January usually brings a feeling of fresh beginnings and diving into exciting new chapters. But with 2022 marked by a resurgence of COVID-19, I know many people have felt a painful dj vu, especially the health care workers who are on the frontlines of the latest wave.

These current challenges give meand I hope othersa powerful sense of how important the work of the research community is, especially as it pertains to understanding the complex and interconnected factors that affect our health. COVID is not unique in the sense that there is much to be understood about the multiple factors that drive health outcomesfrom disease susceptibility and illness severity to speed of recovery and full restoration of health.