You have built your boat, assembled your crew, and navigated the storms. But where exactly are you sailing? In this final episode of this ALBA-IBRO Diversity Podcast limited series, we arrive at the ultimate destination : Success. But what does success really mean in academia ? Is it the number of papers you publish, the size of your lab, or the awards you collect? Jonathan and Renaud bring together four brilliant scientists to challenge the traditional academic compass : Ra...

Even the best captain cannot control the weather. But they can control how they navigate the storm. In Episode 4 of the ALBA-IBRO Diversity Podcast, we sail into the darker waters of academia: power dynamics, bullying, and toxic environments. We often talk about the "dream lab," but what happens when that dream becomes a nightmare? When the hierarchy is used to silence rather than support ? Or when systemic barriers put researchers in danger ? Renaud and Jonathan sit down with three courageou...

What is the most valuable "invisible skill" of a group leader ? In Episode 3, we tackle the difficult question : how to build a research culture where people don't just survive, but thrive. Science is not a solo trip. It is a group expedition. Yet, most group leaders are never trained to manage humans, resolve conflicts, or foster inclusivity. Renaud and Jonathan sit down with four inspiring scientist Dori Grijseels (Max Planck Institute, Germany), Angeline Dukes (University of Mi...

What if constraints could fuel your lab instead of limiting it ? Episode 2 dives into the realities and opportunities of building a lab in resource-constrained settings. Renaud and Jonathan talk to Daniela Di Bella (Harvard, USA), Vatsala Thirumalai (National Centre for Biological Sciences, India), and Sahba Besharati (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa) about how determination and creativity can turn restrictions into scientific excellence. From Argentina to India and South Africa...

Making the leap from postdoc to group leader is both exciting and terrifying. Episode 1 offers the postdoc perspective on this journey. Renaud and Jonathan from the Lonely Pipette talk with Florencia Fernandez-Chiappe (Boston University, US), Mayank Chugh (William & Mary, US), and Ashley Bourke (MPI for Brain Research, DE) about the fears, anxieties, and uncertainties that come with this transition. They share their personal experiences, discuss common challenges, and offer insights on ho...

We had the great honour of producing a podcast for the ALBA-IBRO Diversity Podcast. This podcast series is a unique resource, a guide that will help you to adress the difficult issue of transitioning from postdoc to team leader. We hope it will inspire you as much as it has transformed our vision of academia ! The ALBA-IBRO Diversity Podcast 'From Postdoc to PI' is organized with the support of the International Brain Research Organization, a founding partner of the ALBA Network. This podcast...

This month we talk with Ana Boskovic about her experience of setting up her own lab and hiring a new team Ana began studying languages and literature… but found it too easy, so she switchedShe questions whether you are ever ‘ready’ to set up your own labIt’s important that you find the right ‘fit’ for the place you want to work and this should be a supportive environmentShe learnt early that it is important to hire people with diverse personalities who each fill a gap in the skills the lab ne...

This month Ivan Oransky joins us to talk about his work as a journalist and advocate for monitoring scientific misconduct. Ivan confesses about his beginnings as a young playwright of the immune systemHe discusses how and why he left medicine to become a journalistIvan’s mentors encouraged him to develop by getting experience as a journalist and editorIvan reflects on how his training as a physician was helpful and allowed people to trust himHe stresses how important it is to read in order to...

This month we enjoyed talking to Arjun Raj about his interdisciplinary approaches to studying biological systems Arjun shares how he almost became a truck driver and experimented with a career in an (unnamed) rock bandHe tells us about his journey from mathematics to quantitative biology and he shares thoughts about comparing biology with physics and what they can learn from each otherHe says we all struggle with how to teach creativity and how to evaluate the most promising ideas.Arjun disc...

This month Alicia Rojas tells us about her journey from Costa Rica to Israel and back, in search of pathogens and parasites Alicia shares the personal difficulties of being far from home and how she missed family and foodShe reflects on coming back to Costa Rica to explore its rich biodiversityShe recalls the challenges of returning from a luxurious postdoc at the Weizmann Institute to setting up her own lab in Costa Rica during a pandemicShe discusses the need to be resilient and creative an...