7th Annual Postdoctoral Career Symposium - February 15th, 2018
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7th Annual Postdoctoral Career Symposium February 15th, 2018
Welcome to the 7th Annual
Postdoctoral Career Symposium
On behalf of the organizing institutions of the 2018 Annual Postdoctoral Career
Symposium – Put Your Career In Gear, we would like to welcome you to this
important event.
This symposium continues to be organized by postdoctoral fellows representing
Texas Medical Center institutions. There are a range of career paths open to you –
tomorrow’s leaders and innovators- in the rapidly evolving biomedical field and
beyond. Today’s symposium provides you with an opportunity to explore your
professional career paths, gain key skills and expand your network.
Please take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to actively participate in panel
discussions and workshops. There are representatives from various companies,
institutions, and organizations from the academic, business, public, and private
sectors. We encourage you to interact with them throughout the day and learn
about potential positions. We also hope that you take advantage of the resources
and networking opportunities available to you at this symposium as you move
forward in your various career paths.
We would like to thank all the postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and administrators who
have worked to put today’s event together. We are supported by a fantastic team of
administrators and their expertise has allowed us to sustain and grow this
symposium over the last 6 years. We would especially like to thank our speakers,
workshop presenters, and panelists who have graciously given their time and effort
to share their experiences with us today. We appreciate their insights and guidance
into planning careers in their fields.
Sincerely,
The Postdoctoral Career Symposium Committee
2
Schedule at a Glance
3
Table of Contents
KEYNOTE SPEAKER 10
Kevin M. Folta, Ph.D. 10
PANEL DESCRIPTIONS 11
ACADEMIA: FACULTY 16
Bonnie Bartel, Ph.D. 16
Jared K. Burks, Ph.D. 17
Raymond Cho, M.D., M.S. 18
Jane E. Hamilton, Ph.D., M.P.H., L.C.S.W. 19
Vihang Narkar, Ph.D. 20
Melanie Samuel, Ph.D. 21
ACADEMIA: NON-FACULTY 22
Alessandro Carugo, Ph.D. 22
Amy Hazen, Ph.D. 23
Suzanne Tomlinson, Ph.D. 24
ART & SCIENCE 25
David Aten, M.A. 25
Oscar E. Ruiz, Ph.D. 26
4
BURNOUT MANAGEMENT (WORKSHOP) 27
Eugene Boisaubin, M.D. 27
CLINICAL OPERATIONS 28
Carol Chuang, Ph.D. 28
Preeti M. Ismail, Ph.D., M.B.A. 29
Chongjuan Wei, Ph.D. 30
CONSULTING 31
Laura Medford-Davis, M.D. 31
Arturo Pizano, Ph.D. 32
C.V./RESUME WORKSHOP 33
Derek Haseltine, M. Ed. 33
Andrew Tessmer, M. Ed. 34
Robert Tillman, PhD. 35
Leslie Beckman, B. A. 36
DATA SCIENCE 37
Rafael Rosengarten, Ph.D. 37
James Sokolowski, Ph.D. 38
W. Jim Zheng, Ph.D. 39
ENTREPRENEURSHIP 40
Gwynneth Ballentine, Ph.D., M.B.A. 40
5
Corwin Miller, Ph.D. 41
Melissa Singh, Ph.D. 42
GOVERNMENT RESEARCH 43
Stephen Crimmins, Ph.D. 43
Kristy O. Murray, Ph.D., D.V.M. 44
Michael B. Stenger, Ph.D. 45
INSIGHTS FOR INTERNATIONALS 46
Agathe Bourgogne, Ph.D. 46
Tanushree Chatterji, Ph.D. 47
Sina Safayi, Ph. D., D.V.M. 48
Amjad Hossain Talukder, Ph.D. 49
IP-LEGAL-PATENT 50
Ben Adler, Ph.D., J.D. 50
Andrew P. Dennis, Ph.D. 51
Hitisha Zaveri, Ph.D. 52
LEADERSHIP (WORKSHOP) 53
Sharon Dent, Ph.D. 53
Lisa Kiehne, M.H.A. 54
Lavinia Middleton, M.D. 55
Louise C. Strong, M.D. 56
Wei Yang, M.B.B.S. 57
6
MEDICAL SCIENCE LIAISON 58
Melody Davis, Ph.D. 58
Elizabeth M. Kupferer, Ph.D., WHNP-BC 59
Melanie A. Paquette, Ph.D. 60
Loren Stagg, Ph.D. 61
NETWORKING (WORKSHOP) 62
Tracy Costello, Ph.D. 62
OUTREACH/NON-PROFIT 63
Nancy Greig, Ph.D. 63
Beatriz Perez-Sweeny, Ph.D. 64
Gregory L. Vogt, Ed.D. 65
PERSONALIZED MEDICINE 66
Malcolm Brenner, Ph.D. 66
Ivone Bruno, Ph.D. 67
Jason Thonhoff, MD, Ph.D. 68
Joanne Shaw, Ph.D. 69
PHARMA 70
Kristin Brown, Ph.D. 70
