Info all Articles

If there is one thing Jill Stopfer, MS, knows for sure it is this: She didn’t win her husband over with her cooking.

Jill, a certified genetics counselor and founding member of the cancer genetics program at the Abramson Cancer Center, met her husband, Director of the Center for Genetics and Complex Traits, Tim Rebbeck, PhD, while completing their studies in cancer genetics and hypertension genetics, respectively, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

“Tim had a pot-luck dinner at his house one night, and I thought I would make pop-overs to bring,” remembers Jill. “They were easy and I made them all the time, so I knew they’d be a hit with everyone.”

Unfortunately, something went awfully wrong with her recipe, and her famous pop-overs looked and felt more like hockey pucks than food.

“I brought them to the dinner as a joke, and we all got a laugh out of it,” says Jill. Tim was so impressed with her cooking, he placed the pop-over on his shelf for everyone to admire.

Classroom Crush

Like so many classroom crushes, Jill and Tim’s began with teasing.

“I was from South Dakota, and she was from New York, so we liked to pick on each other,” says Tim. “In terms of differences, there couldn’t be more!”

“We both definitely had really different backgrounds and upbringing, but that’s part of why we find each other so interesting,” says Jill.

The couple married, and moved to the Philadelphia area shortly after their graduation.

“Within a month, we’d married, moved across the country and starting working here,” says Jill. “It was a great way to start our new life together.”

Similar Interests…and Careers

While they both have very serious and sometimes challenging careers, they find support through each other.

“We’re both really engaged in what we do, and are passionate about our careers,” says Tim. “Understanding each other’s work is helpful when it comes to supporting each other, and inspiring each other; we both really love what we do.”

“Because I work with cancer patients, or people who are going through cancer genetics testing, and he works on the research side of cancer genetics, we both enjoy hearing about each other’s experiences,” says Jill. “Sometimes I share with patients what he is doing in the lab, and vice versa.”

Outside of work, the couple likes to spend time with their two daughters skiing, listening to live music and enjoying outdoor activities.

“We love to ski and listen to live music,” says Jill. “I still find him just as fascinating as the day we met.”

This year, Jill and Tim will celebrate their 22nd anniversary.

And as for the pop-over-turned-hockey-puck?

“We still have that hockey puck,” says Tim. “It’s even in a special, crystal dish!”

Learn more about Jill and Tim's work at the Basser Research Center for BRCA.