Personal and Professional Developments
I graduated with my B.S. in Molecular Biology in May of 1998, and started work with Dr. Ordahl in August. Although my title was "technician," I worked closely with a very talented post doctoral fellow on a research project and felt more like a graduate student. Our work culminated in two publications, both in the journal Development. It was a wonderful experience, one in which I learned so much about the field of developmental biology. It reinforced for me the idea that a career in science was right for me. I wanted to mature a bit more as a scientist before going to graduate school and that is exactly what this position provided.
Around this time, I happened to meet the woman who would become my wife. I was living in San Francisco at the time and she was living in New York City. The way the timing worked out, it was easier for me to move to New York and since I had just missed the grad school application deadlines for the fall, I got another technician position in Dr. Deborah Yelon's lab at NYU.
Back to New York
Dr. Yelon's lab was investigating cardiac development in zebrafish, which was a different system from what I'd had experience with, but there were a number of parallels, too. Taking the position, which required a two year commitment, would postpone my entry into grad school, but it was a good fit for me because it offered me a project of my own in the lab. With Dr. Yelon's guidance, I was able to complete a project and publish our findings.
Dr. Yelon was very helpful as I started to get my grad school applications ready. She was very enthusiastic that I make the move to graduate school. She was very supportive throughout the whole process and helped answer any questions and concerns I had about graduate school.
Having had the experiences working in labs really made my decision to go to grad school so much easier for me. I ended up applying to The Rockefeller University, Princeton University, and Weill Cornell. I was lucky enough to be accepted by all three.
I had a background in developmental biology, but I felt that as a grad student I wanted to try something new. I thought that trying my hand in new fields during my rotations would help me decide whether or not I was destined to be a developmental biologist. My decision to come here to Weill Cornell was based in large part on the fact that they had a great group of developmental biologists and great scientists in a broad area of other fields. Additionally, I got a very good vibe from the other students I spoke with in recruitment and interviews.
Lab Rotations: An Open Mind and a New Direction
I started here in the fall of 2002. My goal was to keep an open mind during my three lab rotations. I did my first rotation in the lab of Kirk Deitsch, a member of the Molecular Biology Program at Cornell who studies gene regulation in plasmodium, the parasite that causes malaria. I knew very little about malaria and parasitology, but, as a younger faculty member with lots of energy, he was more than happy to teach me.
Next in my rotation schedule was Mary Baylies' lab at Sloan-Kettering Institute (SKI). Mary's lab is interested in the muscle development of the fruit fly Drosophila. I really enjoyed working in the field of developmental biology again and Mary was a great mentor. I had never worked with fruit flies before and I was eager to learn more about genetics using that system. In Mary's lab, I learned how to set up fly crosses, sort genetic mutants, and score muscle mutants.
Third Time's the Charm
My third and final rotation was in the lab of Prasad Jallepalli at SKI. His lab is interested in chromosome segregation and genomic integrity in mammalian cells. After starting my rotation, I was immediately hooked. Prasad is very hands-on, which was a tremendous help and resource for me. He still works at the bench right alongside us. In addition, chromosome segregation was a brand new field to me, which I found very exciting. When my rotation was finished, I had to decide where to do my thesis research. I decided on Prasad's lab for two main reasons. First, even though I didn't have a strong background in his work, I was really interested in this new field. Second, I felt like Prasad's lab offered a great mix of tools and techniques that would be valuable to me. In his lab, I am able to do genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry.
Plus, there's the personal aspect to working with Prasad. His door is always open. If I have a question or don't understand a protocol, Prasad will always take the time to help. His enthusiasm for our work is truly contagious. Thanks to this support, we recently published a study in Nature Cell Biology dealing with a specific protein that contributes to the timing and efficiency of mitosis and chromosome segregation.
Looking back on all the experiences and choices that lead me here to Weill Cornell, I can honestly say that I've been happy with every one of them. This is a great school and a great place to start a career in science.
