Seigmund Lai

Postdoc @SVIResearch T1D Immunology + Islet Transplantation • PhD @cityofhope T1D + Complications • BSc @UCDavis Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behaviour • 🇭🇰

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

A huge thank you to my mentors Profs. Helen Thomas 🕊️ and Tom Kay, and my many colleagues in the Immunology and Diabetes Unit at SVI for all their encouragement and support. I’m stoked to see what discoveries we will make with this support 🙌🏻🤓🧑🏻‍🔬

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

I’m super excited to share that I was awarded a 3 year postdoctoral fellowship from @BreakthroughT1D @JDRFaus to support my work at @SVIResearch aimed at improving islet transplantation outcomes by minimising rejection and maximising graft functionality 🔗 https://t.co/buJh5k1syo

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

Science aside, of course I had to check out the local culinary fare 🍽️ Apparently there IS a limit to how much they’ll let you have at “all you can eat” ribs… it was a tad embarrassing to find that out 🤭😂

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

So stoked to be in Bruges for a week of exciting science and discussion in T1D immunology at my first @ImmDiabSoc congress at #IDS2024 🇧🇪😄

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

@EsparzaDiana1 @WRISGMeeting Congrats EV Queen Diana! 👸👏 It was a privilege to watch this story develop and come together over the years-- the product of our many (many) shared late nights in lab and 2 am trips to Wendy's and Taco Bell (aka some of my favourite grad school memories) 😂 Proud of you! 🙌

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

My PhD graduation ceremony was last week, and seeing as it was my last (??) time graduating, it seemed only fitting to do a callback to my first graduation when I was 5 and just a naive and unaware baby graduating kindergarten in 2004. Thanks @sshuck55 for everything! #PhDone 👨🏻‍🎓

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

After 3 months solo in a new country, it was so great to catch up with soon-to-be double doctor @erdem_nes 👩🏻‍⚕️ of House Erdem, the Mother of EVs 🫧 and Dragons 🐉,
the Khaleesi of Pancreatic Ductal Tissue 🧫, who was in town for #ISEV2024 😎🤩

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

Less than 12 hours after landing back in Melbourne from Sydney... performed my first mouse islet transplantation surgery 🐁! So great to work with such excellent (and patient) teachers guiding me through these technical and delicate procedures (ft my celebratory ice cream 🍦)

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

Last week I visited Sydney for the first time for my first conference in the land down under at the Australian Islet Study Group @WestmeadInst It was great to meet other researchers in the field and learn about their work🧑🏻‍🔬 And of course had to get the obligatory tourist shots 📸

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

After doing some traveling post-defence, I’m excited to have settled in the incomparable Melbourne, Australia to continue my training in T1D immunology @SVIResearch with Drs. Helen Thomas and Tom Kay 🦘🐨🇦🇺🌏 Haven’t had any run-ins with giant spiders yet.. fingers crossed 😭🫠🤭

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

@HannahTrost1 Congratulations Dr. Trost!! “long story short, i survi-i-ived” @taylornation13 @taylorswift13 notice us PLEASE

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

@HannahTrost1 Hi 👋🏻 RMDs are the problem, not me 🎶

GOOD LUCK HANNAH!! I’ll be watching and cheering you on from afar 🙌🏻👏🏻 Sending you 13 hugs and 13 high fives 🙏🏻

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

It was so bittersweet to clean out my desk and lab bench last week 🥹🥲 I spent many early mornings and late nights here having breakthroughs and breakdowns 🫠 Thanks @sshuck55 lab for being my lab home and family for the last few years!! 👋🏻

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

The second arm of my thesis has been published! 😃🙌 We previously reported nucleoside MG-adducts predict DKD ~16 yrs pre-diagnosis. Here, we find that MG-adducts drive vascular dysfunction, a precursor to many complications, by activating RAGE @sshuck55 🔗https://t.co/v2Wk52bSuM

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

I successfully defended my thesis yesterday!😎Huge thanks to my PI @sshuck55 + committee @ZhenBoumanChen @jstarklab @TamaeLab @RamaRNatarajan Dr Termini + amazing friends for their support🥹🫶🏻@EsparzaDiana1 @erdem_nes @CisnerosMetztli @emukhaleva @HannahTrost1 Onward and upward🙌🏻

[Maddie Lee, PhD @m_janelee]

Grad School Wrapped 2023

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

So chuffed that the first arm of my thesis work is finally out in the world, and right around World Diabetes Day too 🥹🙌🏻 Thank you to everyone that made this study possible 🙏🏻 @sshuck55 @RamaRNatarajan

https://t.co/KPgVAN5qCF

[Sherry @SchrodingrsBrat]

I think the greatest and most silent feature of what makes someone a great teacher is their ability to point out what you’re missing without making you feel stupid or less-than

[Seigmund Lai @swtlai]

@HannahTrost1 I just want to walk through the lab with my majestic cloak dramatically flowing behind me, like is that too much to ask for 😩

[The Associated Press @AP]

BREAKING: The family of Henrietta Lacks is settling a lawsuit against a biotechnology company they accused of taking her cervical cells without her knowledge. They accused the company's leaders of reaping billions of dollars from a racist medical system. https://t.co/UnpEeiFYC2