Partners In Life, Partners In Science

Megan Killian, PhD Assistant Professor, Molecular & Integrative Physiology Adam Abraham, PhD Research Investigator, Orthopaedic Surgery

Every day, Dr. Megan Killian and Dr. Adam Abraham have lunch together: it’s their moment of solace during action-packed days of running their own labs, which are collaborative and complementary. Outside of this hour of connection during the workday, you would otherwise never know that Drs. Killian and Abraham are married – their impressive professionalism helps their well-oiled academic machines run seamlessly.

Dr. Killian and Dr. Abraham started their journey through science together at Michigan Technological University: Dr. Killian was in the middle of her PhD program and Dr. Abraham was completing his master’s. Their first date was a 24-mile run: fitting for a couple who were in it for the long haul, ready to start the marathon of their careers together. Eventually, they ended up in the same PhD lab and overlapped for one year before they were physically separated by post-doctoral fellowships and lab relocations. Drs. Killian and Abraham were reunited two years later, only to find themselves a few hours away from each other for the next chapter: Dr. Abraham started a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University in New York City and Dr. Killian founded her independent lab in a tenure-track position at University of Delaware. A few more years of long distance later, the couple got an offer they couldn’t refuse from the University of Michigan. The move to Michigan came with lots of benefits: being closer to family, conquering the “two-body problem,” and supportive departments and faculty welcoming them warmly. Strong advocates and opportunity for growth at the University of Michigan within both the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Molecular & Integrative Physiology helped recruit and retain these strong scientists.

Dr. Killian is an Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Molecular & Integrative Physiology, and Dr. Abraham is a Research Investigator in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. They both head independent research programs but work in the same topic matter, investigating soft tissue orthopedics and tendons. Dr. Killian’s specialty is in tendon growth and development; Dr. Abraham’s in aging and inflammation in tendon biology. They have established their own unique scientific niches but contribute to each other’s successes, working as a co-led lab. This provides a rich training environment, a great exchange of ideas during group meetings, and efficiency when sharing equipment and resources. Clearly defined roles and a high degree of organization keeps all lab members on the same page when working in this collaborative environment, a direct consequence of the open communication between Drs. Killian and Abraham.

Working with one’s significant other is not always easy. Naturally, conflicts and questions arise, as with any partnership. Dr. Killian and Dr. Abraham make a conscious effort to work through any problems, being aware of potential overlap in their research fields, especially when trying to secure research funding. By being proactive, they lift each other up so they can both succeed individually and together. They practice patience and transparency in the workplace, which even translates to their home life. Even when cooking dinner together after work, Drs. Killian and Abraham continue their collaborative nature as they divide roles and conquer mealtime.

Science is often a rollercoaster: there are exciting highs, like being awarded a grant, and there are also low lows, like when experiments go wrong. Pre-pandemic, Drs. Killian and Abraham celebrated each other’s successes by trying new restaurants and cuisines; these days, they stay in and cook together. They pick each other up by doing something physically active like working out or running, or by staying in and watching the Great British Bake Off. Outside of the lab, Dr. Killian and Dr. Abraham love to run and train together, weight lift, and road bike. They love to go on backpacking and camping trips, connecting with nature and their home state of Michigan. Apart from each other, Dr. Killian loves to connect with friends all over the country on Zoom and Dr. Abraham connects with his community via video games.

As Dr. Killian and Dr. Abraham continue their independent academic and professional success, they know they always have each other to lean on. They get to be that person for each other: that person they get to share those late night wild scientific ideas with, that person who has an unspoken understanding of how the other is feeling, that person who just gets what a day in science is like.