iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Kristen Kwan

Aaron Quinlan (he/him) @aaronquinlan.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I am delighted to announce that The Department of Human Genetics at the University of Utah is continuing a multi-year recruiting initiative for multiple tenure-track faculty positions at the rank of Assistant Professor. Please share and consider applying! utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/208...

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

📣 The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences @utah.edu is recruiting! We seek researchers addressing exciting questions in vision science using innovative approaches. Join our community @moraneyecenter.bsky.social! Repost and contact me with questions! utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/206...

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

It was a real joy to attend the 40th Anniversary Symposium and Celebration of the Pfeffer Lab at Stanford this past weekend. I did my undergraduate honors thesis in the Pfeffer Lab, and I’m so deeply grateful to Suzanne and everyone there who set me on the path to where I am today.

Pfeffer Lab alums who were able to attend the 40th Anniversary Symposium

With Elva Diaz, Carmen Rancaño, Christian Itin, and Kathrin Itin

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Celebrating the 2026 GRC on Visual System Development: a great meeting with exciting science and fantastic colleagues! Thanks to @jnklab.bsky.social and @flyeyelab.bsky.social for all of their work! Looking forward to planning the next one with @latorrelab.bsky.social and @macdonaldlab.bsky.social!

Some past and present Chairs and Vice Chairs of the GRC on Visual System Development (L-R): Jeremy Kay, Seth Blackshaw, Valerie Wallace, Ryan MacDonald, Nadean Brown, Bob Johnston, Kristen Kwan, Anna LaTorre, and Justin Kumar

Aforementioned folks not being so serious

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Morning in Maine for the Visual System Development GRS Day 2 and GRC Day 1

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

How about directions? Will you tell everyone where to find the nearest organic berries?

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

OMG 😢 I think we need to schedule a meeting to discuss but I’m even further right now (in Boston)

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Thank you, Jenn! I hope you’re well!!

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

❤️ Thank you! It was great to see you in Vienna!

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Thank you, Deeptha! Looking forward to having you back in SLC!

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

❤️ Thank you! Missing you in Woods Hole!

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

I’ve eaten an embarrassing amount of this since I got here

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

I cannot disprove this theory 🤷🏻‍♀️ 😂

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

It was an absolute JOY to be in Vienna to see my colleague David Grunwald be awarded the @izfs.bsky.social George Streisinger Award! David gave us an inspiring reminder of who we are as a community, how we got here, and what we can accomplish when we work together. #zebrafish #EZM2026

Lila Solnica-Krezel introducing David Grunwald, the recipient of the 2026 George Streisinger Award

David telling us about George, scientific courage, and community

David reminding us what makes our zebrafish community so special

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

View from my office this morning: the upper part of the foothills are charred from a wildfire that has been burning behind the university

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Related: this previously little guy just graduated from high school

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Congratulations Skyline High School Class of 2026!!!!

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

That is fantastic!! Happy Mother’s Day!!

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Had a fantastic time at #ARVO2026 - so much exciting science, great food, wonderful colleagues, and any form of weather you might want! I am especially honored to have been elected to the AMPC for the Retinal Cell Biology section along with @latorrelab.bsky.social!

Beautiful view of Denver from the convention center

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Reposted by Kristen Kwan

Revathi Balasubramanian @ladyglaucoma.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

For me, this signals the start of fun science at #ARVO ❤️

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

It was so great to catch up with you, Raji!!

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

I had a great time visiting Iowa last week, and it was fantastic to catch up with outstanding alums from our PhD program who are out there doing amazing things! @shyamraji.bsky.social @eannemartin.bsky.social

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Had a great visit to the University of Kansas! I got to catch up with a bunch of Utah Human Genetics alums, saw the ctenophores, had Rock Choc Jayhawk at Sylas and Maddy’s, and got to bond with my brother’s cat.

Kristi, Hans, Kristen, Jason, and Allie - Utah Human Genetics everywhere!

Fantastic ice cream from Sylas and Maddy’s

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Had an absolute blast visiting the NEI yesterday! It was great to see so many fantastic people including @samerhattar.bsky.social @jeffreyafarrell.bsky.social @katwrog.bsky.social @abhinavsur.bsky.social @tmr65.bsky.social and so many more!

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

It was absolutely wonderful to finally meet you!! Thank you so much for coming to my talk and for our discussion!!

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Congratulations!! So well deserved!!

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Hard to believe it’s been six years - that was also our first week of remote work and school due to Covid, so my kids were at home to experience their first earthquake (and me hollering at them to get under our big dining room table)

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Huge congratulations to Pramod Karthikeyan from the lab on winning the 2026 Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award from the University of Utah School of Medicine! Here’s Pramod in action presenting at Capitol Hill Day last month! @utah.edu @uuhsresearch.bsky.social

Picture of a student presenting his research poster to another person in the rotunda of Utah’s State Capitol

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Join us for the 2026 Visual System Development GRC at Sunday River, Maine!

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Kristen Kwan @blockintheback.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Best kind of surprise for the weekend: an unexpected meet-up with Chase, the first PhD student from the lab!

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