The CCIB congratulates our first graduate, Dr. Matt Niepielko, for winning a prestigious NSF Career Award. During his time with the CCIB, Dr. Niepielko worked in the Yakoby lab where he studied developmental genetics in fruit flies. He then went on to a postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University and he is now an Assistant Professor at Kean University. He continues to study developmental genetics in fruit flies and was given this award for his research in genes that have an effect on fertility and reproduction. The CCIB is very proud of him and all that he has accomplished! If you would like to read more about Dr. Niepielko’s latest research proposal, check the following links: https://www.kean.edu/news/kean-professor-matthew-niepielko-receives-prestigious-nsf-award-support-genetic-research-and and NSF Award Search: Award # 2237390 – CAREER: Characterizing germ granule diversity and its influence on germline development in Drosophila