Carmali Lab — How We Work

Our philosophy

We work at the interface of chemistry, pharmacy, and engineering to understand, predict, and engineer how proteins behave.

For me, research has always been about people as much as projects. The most rewarding scientific environments are those where individuals feel supported to explore ideas, ask difficult questions, and develop confidence in their own abilities.

The Carmali Lab is built on the belief that good science comes from curiosity, rigour, integrity, and collaboration. We take the science seriously without taking ourselves too seriously, and we aim to create a culture where people feel comfortable sharing ideas, learning from mistakes, and supporting one another.

As a group, we value openness, respect, and continuous learning. We celebrate successes, learn from setbacks, and recognise that the best discoveries are rarely made alone.

What we value

Our core values

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Rigour & reproducibility

We design experiments carefully, record them honestly, and build results that others — including our future selves — can trust and repeat.

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Curiosity

We follow good questions wherever they lead, stay open to surprising results, and treat "I don't know — let's find out" as a strength, not a weakness.

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Collaboration, not competition

We share ideas, reagents, and credit generously. A labmate's success is something we celebrate, not something we measure ourselves against.

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Integrity & openness

We are honest about our methods, our data, and our limitations — and we share our science as openly as we responsibly can.

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Growth & mentorship

Everyone here is developing — as scientists and as people. We invest in training, feedback, and the next step in each person's career.

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Belonging & respect

We want every member to feel they belong here. We listen, we make room for different perspectives, and we treat one another with kindness.

A two-way commitment

What we promise each other

A healthy lab works in both directions. Here is what every member can expect from being part of this group — and what we ask of each other in return.

What you can expect here

Regular one-to-one time and an open door for the things that matter.
Honest, constructive feedback given with care — and credit where it is due.
Active support for your development: training, conferences, and career advice.
An advocate for your work inside and outside the university.
Respect for your time, your boundaries, and your life outside the lab.
A safe, well-run lab and the resources to do your work properly.

What we ask of each other

Bring curiosity, effort, and care to the science.
Keep clear, honest records so the work is reproducible.
Communicate early — about progress, problems, and when you need help.
Take ownership of your project while staying open to guidance.
Look out for your labmates and contribute to a positive environment.
Work safely and follow good lab practice, every time.

How we put it into practice

Commitments we hold ourselves to

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Open & reproducible science

We believe research is more valuable when it is shared. We aim to publish openly, post preprints, and make our data, code, and methods available so others can build on them. Our resources and publicly available protocols are part of that commitment — we would rather help the wider community move faster than guard our methods.

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Wellbeing & balance

Science is a marathon, not a sprint. We support sustainable working hours, taking real breaks and leave, and looking after mental as well as physical health. We celebrate effort and learning — not just results — and we treat honest mistakes as part of how good science gets done. Anyone who is struggling will find support here, and we will help connect you with the university's wellbeing services when you need them.

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Inclusion & belonging

We welcome people of all backgrounds, identities, and career stages, and we are committed to a group where everyone can do their best work. We try to be flexible and family-friendly, to make the lab accessible, and to keep listening so that belonging is something everyone here actually feels — not just a word on a page.

Sounds like your kind of lab?

If these values resonate with how you want to do science, we would love to hear from you. Our culture shapes who we recruit and how we work together.

See opportunities to join