Beyond OPF: External Events
External Events & Professional Development
This page is used to advertise non-OPF Events and Announcements that may be of interest to our community. Please contact us if you wish to have an announcement or event posted here.
HCC PATHFINDER AMBASSADOR COUNCIL
Join the HCC Pathfinder Ambassador Council (PAC)!
We are looking for creative, collaborative leaders who think boldly and are up to the challenge of building a community of trainees within the Harvard Cancer Consortium (HCC). Membership in the PAC will allow you to expand your leadership, team-building and communication skills, get to know and advocate for the cancer-focused trainee community within your institution and across the HCC, gain new networking circles and mentorship opportunities, and learn about the administrative side of research education and training. This is an exciting time to be a part of Pathfinder as the PAC will play a key role in transforming the trainee experience for cancer-focused postdocs, clinical fellows and instructors across HCC. Join us!
Benefits of Being a Member of the PAC
- Opportunities to provide input into Pathfinder’s resources and programming and assist in organizing and planning Pathfinder offerings
- Gain insights into event planning
- Connect with and share input from cancer-focused postdocs, clinical fellows and instructors across the HCC-affiliated institutions
- Unique opportunities for mentorship and networking across academic and non-academic circles
- Valuable addition to your CV
About the HCC Pathfinder Ambassador Council (PAC)
The goal of the Harvard Cancer Consortium (HCC) Pathfinder Ambassador Council (PAC) is to assist the Pathfinder initiative with:
- connecting to the cancer-focused trainee communities at all seven Harvard Cancer Consortium (HCC, formerly known as Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center or DF/HCC) institutions (BCH, BIDMC, BWH, DFCI, HMS, HSPH and MGH);
- raising awareness of career development, mentorship and networking opportunities for cancer-focused postdocs, clinical fellows and instructors across the different campuses; and
- learning more concretely about HCC-affiliated trainee interests and needs.
The PAC is composed of enthusiastic cancer-focused postdocs, clinical fellows and instructors from across the HCC who will provide insights and ideas in support of Pathfinder’s program and offerings.
Member Responsibilities
Each member of the PAC will:
- Serve as Pathfinder’s representative and ‘voice’ for their home institution’s cancer-focused trainee community
- Attend and/or help to facilitate Pathfinder programming, providing trainee perspectives and offering critical input into Pathfinder resources
- Update Pathfinder about institutionally and community-based programming and events as well as insights about cancer-focused trainees’ unmet needs
- Share ideas for future development, gained through their own insights and direct peer-to-peer conversations within the PAC team.
- Work as a bridge between the different HCC-affiliated institutions, connecting Pathfinder to the HCC trainee community in new, innovative, and exciting ways.
The PAC will work closely with Pathfinder’s Program Manager and Administrator and actively advise the team by providing community feedback, suggesting new programing, and assisting with planning and/or promotion of new events. Meeting approximately 6 times a year, both in-person and virtually, to discuss future directions and activities, PAC members will provide input on upcoming programming as well as encourage trainee participation at Pathfinder and partner events throughout the year.
Composition of the PAC
- The PAC will be comprised of at least one member from each of the HCC-affiliated institutions who are affiliated with labs whose PIs are members of the HCC
- Members must be postdocs, clinical fellows or instructors to serve on the PAC. If members advance in their careers and maintain employment at an HCC-affiliated institution, they are welcome to stay on as emeritus members.
- Members of the PAC will serve for a minimum of one year. If members must leave their positions on the PAC, a new member will be sought from their home institution.
- As best as possible, membership of the PAC will reflect the diverse identities and career stages of members of the HCC trainee community.
Please reach out to Isabel Lam (Isabel_Lam@dfci.harvard.edu), Pathfinder Program Administrator with any questions. Interest form can be filled out here.
This is the last call for the Tools for Reproducible Research workshop run by the Harvard Chan Bioinformatics Core (HBC)! This workshop will introduce participants to using Quarto Markdown for creating reproducible reports along with using GitHub Desktop for version control.
This workshop will be held online on October 27th, 30th and November 3rd from 9:30 AM to 12 PM noon each day. This workshop assumes that users have familiarity with R programming.
Register by noon 10/23 at https://tinyurl.com/HBC-Reproducibility!
The format of our workshops is as follows: Instruction will be mostly learner-centric requiring workshop participants to spend between 3-5 hours on reading and exercises from selected lessons before the workshop sessions. The onlineclasses will be focused on exercises and discussion and all are expected to participate. Please make sure you take this into account when you sign-up for the workshop!