Caleb Davis, Ph.D. 71
Namita Dodwadkar, Ph.D. 72
Nene Kalu, Ph.D. 73
7
PROJECT MANAGEMENT/ADMINISTRATION 74
Jennifer B. Dennison, Ph.D. 74
Bhanu Pappu, Ph.D. 75
Melissa S. Thompson, Ph.D. 76
PSYCHOLOGY OF THE INTERVIEW (WORKSHOP) 77
Kevin M. Folta, Ph.D. 77
REGULATORY AFFAIRS 78
Lauren Goldie, Ph.D., CCRP 78
Allison Komiyama, Ph.D., RAC 79
Claudia Miller, Ph.D. 80
Audrey Williams, Ph.D. 81
SALES/FIELD APPLICATION SCIENTISTS 82
Stefan Jellbauer, Ph.D. 82
Anjou Sathe Keller, M.B.A. 83
Katie Taylor, Ph.D. 84
SCIENCE POLICY 85
Thomas Calder, Ph.D. 85
Kirstin R.W. Matthews, Ph.D. 86
Jodi Yellin, Ph.D. 87
SCIENCE WRITING 88
8
Donna Ramirez, Ph.D., CRA 88
Jorge M. Rivas, M.D., Ph.D. 89
R. Michelle Sauer, Ph.D., ELS, CRA 90
Katherine Sippel, Ph.D. 91
TEACHING 92
Beth Beason-Abmayr, Ph.D. 92
Shadi Kilani, Ph.D. 93
Rachna Sadana, Ph.D. 94
TMCX 95
Erik Halvorsen, Ph.D. 95
EXHIBITORS 96
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 97
POSTDOCTORAL CAREER SYMPOSIUM COMMITTEE 98
INSTITUTIONAL POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATIONS 99
9
Keynote Speaker
Kevin M. Folta, Ph.D.
Job Title: Professor and
Chairman, Horticultural Sciences
Department and Graduate
Program in Plant Molecular and
Cellular Biology
Current Employer: University
of Florida
Education:
Ph.D. University of Illinois at
Chicago
M.S. Northern Illinois University
B.S. Northern Illinois University
Bio: Kevin M. Folta is a Professor and the Chairman of the
Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida.
His strawberry research uses novel genomics approaches to
identify genes related to flavor and disease resistance. His
research also examines how parts of the light spectrum affect
strawberry shelf life and flavor. He has been recognized as an
expert in teaching scientists and agricultural professionals how
to communicate topics in genetics and agricultural technology.
He was recognized with the prestigious CAST Borlaug Award in
Agricultural Communications in 2016.
Contact information: kfolta@ufl.edu
10Panel Descriptions
Academia: Faculty
Academia encompasses careers in research and/or teaching.
Candidates with exclusive research interests pursue academia and
look for research professorship positions (instructor, research
faculty appointments, and tenure track). Candidates that intend to
exclusively teach pursue lecturer or professor positions at
universities and community colleges.
Academia: Non-Faculty
In this panel, get to know more about the “non-traditional” academic
careers available to PhDs. The panelists will discuss opportunities in
different core labs, getting involved in different aspects of clinical
trials, research scientist positions, and other such positions, which
are vital to a university or research institute. Your research
experience makes you eligible for these positions and can lead to
more advanced positions such as becoming a core director or other
senior administrative positions.
Art & Science
Many have appreciated that there’s a lot of beauty and art in science.
Panelists in this discipline have worked at this intersection of art and
science to bring science to the masses in a way that is both
informative and awe-inspiring.
Clinical Operations
Make use of your biomedical knowledge to help those suffering from
disease by aiding in the operation of hospitals or by transitioning
new treatment options into the clinic via clinical trials. Positions in
this field include clinical trial coordinator, clinical research associate,
clinical pathologist, epidemiologist, biostatistician, translational
scientist, genetics specialist or IRB coordinator.
11Panel Descriptions
Consulting
Management consultants provide expertise to organizations and
work with them to maximize their performance and keep them
running smoothly. These organizations include healthcare,
education, and oil & gas, and require consultants to be adaptable,
creative, and curious.
