Dear SIVB Members,
As I sit down to write my final President’s Report, I want to take a moment to look back and reflect on my journey with you. Throughout my tenure, one lesson has stood out above the rest: stepping into an officer’s role is, at its heart, an exercise in collaboration. None of what we accomplished would have been possible without the collective energy, ideas, and dedication of this incredible community.
What I have come to appreciate even more deeply is how that collaboration actually works. Leadership in SIVB is not a position one holds but a responsibility shared across many hands, shaped by the ongoing exchange of perspectives among officers, committee members, students, early-career scientists, and long-standing contributors. Every meaningful initiative we launched began with a conversation, grew stronger through discussion, and moved forward because people were willing to give their time generously. It is this quiet, steady spirit of partnership that has powered our Society, not only during my tenure, but across generations.
That same spirit has carried even greater meaning this year as we celebrate 80 years of SIVB. Reaching such a milestone is a remarkable achievement, but more importantly, it offers a powerful moment for reflection. Eight decades of continuity are not the result of standing still. They are the result of a Society willing to evolve, adapt, and listen, while staying true to the values that have defined it from the beginning: scientific rigor, curiosity, mentorship, and a genuine sense of community. Honoring that balance between progress and tradition may be the most important responsibility we carry as a Society, especially as the needs of our members continue to change with new technologies, new career paths, and a more globally connected world.
Nowhere is this balance more visible than in our upcoming 2026 Annual Meeting. Shaped by months of thoughtful work from our Program Committee, it reflects exactly the kind of Society we strive to be: one that embraces emerging science while remaining deeply rooted in the disciplines that have always defined us. From cutting-edge sessions on new technologies and interdisciplinary research to symposia that honor the foundational areas of in vitro biology, the meeting offers something meaningful for members at every career stage and across a wide range of interests.
Of course, even the strongest meeting only truly comes to life through the people who take part in it. So this is my personal invitation to you: be there. Bring your curiosity, your innovative spirit, your questions, your unfinished ideas, and your willingness to connect with others. Whether you are presenting your latest research, reconnecting with longtime colleagues, or attending for the very first time, your participation is what transforms a schedule of sessions into a living, breathing scientific community.
As I close this final report, I want to express my sincere gratitude. Serving as President of SIVB has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life. Thank you for the trust you placed in me, for the opportunity to lead this remarkable organization during such a meaningful chapter in its history, and for the countless conversations, contributions, and shared moments that made this tenure so rewarding. I am deeply grateful to the Board, to our Committees, to Innovative Essentials, and to every member who gave their time and energy to move SIVB forward. The Society is strong because of you, and I leave this role with full confidence in the future we are building together.
With sincere thanks,
Piero Barone
President, Society for In Vitro Biology
