Editor's Note: It’s that magical time of year when everyone shares their “Top 10” lists for 2025. This includes movies, books, podcasts, even their favorite snacks.
And while we couldn’t convince a celebrity to send us their faves (Brad Pitt didn’t return our calls), we did get someone even better (or at least more available and willing to do it): Marcela from our team!
And listen, if you don’t read this list, at least her mom will share it with her WhatsApp group. Honestly, we’ll call that a win.
So, curious? Here are Marcela’s Top 10 Favorites of 2025! We're calling these the Cellie awards because we are a science blog after all—even if Marcela only has one "L" in her name.
Top Movie of 2025
And the Cellie Award goes to:
Frankenstein. Legendary director Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water) worked his magic again! Stunning visuals and an incredible script creates a cautionary tale about what happens when runaway ambition and unchecked ego meets a lack of IRB oversight.
Honorable mentions:
- Sinners
- Wicked for Good
Top Podcast of 2025
And the Cellie Award goes to:
The Interview. NPR's Science Fridays is my forever fave (check out this recent episode with Mass General Brigham's own Rakesh Jain, but this year I discovered The Interview by The New York Times. The hosts ask questions so well, I’m taking notes for my next awkward Zoom call.
If you're looking for a great episode to start with, I really enjoyed Simon Cowell's interview because I actually previously disliked him on American Idol and America's Got Talent, and listening to the podcast made me see a side of him I didn't know existed. Which I guess is the point of the podcast?
I also enjoyed Jennifer Lawrence's episode AND probably one of my favorites (just because I love her so much) was Sandra Oh.
Honorable mentions:
Best Dessert of 2025
And the Cellie Award goes to:
Butterscotch Bread Pudding. I’m going to be very specific, but you have to trust me: The butterscotch bread pudding at Eastern Standard. I tried replicating it at home… let’s just say the smoke alarm was involved. Just go (there) and try it!
Best Book of 2025
And the Cellie Award goes to:
The Wedding People by Alison Espach. The Wedding People is a novel about a woman who goes on a solo trip to Newport, RI, only to be mistaken for a wedding guest and pulled into the wedding party. Great lessons about life, though the ending left me like, “Wait… that’s it?” Still worth the read!
Runners Up:
- Tales from the Cafe by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
- Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
- Funny Story by Emily Henry
Favorite Boston-Area Restaurant
And the Cellie Award goes to:
La Bodega, an Uruguayan- and Basque-influenced farm-to-table restaurant located in Watertown, MA. I was very happy with their vegetable offerings—their honeynut squash was really good, as were multiple salads. The Basque-style cheesecake is AMAZING. I give it the chef's kiss.
Favorite Tourist Destination
And the Cellie Award goes to....
Patagonia, a region of South America known as one of the most breathtaking national parks in the world.
I was lucky enough to spend five days traveling the Torres del Paine trek with my cousin earlier this year, and was amazed by jaw-dropping views like the one shown below. Highly recommend.
Mass General Brigham Science Communicator of the Year
And the Cellie Award goes to....
Tracy Young-Pearse, PhD, from the Department of Neurology at Mass General Brigham!
Her social media video (see below) was a hit! People loved it, and so did I.
Favorite Mass General Brigham Research Discovery
And the Cellie Award goes to....Daily Step Counts of 4,000 or More Tied to Reduced Risk of Heart Disease, Mortality in Older Women.
Finally, science agrees with my daily fitness tracker. Mass General Brigham researchers found that older women who took 4,000 steps on just one or two days a week had a 27% reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease and 26% reduction in risk of death compared to those who got less steps.
Song of the Year
And the Cellie award goes to...
DtmF. Bad Bunny, of course! DtmF was my anthem for 2025.
Runners up:
- Us (Gracie Abrams)
- Survive (Lewis Capaldi)
- One of the Greats (Florence and the Machine)
Recipe of the Year
And the Cellie award goes to...
Eggplant Parmesan. I truly don’t love cooking, mostly because I think I’m really bad at it. But I love Justine Doiron and her recipes! She is so personable and makes everything seem so easy (which might not be a good thing for me). I tried her Eggplant Parmesan and really enjoyed it.
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