Dr. Justin Lathia is the Director of Faculty Development and the Vice Chair of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute. Dr. Lathia is a wonderful communicator in the scientific community and is a fantastic advocate and mentor for scientists looking to take the next step in academia. We wanted to interview Dr. Lathia about how he builds relationships in research, specifically including how he has cultivated a positive culture in his lab, the advice he gives to young faculty, and how he establishes and maintains professional friendships and ongoing collaborations. In this conversation, expect to also hear about how Dr. Lathia goes about “networking” and how he determined where would be a good fit for him and his research goals.