From the College of Letters and Science, this year’s winner is Dr. Camelia Hostinar

The Hostinar Lab focuses on understanding how life experiences shape the stress responses of children and adolescents. The lab also investigates how positive social relationships can buffer against stress and promote healthier developmental outcomes. The lab is currently studying factors that contribute to loneliness in adolescents to better understand their responses to stress and how this impacts their psychological and physical well-being.

Kelsey Sennett, the lab manager, emphasizes that safety is crucial, especially since the lab handles biological samples such as saliva, hair and blood.

“We prioritize biosafety not only to ensure the safety of our lab members but also to maintain the safety of our participants’ data,” said Sennett. 

The lab enforces training, open communication, a non-judgmental attitude, and anonymous reporting to encourage discussions of safety concerns and to prevent mistakes before they happen. 

“A culture of safety means that we look out for other team members’ safety,” said Dr. Hostinar. “Because our intention is to keep everyone safe, they should feel comfortable reporting any errors so we can re-train our team members.”

A key feature of the Hostinar Lab’s safety practices is its annual biosafety training, led by Dr. Hostinar. “Reinforcing safety procedures on a yearly basis encourages our lab members to engage with biosafety materials and resources offered by our lab,” Sennett explained.

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) professionals and DSCs praised Dr. Hostinar’s proactive approach to lab safety. Dr. Hostinar was recognized for her detailed documentation, willingness to accept feedback and implementation of suggestions for improvement. These qualities make the Hostinar Lab a model of a safe and supportive work environment.

Looking ahead, the lab’s long-term goal is to suggest strategies and inform interventions that can mitigate the effects of stress, especially for youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who are at greater risk for negative outcomes.