The first of many: our lab’s first review article is now published in Cells! This review highlights how lysosomal function supports neuronal health during aging and how age-associated declines contribute to neuronal dysfunction.

You can read the article here.

Claire presented an oral talk at the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB)’s Cell Bio 2025. We are grateful for the momentum built over the past year and excited for what lies ahead.

Our lab was excited to host December 2025 SuperWorm meeting, a monthly gathering of research groups working with nematodes. Manny and Serenity presented their research and sparked great discussion with the SuperWorm community!

Manny kicked off his fifth year by sharing his research in a well-received talk as part of the Genetics Fall Colloquium series!

We are excited to share that our lab’s first research article is now published in PLoS Biology! The paper, led by Ruiling and Claire, reveals that the transcription factor HLH-30 (the C. elegans equivalent of TFEB) plays a crucial role in expanding lysosomal capacity in neurons during early adulthood, helping maintain neuronal structure and health as animals age. Loss of HLH-30 leads to lysosomal dysfunction and progressive dendrite deterioration, highlighting how basal lysosomal function supports neuronal integrity in aging.

Read more about the research here!

Sherlyn wrapped up her third year in the Genetics PhD program with an engaging, standout talk at the 1st Genetics Summer Science Symposium, alongside many other insightful presentations from her cohort.

We are thrilled to share that Manny has been named a 2025 Quad Fellow! The Quad Fellowship is a prestigious multinational program supported by the governments of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States that supports exceptional STEM graduate students and fosters international collaboration. Congratulations, Manny!

We were delighted to have Laura join the lab this summer as a CMBS scholar. She concluded her research internship with a strong presentation at the CMBS Closing Symposium. The lab celebrated her time with us over a lunch outing, and we wish Laura the very best as she moves on to her next chapter.

Ruiling walked the graduation stage a few months ago, but today it truly became official with her successful thesis defense. We are so excited to celebrate this milestone. Congratulations, Dr. Ruiling Zhong! 🎉

Manny, Ruiling, and Sherlyn traveled to California this past week to represent the Richardson Lab at the International Worm Conference 2025 (#Worm25) at UC Davis. Ruiling presented a talk, while Manny and Sherlyn presented posters, all of which sparked interest and lively discussion among attendees. A highlight of the meeting was an engaging panel discussion featuring 2024 Nobel Laureate Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun.