Yang Zhang

My research in Lombroso lab focused on the relationship between STEP and glutamate receptor trafficking. Paul is a mentor who encouraged us to have our own ideas and to prepare for the day when we would be independent scientists. On my first day in the lab, Paul threw about 10 projects my direction. He encouraged me to pick the project that I would really like. He totally respected my choice about what I was really interested in. The lab is well supported financially and I got chances to try and develop many different techniques. The project that I chose turned out to be a very successful one. I have two papers published as the first author during the three years that I was there. Being both a postdoc in training and a mom with a little kid, I did feel at times that my life as a woman scientist could be very hard. Paul was understandable about this and my working schedule in the lab was always flexible. When I was about to leave the lab for Boston, Paul helped me get a fellowship in Harvard so it could be a nice transition to me. I have wonderful memories of the three years that I spent in Yale. I still miss the bi-weekly pizza gatherings and the traditional STEP family dinner at the neuroscience meetings.