A Message of Gratitude
To all the Chainbreaker riders, volunteers, organizers, and donors: Thank you!
Watching the Chainbreaker effort come together this year has been inspiring and humbling. The prospect of riding a bike up to 180 miles on a hot August day can be daunting, but there they/we all were, over 1000 riders, 86 pelotons, hundreds of volunteers, all backed by the generosity of their community and a determination to make a difference. And speaking of daunting, putting Chainbreaker together takes thousands of hours of coordination. All so that we have the chance to stand (or rather sit and pedal) together against cancer.
By the way, I didn’t ride 180 miles; I rode 25. I mention that because I want to make sure everyone knows it is okay to participate at a level and in a way that we can handle. Everything helps. Fundraising continues until October 12, so if you are able, please donate.
The funds raised all go—100%--to research here at the University of Minnesota, which is also something we can all get behind. A quick note of some significant recent accomplishments: Medical School researchers had three preview articles in one issue of Cell (Volume 174, Issue 1, June 28, 2018, see links below).
The Medical School’s own Marc Jenkins, PhD was made a Regents Professor in June. This tremendous and rare honor recognizes him as a pre-eminent scholar, a brilliant scientist, and the highly respected head of the Center for Immunology. Marc’s contributions to the field of immunology and to the reputation of the University and Medical School are great. His research has changed how many of the fundamental questions of immunology can be approached and answered.
I am grateful to be a part of this amazing Medical School with its caring and giving faculty, staff, and students. I am grateful to be in the company of people like Marc Jenkins and for the minds that dominated the June issue of Cell. I am grateful for people who are working hard to develop better ways to train and educate our students.
I am grateful for you.
For T Cells, the Child Is Father of the Man, Kristin A. Hogquist, Sara E. Hamilton
Stimulating Astrocytes to Remember, Ana Covelo, Alfonso Araque