The launch of Free Association coincides with another new beginning for the Nature Genetics editorial team - the relocation of one of our team members (Kyle Vogan) to Nature Publishing Group's Boston office.

The move is something of a homecoming for me: before making the leap into the world of editing, I was a postdoc in Cliff Tabin's lab in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. It's good to be back among familiar sights and faces, and I look forward to reconnecting with the Boston research community through lab visits and local meetings. Invitations welcome!

My initial impression is that the city hasn't changed much in the two years that I've been away: the fall colors are beautiful, the Big Dig is still the Big Dig, and the Patriots and Red Sox continue to dominate local headlines. But behind the familiar backdrop, I expect I'll discover dynamic changes to the local research community as I venture out and explore my new surroundings. I look forward to taking it all in.