Data Science
The rate at which we collect data has exponentially increased in the
scope of a few years. How are we to manage the amount of data we
collect at this rate in a meaningful and appropriate fashion? Data
science professionals will be able to discuss real-life solutions and
approaches to these modern challenges in this field that can
influence numerous industries including health care, business,
government, and academia.
Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurs occupy a central position in a market economy. It is
the entrepreneur who undertakes the risk of the enterprise in search
of solutions and seeks opportunities to profit by satisfying as yet
unsatisfied needs. This panel will give you some insight in to the
world of entrepreneurship and startups.
Government
Government research appears similar to industry or academic
careers. However, the main difference is that these organizations are
often working towards a specific mission/goal. Government
organizations need scientists, program coordinators, grants
manager, and policy analysts.
Insights for Internationals
In this panel we will hear from people who have faced hurdles
related to immigration issues during their academic and/or post-
academic careers. There will be discussion on how to overcome and
in some cases, avoid, some of these hurdles to have a successful post-
postdoc life in the U.S.
12Panel Descriptions
IP/Legal/Patent
Intellectual Property/Legal experts focus their scientific knowledge
to protect people’s right to inventions, trademarks, copyrights, and
designs. Intellectual property fosters an environment in which
creativity and innovation can flourish while guarding the results of
such labor. Individuals in this field can act as law practitioners in
prosecution and litigation of IP cases, or undergo specific training to
become patent agents, scientific advisors, or technology transfer
specialists.
Medical Science Liaison
Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) work within the pharmaceutical,
biotechnology, medical device, CRO and other health-care industries.
MSLs have key roles in product development, product utilization and
function as scientific peers and resources within the medical
community, and are scientific experts to internal colleagues at
companies. MSLs are responsible for establishing and maintaining
peer-peer relationships with leading Key Opinion Leaders at major
academic institutions and clinics.
Outreach/Non-profit
Scientific outreach is the effort to promote public awareness of
science. Scientific institutions, universities, and non-profit
organizations engage with the community to increase the
understanding of science. Outreach activities include public talks and
discussions, science programs for schools and museums, as well as
science fairs and festivals.
Personalized Medicine
Better diagnoses, earlier interventions, customized treatment plans.
These are the promises of personalized medicine, also known as
precision medicine or individualized medicine. Personalized
medicine provides a genomic blueprint to determine each person’s
unique disease susceptibility, define preventive measures, and
enable targeted therapies to promote wellness.
13Panel Descriptions
Pharma
Use your scientific knowledge and research skills to move basic
research discoveries into the clinic. Hear from individuals who have
worked in drug development in industry and as field application
specialists, and learn about future career paths in management in
the pharmaceutical industry.
Project Management/Administration
Project Managers, Grant Managers, or Administrators support the
work that goes on within research institutions by writing grants,
managing data, facilitating IRB approval, coordinating collaborative
research projects or running programs to recruit and develop
trainees. These roles could lead to advanced positions such as
Program Director, Dean or Provost.
Regulatory Affairs
A regulatory affairs and compliance professional typically works in
regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices,
energy, etc; however, many professionals also work in academic or
research institutions. Regulatory professionals are responsible for
ensuring that their company or university complies with all the
regulations and laws pertaining to their industry or research.
Sales/Field Application Scientist
Field application scientists are involved in offering customer support
regarding issues in scientific equipment, supplies, and lab
instruments. It requires them to deal with customers for problem
solving, sales activities, and consumer education regarding product
usage. They usually work for manufacturers of scientific equipment
or lab service providers.
14Panel Descriptions
Science Policy
Experts in science policy focus their scientific knowledge to the
creation of policies with efforts to best serve the public. Science
Policy utilizes scientific background to assess and reform specific
policies in all areas, whether these may be health, education and
training, funding, and translation of scientific discoveries to
commercial developments.
Science Writing
Science writing and communication are integrated into scientist's
everyday life. Whether participating in some informal discussion or a
presentation, writing a paper, or a grant proposal; every scientist is
constantly faced with the challenge of communicating thoughts and
ideas. This panel will focus on the various aspects of how all of us can
master these skills.
Teaching
In this teaching panel, we will get to know more about career options
for candidates who want to do exclusively teaching, look for
academic positions. You will meet with individuals who have success
in their career path and dedicate in scientific teaching. They will
share their experiences and passion in teaching, either from the
angle of a Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, or
Professors from different universities who do both scientific
teaching and research.
TMCx
Dr. Erik Halvorsen, director of Texas Medical Center Innovation, will
talk about how postdocs can contribute to making the Texas Medical
Center a powerhouse of research and biotech collaboration on the
third coast of the U.S.
15Academia: Faculty
Bonnie Bartel, Ph.D.
