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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style="word-wrap:break-word"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;font-weight:bold">Dear Colleagues,</span></font></b><font face="Georgia"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">I'm writing to let you know that today is my last day of physical presence at UC Riverside. Due to personal circumstances, I need to relocate to Northern California to be closer to the Stanford healthcare system. While this marks the end of an important chapter in my life, it is not the end of my connection with UCR.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif"> </span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">It has been ten wonderful years since I joined UCR as the Director of the IIGB. During that time, we have experienced our share of challenges and triumphs, but through it all, one thing has remained constant—the extraordinary people who make this institute and this university so special.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif"> </span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">IIGB is truly one of the jewels of this campus because of all of you. Your professionalism, integrity, creativity, and dedication have built an institute that is thriving. Together, we have expanded into exciting new areas of science, recruited outstanding faculty, strengthened our research infrastructure, and created opportunities that will continue to empower this campus for many years to come. I could not be more proud of what we have accomplished together.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Although I will no longer be on campus every day, I will continue working with UCR remotely, supporting the programs and initiatives that remain close to my heart. I will also be traveling back and forth from time to time, and I sincerely hope our paths will cross whenever I return.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif"> </span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Serving as Director of IIGB has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. Thank you for your friendship, your collaboration, your support, and your unwavering commitment to excellence. Whatever success the institute has achieved is a reflection of your talent, your passion, and your collective strength.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif"> </span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">I wish each of you continued success, exciting discoveries, and happiness in both your professional and personal lives. I look forward to seeing you again on one of my visits back to campus.</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif"> </span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">Until then, <b><span style="font-weight:bold">be powerful.</span></b></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif">With my deepest gratitude,</span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;font-weight:bold">Katie</span></font></b><font face="Georgia"><span style="font-family:"Georgia",serif"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif"> </span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif"> </span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><font size="3" color="#242424" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#242424;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Katayoon (Katie) Dehesh</span></font><font color="#242424"><span style="color:#242424"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><font size="3" color="#242424" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#242424;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Director, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, Distinguished Professor</span></font><font color="#242424"><span style="color:#242424"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><font size="3" color="#242424" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#242424;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Ernst and Helen Leibacher Endowed Chair in Botany and Plant Sciences</span></font><font color="#242424"><span style="color:#242424"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><font size="3" color="#242424" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#242424;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">University of California, Riverside, CA 92521</span></font><font color="#242424"><span style="color:#242424"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><font size="3" color="#242424" face="Georgia"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Georgia",serif;color:#242424;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">Phone: (951) 827-6370; Fax: (951) 827-5155</span></font><font color="#242424"><span style="color:#242424"></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal"><font size="3" face="Aptos"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></font></p></div></body></html>