More details on the workshop are available in the attached PDF and on the registration page.
As always, please contact us with any questions.
PGED invites you to join us on Wednesday, October 28 (2-6pm) for a spirited forum on Genetics, Athlete Health, and Human Performance, featuring scientists, athletes, and sports leaders whose experience spans the NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, Paralympics, and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. We’ll be exploring the application of genetic technologies in elite sports – the scientific possibilities, the real-world opportunities and limitations, and the human questions (see below for key details and agenda).
Key Details:
- We’ll be in Room 350 of the Veritas Science Center.
- Sessions will run from 2:00pm to 5:15pm with a reception to follow (5:15-6:00pm) in the Sky Lounge.
- Spots will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Snacks provided during the coffee break and reception. To help us gauge numbers for catering, we request that you register (link here) to indicate your interest.
- Questions? Please contact Robin Bowman (rbowman@pged.med.harvard.edu).
Agenda (times may shift)
2:00 - 2:15 PM: Opening Remarks – Setting the stage for conversation at the intersection of genetics and elite sports.
- Robin Bowman, PGED Director of Education & Engagement, HMS
- Alicia Whittington, Director of Engagement and Health Equity Research, The Football Players Health Study at Harvard
2:15 - 2:30 PM: At the Forefront of Genetics & Human Performance – Exploring the cutting edge of how genetics is being applied to physical performance under extreme bodily stress, bridging laboratory science with real-world physiology.
- Elaine Choung-Hee Lee, Professor, Molecular Biology & Applied Genetics; Director, Human Performance Laboratory, Dept. of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut
2:30 - 2:55 PM: Foundational Discoveries in Health & Disease – Spark talks from early career scientists sharing their current research that is the future of medicine through foundational understandings of health and disease in the heart, lungs, and brain.
- Kemar Brown, Cardiologist & Instructor in Medicine, Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School (Laboratory of Christine & John Seidman)
- Liz Enyenihi, MD/PhD Student, Harvard Medical School & Boston Children’s Hospital (Laboratory of Chris Walsh)
- Jake Jensen, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School & Boston Children’s Hospital (Laboratory of Carla Kim)
2:55 - 3:35 PM: Panel 1: Resilience, Adaptation & Recovery – Exploring what genetics can—and cannot—tell us about resilience, stress adaptation, recovery, and athletic performance.
- Andrea Hudy, Director of Sports Performance, Women’s Basketball, University of Connecticut
- Elaine Choung-Hee Lee, Professor, Molecular Biology & Applied Genetics; Director, Human Performance Laboratory, Dept. of Kinesiology, University of Connecticut
- Spencer Paysinger, Writer/Producer, Former NFL Athlete
- Luke Pelton, Human Performance Lab Coordinator; Assistant Professor of Exercise Science, Springfield College
- Moderator: Robin Bowman, PGED Director of Education & Engagement, HMS
3:35 - 3:55 PM: The Future of Genetics in Athletics – A horizon view of how genetic innovations may shape the landscape of elite sports.
- George Church, Robert Winthrop Professor of Genetics, HMS; Founding Core Faculty, Wyss Institute
- Adama Sesay, Senior Engineer, Wyss Institute
3:55 - 4:10 PM: Coffee Break (snacks provided)
4:10 - 4:50 PM: Panel 2: When Biology Becomes a Decision – Examining what happens when genetic or biological information enters talent identification, athlete care, eligibility, regulation, and institutional decision-making.
- Greta Neimanas, Paralympian & Elite Education Coordinator, US Anti-Doping Association
- Will Nix, Chairman/CEO, Creative Projects Group; Co-Executive Director, SIE Society; former VP of Legal & Business Affairs for the National Basketball Association
- Jared Waimon, Goaltending Scout, Tampa Bay Lightning, National Hockey League
- Alicia Whittington, Director of Engagement and Health Equity Research, The Football
Players Health Study at Harvard
- Moderator: Marnie Gelbart, PGED Director, HMS
4:50 - 5:10 PM: Reflection & Discussion – Facilitated discussion with prompts provided for reflection and sharing with colleagues.
