The piquant aroma of peppers and spices seasoned the hallways of Building 426. Eleven slow cookers from aspiring culinary champions lined a row of tables, a few large plates of cornbread alongside. Nearby, representatives from the Research Donor Program and FNL United availed themselves for conversation. The 19th Chili Cook-off, hosted by Occupational Health Services, closed out American Heart Month at NCI Frederick with camaraderie, a push for community, and—of course—good food.

The CCR-FYI Colloquium, planned and coordinated almost entirely by fellows, is a two-day scientific meeting devoted to giving early-career scientists a chance to share their work and learn new skills. This year’s theme is The NIH Advantage: Where High Risk Meets High Reward. Registration and abstract submissions to present a poster at the 26th Center for Cancer Research Fellows and Young Investigators Colloquium, NCI’s headline conference for early-career scientists, close April 1. Registration to attend closes May 1. Presenters and attendees can register on the event website.

A new collaboration between the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) and the Frederick Arts Council recently showcased the intersection between science and art. The Frederick Arts Council’s latest art exhibit, “Where Energy Meets Matter: Exploring the Frontiers of Science,” invited artists to explore the dynamic interplay of art and science and celebrate the cutting-edge research and innovation happening at FNLCR and throughout Frederick.

The recent Biotech Connector showcased exciting advancements in gene and cell therapies in the Frederick area. More than 80 attendees gathered in-person and online to hear experts in the field discuss their work manufacturing difficult therapies for clinical trials, reimagining the supply chain to reduce development timelines, and leveraging automation to reduce risk and save money. By capturing these advances, the Biotech Connector aims to serve as a forum that inspires partnerships and the sharing of ideas.

It’s three minutes before the keynote at the 2025 Spring Research Festival, and the seats are filling up. Chatter thrums through the room. Somewhere within the stir, someone is talking about tumors. A voice at the back keeps mentioning malaria. Like the whirl of hushed conversations, the burgeoning audience is an amalgam.