Our first Lab Retreat in Germany

This summer we went to a small idyllic village near Heidelberg for a scientific retreat. Known as the oasis of contemplation, staying at Grenzhof offered us the time to have interactive discussions and tutorials on the art of scientific storytelling, graphic design, and presentations. Other than polishing our soft skills, we had a session on troubleshooting and optimising imaging and molecular biology experiments.

Being an international lab, we also had the chance to have an insightful conversation on how the scientific landscape is like across different countries. Here we were able to share our experiences of how doing research is like in different parts of the world – the various obstacles and unique benefits it comes with.

Most importantly, our time in Grenzhof was an opportunity to take a break from the hectic routine of lab life to relax and to get to know each other much better! Walks along the nearby farm fields, long evenings of good food and even better dinner chats made the retreat a time of genuine connection and joy.