The Centre for Blood Research has many talented graduate students, postdocs and faculty doing cutting edge research in important fields such as infectious and inflammatory diseases, cancer, and biotechnology. In the CBR Newsletter, we spend a great deal of time focusing on how CBR researchers apply their skills to achieve prestigious publications and awards, but we often do not recognize the extraordinary things that researchers do outside of the lab. Work-life balance is an important factor for overall health and success. Whether this is drinking beer (my personal favourite) or getting involved in an intramural sport, everyone has something to distract them from life in the lab. The CBR has some exceptional people who have extraordinary talents not only in the lab but outside of it as well. To give a snapshot into the diversity of skills that CBR members have, I have interviewed interesting graduate students with impressive talents. This month I would like to highlight Lauren Wilkinson, a talented microbiologist with a secret past as an Olympic athlete.