- Gill McNeil, PGED Education Design Lead, HMS
5:10 - 5:15 PM: Closing Remarks
- Robin Bowman, PGED Director of Education & Engagement, HMS
5:15 - 6:00 PM: Reception (Sky Lounge)
A Grant of One’s Own is a collaborative, interactive grant-writing course designed to help you develop a complete, competitive research proposal for submission to a first grant or fellowship by the end of the program. This course is targeted toward Harvard-affiliated cancer-focused postdocs, clinical fellows, and instructors (MD, MD-PhD, or PhD) whose research translates novel scientific discoveries into clinical testing, including early-phase clinical trials. Throughout your participation, you will be guided step-by-step through the process of preparing your first proposal and will lay the foundation for future funding success. Participants are matched with a small group of peers led by faculty mentors from across the Harvard Cancer Consortium. At the conclusion of the course, your proposal will be reviewed in a mock study section, providing you with critical feedback and insights into the grant review process.
Learn more: A Grant of One's Own: A Mentored Approach to Independent Funding
Register: A Grant of One's Own: Registration Form
Calling for Science in the News seminar facilitators!
We are now recruiting facilitators for the Fall 2026 SITN seminar series! This is a great opportunity to engage with the community, increase public awareness of your field/area of experise, and gain experience with science communication. We welcome academic researchers and industry professionals at all levels!
📆 WHEN: Fall semester is October-November (each facilitator will sign up for one date)
📍 WHERE: Online (Zoom)
‼️ WHAT: Short flash talk, followed by a roundtable discussion with students
👥 WHO: Beacon Hill Seminars is an adult learning community who is excited about new frontiers in science, technology and medicine. They are a passionate and curious group of students!
Apply here: Fall 2026 SITN-BHS Facilitator Application Form
Contact the organizer: scienceinthenews.bhs@gmail.com
LEARN MORE
- Beacon Hill Seminars: home page
- Harvard SITN: official website
- More SITN opportunities: general interest form
- Contact SITN: sitnboston@gmail.com
“Leading your own research group is an important step in an academic career. In Germany, several funding programs can help you get there, each with different priorities, eligibility criteria, and expectations for you and your host institution.
This webinar will explore funding options, finding the right host institution, preparing applications, and setting up an independent research group in Germany.
Research group leaders Erna K. Wieduwilt and Nicholas Güsken will share their experiences with applying for funding, finding a host institution, negotiating, and establishing their research groups.
Helga Soer-Sodmann and Stephan Cursiefen will provide institutional and policy perspectives on selecting funding programs and preparing competitive applications.
The webinar will provide practical advice for researchers considering academic research group leadership opportunities in Germany.”
Guidance, Skills & Opportunities for Researchers (GSO) Website
Note: This is a career-related event (not hosted by MCS) shared because it is open to Harvard students.
We are thrilled to announce that the NIH will begin accepting applications for the Extramural Loan Repayment Program (LRP) on September 1! Awardees can receive up to $100,000 in qualified educational debt repayment with a two-year award.
To learn more about eligibility requirements, application dates, and the benefits of receiving an LRP award, be sure to visit the LRP website, and attend one of our upcoming events:
- October 6 – LRP Technical Assistance Webinar
- November 10 – LRP Ask Me Anything Session
Important LRP Application Tips!
- Ensure your NIH Commons password is up-to-date
- Review the recently published notices
- Review the LRP Application Guide
- Check out our LRP tutorial videos
- Contact an LRP Ambassador for guidance
- Reach out to an LRP Program Officer to discuss your research
- Inform your Institutional Business Official (IBO) of your plan to apply for a renewal award
Please note that the deadline to apply is November 19, 2026.
The Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology is looking for instructional support for an undergraduate course for the spring semester. They require teaching assistants/fellows who will work with the course instructor and attend lectures, as well as (if necessary) run lab section, hold office hours, grade exams/papers, and meet with students. (Please note that if you are on an H1B visa, you are ineligible to teach.)
Details for the courses for which they are hiring can be found below:
SCRB 155: Epigenetics and Gene Regulation of Human Development and Disease
Course Description: Are we destined to be our parents? In this course we will study topics in epigenetics and gene regulation to challenge some of Mendel’s ideas on genetic inheritance. To do this, we will learn about the biochemical processes that control the expression of genes as cells change across human development, aging and disease. Together with genetics, we’ll use science to discuss whether “nature or nurture” defines who we are. Finally, the human genome is huge, employing diverse mechanisms of epigenetic regulation, we’ll learn about data rich experimental tools and work together to use computational methods to study epigenetic processes within cells.
Additional Details: If interested, please contact the Program Administrator, Maria Para (mariapara@fas.harvard.edu) with an up-to-date CV.
Instructor: Jason Buenrostro
Lecture: MW 3:00pm-4:15pm
Location: TBA
Dates of appointment: 1/3/2027-5/29/2027