What’s Happening Around the Lab?

(click on photos for enlargements or slideshow)


Matt Walker receives the 2025 Peter Sajovic Memorial Prize from the Biological Sciences department

September 3rd, 2025

The honor is awarded to a graduate student doing outstanding work in biology and this makes it a clean sweep for our three 2025 PhD graduates (George, Florian, and Matt)!!!

Henry le presents at Woods hole meeting

August 29th, 2025

Henry shares science, and a few laughs, presenting his work at the Mobile Genetic Elements meeting in Woods Hole, MA.

the lab sends chance off with a bbq fit for a southerner

August 27th, 2025

The lab said farewell to Chance Meers, who sets off to Vanderbilt University to start his own lab! Congratulations Professor Meers!!

Former, yet never forgotten, lab member starts new lab at eth

July 23rd, 2025

Former Sternberg lab member and current Assistant Professor at the Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Dr. Sanne Klompe showed Sam around her new digs. Congratulations!

Rimante wows the crowd at NYBIG

June 27th, 2025

Rimantė Žedaveinytė shares the DRT9 story with an eager audience at the New York Bacillus Interest Group meeting.

Sternberg lab enters the matrix

June 25th, 2025

A fun watch to celebrate the lab’s love of Neo… and the first viewing of the 1999 classic for many lab members!

Americo passes his quals!

May 28th, 2025

Congratulations Americo Casas Ciniglio on passing your qualifying exam! And nice job popping the cork!

A tale of Two Graduates

May 19th- 21st, 2025

We celebrated the graduations of Dr. Florian Hoffmann and Dr. George Lampe with ceremonies at the Roy and Diana Vagelos Education Center as well as the Armory. Congratulations!

evocast is published in science and starts conversations at Columbia and beyond

May 15th, 2025

George and Sam discuss their new work, recently published in Science, on evoCAST, a new gene editing tool that could make gene therapy more reliable and efficient, with the news team at Columbia University. https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/sternberg-evocast-gene-editor

A viral goodbye

May 14th, 2025

The lab said goodbye to Sky Kang, and hello to her handmade gift of a “macro” phage….

Sternberg lab fleeces arrive

May 9th, 2025

The long-awaited lab fleeces featuring the HHMI and Columbia logos turned a few heads when they finally arrived!

honey, i shrunk the scientist

May 2nd, 2025

Stephen poses with a blown up version of his new Science cover…

Henry (hoang) le joins the 2025 class of paul & daisy soros fellows

April 9th, 2025

Henry is now a member of an outstanding group of immigrants/children of immigrants who are pursuing graduate school and are chosen for their potential to make significant contributions to the United States. Go Henry! Read more here

Egill, Stephen, and sam share science at the institut pasteur

April 8th- 10th, 2025

They participated in the lively “The Immune System of Bacteria” EMBO Workshop held at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. Quote of the year, “Stephen drops DRT systems like they’re the new iphone”

Back to back defenses: Presenting, Dr. Matt walker!

April 3rd, 2025

Matt defended not only his thesis, but also the entire auditorium from a vicious rat attack… Congratulations Matt!

Introducing…DR. Florian Hoffman!

March 27th, 2025

Florian defended his thesis and was celebrated by leagues of international fans. Congratulations, Flo!

Matt walker becomes an american

January 8th, 2025

Our Canadian lab mate officially becomes an American! Check out those spangled stars in his eyes and on his flag! USA! USA!