"To me, a lab hero is someone who champions the core values of science, strives to spread their knowledge, and makes innovative discoveries along with sacrifices. A hero doesn’t just work hard, they work courageously and pull us forward with them. Raul Ramos does more than just meet this definition, he expands it. I’ve known Raul for 6 years now, from our first week in the PhD program. Never have I seen someone transform so wonderfully and become such a brilliant, promising researcher driven by his need to learn and experiment, love of science, and deep desire to give back to the community. Raul started at Brandeis as a gay Mexican-American man with little background in biology and a past that made him stand out. In many ways he was not your typical neuroscientist trainee, and yet in almost no time he won over the Brandeis community with his earnest dedication to science, a warm and big personality, and an unyielding authenticity to who he was. Raul put in the extra hours necessary to not just close the gap, but to lead the rest of our class. His work paid off and he’s discovered a novel role for synaptic homeostasis in learning and memory and has presented his research around the country, going on to win awards for his ability to communicate.

As soon as he was able, Raul started giving back to the community. During his first year in lab, he started mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in neuroscience. Not content with doing the minimum, he fully designed and taught a pioneering course on somatosensation with another student that pulled in multiple experts in the field for guest lecturing. To reach those outside science, Raul has given multiple presentations to high school students in both English and Spanish to inspire young scientists from all backgrounds. True to himself, Raul gave a unique science presentation to a room of >100 kids at a juvenile detention center, children at-risk and often without role models. When he started in neuroscience, Raul didn’t have a role model that looked like him, but he could be that role model for others. These were all firsts for Raul, he didn’t know if he’d fail or not, but he tried anyways. I nominate Raul Ramos for this Lab Hero award because he inspires me, does brilliant science, and has the courage to strike his own path."

Brian Cary, Turrigiano Lab, Brandeis University, United States

Nomination Category: Lab Scholar

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Who's your Lab Hero?

This is your chance to give back to the scientists who make – or who have made – a positive difference to your life, career, and workplace. That might be putting in extra effort in the lab, supporting their colleagues in difficult times, producing incredible results through their work, or making the lab a better place for everyone...

NOMINATE YOUR LAB HERO NOW!

Nominations close 8th December 2021. T&Cs apply.