Life after VESS: Two VESS Committee members share their insights as they rotate off the team

As the Variant Effects Seminar Series marks its 100th speaker, two long-standing members of the organizing team are stepping back. We caught up with them to find out about their time on the committee and what’s coming next for them.

Priyanka Bajaj is now the Founder and CEO of a biotech startup, NeoVariant Bio. Until recently, she was a postdoctoral scholar,
co-mentored by Prof. James Fraser and Prof. Willow Coyote-Maestas at The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). 

Ohanna C. L. Bezerra is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at University of Toronto, studying genetics and epigenetics of complex traits. Her work applies statistical methods in genome-wide variants (GWAS) and methylation data (EWAS) to understand molecular regulation of diseases and aid clinical decision-making.

Q: What were your roles on the VESS committee? 

Versatility is the key to the committee roles, according to both Priyanka and Ohanna. Priyanka says, “I made the promotional fliers, moderated sessions, organized special events, chaired sessions, recruited new members, and just generally participated where needed”. 

Ohanna added, “I also did a wide variety of things during my
3 years on the VESS committee, including inviting and organizing speakers and special events, chairing sessions, recruiting new members — and anything else that needed to be done!”

Q: What motivated you to get more involved with the VESS committee?

Both Ohanna and Priyanka were VESS speakers before they joined the organizing team, which partly motivated their decisions to get more involved.

Ohanna was invited to join the team by two existing committee members. She says, “I love genetics. But at the time, I was missing having monthly meetings about work in the field. I thought it was a great opportunity to be updated.”

Priyanka says, “I’ve been fortunate to be part of the Atlas of Variant Effects Alliance from the very beginning. I really admire all the leaders of this committee. Their work has always pushed me to think bigger, invent boldly, and ask questions the field hasn't thought to ask yet.”

Q: What have you most enjoyed about the role?

Networking and being able to take insights from the presentations has been valuable for Ohanna. For Priyanka, “I enjoyed moderating and listening to talks that consistently push the field forward. The opportunity to engage with leading voices in this space has sharpened my thinking and deepened my appreciation for what's possible at the intersection of genomics and variant interpretation.”

Q: Is there anything that would help improve VESS organization or life on the committee?

Both VESS organizers felt that a complimentary ticket for the annual Mutational Scanning Symposium (MSS) would be of significant value to VESS Committee members, enabling the small, but global team to meet and collaborate in person.

Q: What are your VESS committee highlights?

Ohanna reflected that the making of both good friends and professional partners has been a highlight for her. This was backed up by Priyanka, who said, “the Variant Effect Seminar Series has been an integral part of my life over the last couple of years. I particularly loved it when all the VESS organizers were able to meet in person at the Mutational Scanning Symposium in Barcelona in 2025.” 

Q: Do you have any advice for those joining the committee now?

Priyanka and Ohanna were in 100% agreement here. “The community is super friendly and supportive. New committee members should seize the chance to connect, learn and engage with the community. It is a great opportunity, and everyone should make use of the resources there to grow in their career”, said Priyanka.

Q: How has being on the VESS Committee shaped your research and you as a scientist?

Priyanka notes that, “the Atlas of Variant Effects Alliance has created a community and a framework that continues to inspire and orient my work in functional genomics. It’s helped me grow as a scientist, foster collaborations and stay at the forefront of the field.”

Ohanna says, “I’ve definitely gained organizational and communication skills, and learning from VESS talks also improved my vision in variant effects.”

Q: What’s next for you both, and will we still see you at VESS seminars?

Ohanna has recently joined the Publication Committee of IGES and has become a committee member for the Epigenetics Canada. While Priyanka is being kept busy with her new startup. She says, “I am spinning off my academic discovery to translate it into real world impact.”

Asked whether they would still be attending VESS seminars, the answer was a resounding ‘Yes’ from both organizers. This was summed up beautifully by Priyanka who said, “Absolutely! My committee role may be ending but my connection to this community will never end.”

 

The Variant Effects Seminar Series (VESS) is organized by and showcases the work of early-career scientists relating to the interpretation of human genetic variation. Seminars are held on the first Tuesday each month at 4–5 pm UTC.