It is a great honor to receive the 2022 Henry Baldwin Ward Medal. It is humbling and motivating to be considered worthy of inclusion on the list of distinguished parasitologists who have received this award.
I must acknowledge numerous people for playing an essential role in my life, leading to my receiving the Ward Medal. Foremost on this long list are my Ph.D. supervisor, Mike Belosevic, and my postdoctoral advisor, Sam Loker. Both have been recognized for substantial contributions to the field of parasitology and mentorship of emerging parasitologists, and they continue to play a part in my growth as a researcher to this day. From these mentors, I learned that trainees in a research group drive innovation, curiosity, and productivity. Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, undergraduate students, and technicians are the pulse of the lab, and without the incredible past and present trainees in my group, none of the exciting...