Resourceful, Supportive, Knowledgeable

"Jacky is an amazing lab manager! In addition to being extremely resourceful and always available to help graduate students, undergraduate students, and volunteers with their work, Jacky's positive attitude helps us all through the most stressful days in the lab. He always goes the extra mile to ensure we have the materials we need in time for our procedures, and makes time to teach us new techniques. I've also never met anyone else who can speed-run through (what seems like) every potential problem with a protocol upon first read, and then generate possible solutions on the spot. Jacky doesn't show favouritism, and works equally with whoever needs help - whether they're a senior graduate student or just starting in the lab. Everyone in our lab (and the 2 other labs he works with!) is so grateful to have someone as knowledgeable and funny as Jacky here to help us. We don't know what we'd do without him!"

Nominated by Abigale Hinterberger, NISE Lab, University of Ottawa, Canada

 

Dedicated, Resourceful, Patient

"I want to nominate Jacky for the Lab Heroes Awards™ 2024 because he embodies everything that makes a lab function smoothly and effectively. His dedication and genuine support for all the students in the lab fosters an environment where we can all excel. He is highly skilled in laboratory techniques and goes above and beyond to ensure that we, from undergraduates to graduates, are confident and capable in our work. Our lab manager is truly the backbone of our team. He takes on the essential task of ordering all our materials, meticulously keeping track of supplies and ensuring that nothing stands in the way of our experiments. This attention to detail keeps the lab running seamlessly, allowing us to focus on our research without worrying about logistical setbacks. His efforts enable us to work efficiently and keep our projects on schedule while maintaining a high standard of research. Beyond his technical and organizational skills, Jacky is patient and clear when explaining techniques and experimental setups, breaking down complex procedures in a way that makes learning accessible and less intimidating. This approach has instilled confidence in us, empowering us to tackle more challenging analyses with a more robust understanding of our work. What stands out most is his unwavering support for each of us. He’s always available to help us analyze results, troubleshoot issues, and brainstorm new ideas. This level of mentorship is invaluable, and his guidance has elevated our skills and deepened our understanding of research processes. Jacky doesn’t just perform his duties—he inspires us through hard work, commitment, and generosity. His contributions make our lab a place of growth, curiosity, and accomplishment. For all these reasons, he is undoubtedly deserving of recognition in the Lab Heroes Awards 2024."

Nominated by Michaela Dworsky-Fried, The NeuroImmunology, Stress, and Endocrinology / Department of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada

 

Attentive, Creative, Resourceful

"I nominate Jacky because he is always there to support us with any lab-related tasks and challenges. Whether it’s troubleshooting equipment issues, ensuring the lab runs smoothly, or answering questions about protocols, Jacky consistently goes above and beyond to help. His reliability, expertise, and willingness to assist make him an invaluable part of our team, and his contributions deserve recognition."

Nominated by Eleni Dubé-Zinatelli, NeuroImmunology, Stress and Endocrinology, University of Ottawa, Canada

 

Expertise, Dedication, Funny

"I’m super excited to nominate Jacky for the Lab Hero Award. Jacky embodies the qualities of an ideal lab member, blending expertise, creativity, and patience to ensure our lab operates seamlessly. His knowledge and problem-solving skills are invaluable; he’s the go-to person whenever we face complex issues, and he finds solutions that make the hardest challenges feel manageable. Jacky is always available to help, generously sharing his expertise and patiently guiding us through concepts until we fully understand. His natural ability to explain things in an easy-to-digest way has made a huge difference in our productivity and learning. Jacky is also incredibly organized, keeping everything on track and making sure that daily operations run smoothly. He balances his meticulous nature with a great sense of humor, lightening the atmosphere and fostering a positive lab environment. His creativity shines through in his unique approaches to experiments and problem-solving, making him an inspiration to work alongside. Jacky is truly a hero in our lab, and we’re lucky to have him!"

Nominated by Sarah Kheloui, NeuroImmunology, Stress and Endocrinology, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada

 

Kind, Helpful, Knowledgeable

"Jacky has trained me for many useful techniques required for the success of my studies. He is always available if we have questions and to help us when needed. He is an amazing lab technician and contributes to the success of different projects in our lab. He will for sure be a key factor of the success in my PhD."

Nominated by Charles Veilleux, NISE Lab, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Canada

 

Skilled, Knowledgeable, Attentive

"Jacky is an all around star in the wetlab. Whether it be training graduate students on new techniques or quickly onboarding new undergraduate students so that we have the help we need, Jacky is alway on top of it. I've never worked with someone as efficient, knowledgeable, and organized. He is always willing to help us with our ongoing projects and it is more than obvious that he takes great pride and enjoyment in his work. No matter the technique or analysis, Jacky always has suggestions and extremely valuable input to give to help maximize our chances of success and ensure our projects run smoothly. If an analysis does not work as expected, he wastes no time coming up with a variety of possible solutions, all the while helping us stay positive and optimistic that well will figure it out. He is consistently showing his in depth understanding of all the techniques being used. Managing three large labs with a multitude of vastly different projects is no small task, but Jacky makes it seem easy. Not only is he incredibly competent, he is also patient, kind, and has a great sense of humour, making him a genuine pleasure to work with. We often joke that nothing would get done without him and I wholeheartedly believe that to be true! Jacky is more than deserving of the Lab Heroes Award."

