and specialized field like ours, it matters to know where we stand. In several areas, we felt reassured that we are not just participating in the conversation - we are helping define it.

Bringing the full lab was a real investment. Supporting each person - independent of career stage - is important. Exposure builds confidence. It transforms trainees into peers. It reminds all of us why careful, mechanistic basic science still matters, even in a world that increasingly prioritizes rapid clinical translation.

Meetings like ARO are a reminder not to lose faith in science - or in academic careers.

We returned energized.

And yes - San Juan helped and was a far better experience than Orlando, FL - it also felt really good to support a part of the country that is neglected by our government.