Trudeau Institute Board Chair Kip Testwuide said Kuki went on a leave of absence for personal reasons late last year and a few weeks ago informed the board that he would not be returning.

Testwuide said he would not discuss the reasons Kuki decided to leave because they are “personal.” He did say Kuki is not leaving the area; he’s just “taking time for himself.”

Testwuide said Kuki set an “exciting vision” for the institute in his time there and “built an extremely capable team of scientists, technicians and leadership.” He said the board is grateful for his efforts at the helm.

Kuki’s departure does not impact the institute’s direction, Testwuide said. It’s not quite business as usual, but the work and research goes on, he said.

Testwuide said there is no plan for a search for a permanent director yet. The transition is still in its early stages. He said Chapin has been with the institute for around 10 years and knows its operations deeply.

“He’s in a good spot to step in and know pretty much what is going on in all faces of the institute,” Testwuide said. “He’s a very hard worker with a lot to do right now.”

Testwuide said Trudeau Institute has been busy throughout the pandemic. Though the emergency period of the pandemic has eased, COVID-19 is still an illness that’s on the minds of many, he said. Researchers at the institute are still keeping busy.

Bill Reiley, a Trudeau Institute researcher, began working on universal COVID-19 vaccines before it reached U.S. shores and published a paper in partnership with the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research with support from the federal government’s Operation Warp Speed vaccine program.

Last year, Trudeau Institute researcher In-Jeong Kim was the lead author on a paper researching a potential vaccine for the Zika virus. Her research showed a vaccine candidate as being safe and effective at preventing transmission to fetuses in pregnant animals.