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Lessons from Two Physician Scientists: Navigating the Transition to Independence Transitioning from a postdoctoral position to independence is a complex undertaking that requires careful planning and the support of mentors and mentees alike. While some researchers have experienced a smooth transition, for others, it has been more challenging. In order to gain insight into effectively managing the numerous issues that arise during this period, we turned to Drs. Ross Levine and Aaron Viny, who recently engaged in a webinar discussion with us on their relationship as mentor-mentee and their own experiences transitioning to independence. Dr. Ross Levine, having completed his MD at Johns Hopkins University, pursued hematology/oncology fellowship and residency at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute before joining Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City to establish his own lab. Dr. Viny, a physician scientist, earned his MD at Case Western Reserve University, followed by an internal medicine

Setting up a new lab and managing expectations- “Lab-o-poiesis” ala Tina Termini and “A Cynic’s Guide to Starting Up a Lab” by Adrian Liston Starting your independent lab is an exciting time in your career, but it also brings many challenges, including moving to a new institution, managing administrative duties, hiring staff, and balancing new responsibilities all while continuing to advance your science.  In the April 2023 Junior Faculty Committee-sponsored webinar, both Dr. Christina Termini, a first-year Principal Investigator (PI) at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, WA, USA, and Prof. Adrian Liston, a senior PI who has led labs at Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie in Belgium, the Babraham Institute in the UK, and now at the University of Cambridge, outlined the challenges faced at different stages of their journeys as independent researchers and how they navigated these.  Importantly, several common themes emerged with some important take-home messages that can help you