Nominated by Marilou Poitras, Cerebro-vascular accidents and behavioural recovery lab, University of Ottawa, Canada

 

Dedicated, Knowledgeable, Caring

"Jacky is an incredible technician that provides essential knowledge, support, and training to a large number of graduate and undergraduate students working in our laboratory. He is indispensable, and his dedication to research is extraordinary."

Nominated by Luna Cappelletti, NeuroImmunology, Stress, and Endocrinology Laboratory, University of Ottawa, Canada

 

Dedicated, Creative, Dependable

Jacky Liang exemplifies everything one could hope for in a Lab Hero. As our lab manager, Jacky is the backbone of our team, ensuring the smooth operation of our lab while fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. His dedication, creativity, dependability, resourcefulness, and unwavering support for every team member make him an invaluable asset to our research community. Jacky’s dedication to the lab goes beyond the ordinary. He consistently works long hours to maintain and improve our facilities, troubleshoot equipment issues, and ensure that everyone has what they need to succeed. His attention to detail and ability to anticipate challenges have saved countless experiments and prevented unnecessary setbacks. Jacky’s creativity is evident in the innovative solutions he brings to our research problems. Whether it’s designing custom apparatuses or streamlining workflows, his ingenuity inspires our team to think outside the box. He has also played a key role in optimizing experimental protocols, significantly improving the quality and reproducibility of our results. Dependability is a hallmark of Jacky’s character. No matter how big or small the task, we know we can count on him to deliver. Whether it’s restocking critical reagents, providing technical expertise, or simply offering a listening ear during challenging times, Jacky is always there, ensuring our lab functions like a well-oiled machine. Jacky’s resourcefulness is unmatched. From finding cost-effective ways to secure funding for essential equipment to navigating complex administrative processes, he always finds a way to get things done. His ability to balance the lab’s needs with limited resources demonstrates exceptional problem-solving skills. Above all, Jacky is a deeply supportive mentor and colleague. He takes the time to train new lab members, offer constructive feedback, and celebrate our successes. His encouragement and guidance have made an indelible impact on our growth as scientists and individuals. Jacky Liang is not just a lab manager; he’s the heart of our team. His tireless dedication, innovative spirit, and unwavering support make him truly deserving of the Lab Hero Award. We cannot think of anyone more deserving of this recognition for their extraordinary contributions to the research community."

Nominated by Sarah Gostlin, NISE Lab, University of Ottawa, Canada

 

Reliable, Team-Player, Decisive

"This year, Jacky got me started with my lab experience and with the help of his expert training, has gotten me involved in my university life more than ever. His expertise on the subjects of the lab makes him someone that every student can rely on and go to him for help when there is trouble. It is thanks to Jacky that I am able to work hands-on on what I love the most."

Nominated by Olivier Roy, NeuroImmunology, Stress, and Endocrinology (NISE) Lab, University of Ottawa, Canada

 

Dedicated, Helpful, Engaged.

"Jacky is extremely kind, helpful and selfless. He helps everyone in the lab accomplish their tasks and deserves recognition for the amazing work he does."

Nominated by Marguerite Gélinas, NISE laboratory, Ottawa University, Canada

 

Knowledgeable, Dedicated, Irreplaceable

"Jacky has been a spectacular mentor for all the graduate and undergraduate students in our Behavioural Neuroscience Group at the University of Ottawa. Among the most appreciated characteristic is Jacky's renewed desire to gain additional professional training as techniques evolve, proposing students with professional training in a comprehensive set of biochemical and molecular techniques. Through such mentoring, hundreds of graduate and postgraduate students (as well as dozens of undergraduate students annually) have gained access to sophisticated biophysiological analyses of their collected data on brain and peripheral tissues. Importantly, Jacky's continuous mentoring has helped graduate and postgraduate students use multiple state of the art molecular detection tools, leading them to publish their findings in top tiers journals and access fruitful scientific careers. Importantly, through such important participation to multiple studies, Jacky has been involved in dissemination of these original findings, supporting students in the professional presentation of the collected data. As a professor and a researcher, I am grateful to be able to collaborate with him on multiple studies; I am always certain that biochemical and genetic detection procedures will be well acquired and applied by new graduate students trained by Jacky and that the quality of the assessments will reach the best standards. This enables me to concentrate of other parts of graduate training and spend more time on grant application, and comprehensive discussions of research with my graduate and post graduate students."

Nominated by Helene Plamondon, Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Ottawa, Canada

 

Helpful, Knowledgeable, Inspiring

"Jacky Liang is an exceptional leader who fosters a supportive and inspiring lab environment. Their dedication, guidance, and genuine care empower everyone to succeed, making them truly deserving of this recognition."

Nominated by Shelina Azad Kassim, NISE Lab, University of Ottawa, Canada

 

Dedicated, Thorough, Exemplary

"For his professional work and continuous mentoring!"

Nominated by Adèle Labonté, Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Ottawa, Canada