We are JUST as fun outside the lab as we are in ;)
Completion of Microscope Room Painting '26
We started working on the infamous microscope room painting at the lab holiday party, but since it was unfinished, we all worked on it in between PCRs and gels, to reveal our final masterpiece on lab cleaning day. If you look hard enough, you'll find some hidden letter G's. How man can you count?
Worm Meeting Lab Lunch '26
In Greenwich Village, after a morning of lectures at the New York Area Worm Meeting, the lab decided to indulge in birria tacos, tostadas, and mulitas with consomé at Birria LES. After the food coma, we stopped by Hani's for a sweet treat, because when is a meal ever complete without a sweet treat?
Wahba Lab Holiday Party '25
At the Wahba House, Chef Xander served a menu of beansy cheesy rice with zaatar, radicchio/apple salad with fermented honey, slow roast lamb loin, braised beef oxtails with beet juice and onions, and more! Sous chef Ipek helped out and Baker Liz made the best carrot and swiss roll cake. As we had a thanksgiving-dupe dinner, Maryam convinced Noah that she was his favorite lab member and everyone locked in when it came time to design and paint our microscope room canvas
Chromatin Supergroup Holiday Party '25
With Holiday season coming closer, we claimed the KRB lobby for the day, decorating for a winter wonderland vibe with fake snow and white birch trees, and catering from Maryam's favorite restaurant, Top Thai Carmine. As we balanced time between the photobooth and the basil udon, Yakshi taught all the lab how to play the South Asian board game, Ludo, and Kimberly came out on top! Even though we lost the Chromatin Supergroup Jeopardy, we learned that Kimberly beats Xander in a button-buzzing competition.
Yakshi's Birthday Lunch '25
One can never go wrong with Thai food, so Yakshi's belated birthday celebration involved indulging exactly that. The curry's, Pad See Ew, and Duck were all spectacular as a side dish, but the main course was the tea being spilled left and right. Our stomach's were DEFINITELY full after that!
Lab Photoshoot Day '25
With the lab website revamp soon approaching, it was essential to get new lab photos, and we must say, the chilly snowy November morning did not stop us from getting our lab shots and some fun silly pictures too!
Saurish's Goodbye Lunch '25
As Saurish finished his summer with Xander, the Lab bid him farewell via Cambodian cuisine at Bayon. The restaurant vibe, service, and food were perfect for the occasion, and Saurish tried duck for the first time!
Lab Retreat '25
In the crux of Hunter Mountain, Xander took charge of the kitchen with Ipek and Lamia, creating a menu featuring grilled salmon, pilav, hummus, and more. As we hiked, biked, and bonfired, we learned each other's childhood lore, spooky storytelling skills, and tastes in music, with Maryam photographing every passing minute.
Chromatin Supergroup BBQ '25
The Funabiki, Liu, Risca, Wahba, and Smogorzewska Lab members came together on a hot Thursday afternoon in July to eat hot dogs, cupcakes, crackers, and corn. As Xander grilled his hot dogs, Maryam was simultaneously meeting her lab parents (Lamia and Shixin) at the same time for the first time #sharedcustody.
Wahba Lab Holiday Party '24
Xander hosted the inaugural lab holiday party! What followed was a multi-course dinner featuring a Brussels sprout salad two people demanded the recipe for and chocolate ice cream 2-year old Noah couldn’t possibly have eaten any more of. Afterwards we threw plush burritos at each other (don’t worry, the PI left first).
Lamia's Birthday Surprise '24
For Lamia’s birthday we got her a fancy strawberry cake. The secret is putting it in her unlocked office while she’s off to pick up lunch, light the candle when a scout announces she’s on her way back, and then pretend to have nothing to do with it.
Halloween '24
Halloween this year was about as much of a cop out as you can get—wearing all solid colors. Lamia got to wear Noah’s octopus stuffed animal as an argonaute protein, and the lab members each got one of the four RNA nucleotides. Xander in green since he hates halloween (but likes wearing green). Lamia liked the octopus so much she kept it in her office for months and kept “forgetting” to bring it home to Noah.
Wahba Lab Retreat '24
The lab’s first lab retreat! Long Beach (the NY one), handmade pasta and puri, a little time baking on the sand, and brainstorming “unlimited-time, unlimited-money” experiments. Lamia gave her 10-year plan for the lab, we created the now family-favorite lab logo, and Lamia and Xander made it to the face-off round of “Do You Want to Buy a Duck?”.