Job Title: Ralph and Dorothy Looney
Professor of Biosciences
Current Employer: Rice University
Education:
B.A. Bethel College, North Newton, KS
M.A., Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Cambridge
Bio: I was a biology major at Bethel
College before attending graduate
school at MIT, where I studied the yeast
ubiquitin system with Alexander Varshavsky. I did my postdoc with Gerald
Fink at the Whitehead Institute, where I began using genetics to study auxin
regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana. I joined the faculty of Rice University as
an assistant professor in 1995, and I am currently the Ralph and Dorothy
Looney Professor in the Biosciences department. My group has studied
auxin regulation and microRNA functions, and we currently investigate the
biogenesis, dynamics, and functions of plant peroxisomes, organelles that
carry out critical metabolism while protecting other parts of the cell from
oxidative damage. Our research published in more than 90 peer-reviewed
articles was recognized by my elections to the American Academy of Arts
and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences. I was named a Howard
Hughes Medical Institute Professor in 2006, and implemented a freshman
seminar to introduce undergraduates to biological research at Rice and the
TMC. I have mentored 23 PhD students and 98 undergraduates in my lab,
and received Rice University’s Presidential Award for Mentoring in 2011.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
Resilience, persistence, clear communication
What I love most about my job:
I love going over new results with my students and trying to devise
hypotheses to explain unexpected findings.
Contact information: bartel@rice.edu
16Academia: Faculty
Jared K. Burks, Ph.D.
Jared K. Burk’s PhD research focused on
protein trafficking during viral infection.
This allowed him to help discover a new
type of shuttling protein called
importin-alpha 16, which is believed to
be responsible for trafficking integral
membrane proteins through the lateral
channel of the nuclear pore complex.
During his post-doctoral work he
studied nuclear p53 protein-protein
interactions in CMV infected human
endothelial cells. Jared Burks utilized
advanced imaging techniques
throughout his career in science, over 16 years. After his post-doctoral
work he joined the Flow Cytometry and Cellular Imaging Core as a research
scientist primarily directing the imaging research. He attended specific
courses on both advanced imaging and flow cytometry. Jared Burks has
recently been promoted to Co-director of the North Campus Flow
Cytometry and Cellular Imaging Core due to his knowledge of imaging and
cytometry as well as the ability to organize and direct the facility.
17Academia: Faculty
Raymond Cho, M.D., M.S.
Job Title: Senior Faculty
Current Employer: Baylor College of
Medicine
Education:
M.D. University of Toronto
M.S. Physiology & Neuroscience
B.S. Biology & Physics, University of
Toronto
Bio: Raymond Y. Cho currently works at
the Department of Psychiatry, Baylor
College of Medicine. Raymond does research in Neuropsychology, Cognitive
Psychology and Biological Psychiatry, with a dual focus on the
understanding and treatment of cognitive control dysfunction in
schizophrenia.
Contact information:
raymond.cho@bcm.edu
18Academia: Faculty
Jane E. Hamilton, Ph.D., M.P.H., L.C.S.W.
Job Title: Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Current Employer: UTHealth McGovern
Medical School, Department of Psychiatry
and Behavioral Sciences
Education:
Ph.D. University of Texas School of Public
Health
M.P.H. University of Texas School of Public
Health
M.S.W. University of Houston
B.S. University of Nebraska at Omaha
Professional Licenses and Certifications:
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Texas State Board Approved Clinical Supervisor
Contact information: Jane.E.Hamilton@uth.tmc.edu
19Academia: Faculty
Vihang Narkar, Ph.D.
Job Title: Associate Professor
Current Employer: UTHealth
McGovern Medical School
Education:
Ph.D.University of Houston
B.S. University of Bombay, India
Bio: I received my B.S. in pharmacy in
1997, and Ph.D. in pharmacology in
2002. Currently, I am Associate
Professor of Molecular Medicine at The
UTHealth Medical School’s Institute of Molecular Medicine. My interest in
research originated in pharmacy school, when I performed experiments
examining the pharmacological effects of adrenergic drugs on isolated frog
heart preparations using Langendorff apparatus. Fascination with these
experiments lead me to study underlying molecular mechanisms involving
g-protein coupled receptor activation in the cardiac effect of adrenergic
drugs. During my Ph.D., I established the role of dopamine D2-like receptors
in renal sodium homeostasis, and uncovered the long-term beneficial effect
of activating D2-like receptors in renal ischemia/reperfusion injury. Having
become interested in the role of genes and transcription in tissue
remodeling, I pursued post-doctoral training with Drs. Peter Davis
(UTHealth) and Ron Evans (Salk Institute) in the area of nuclear receptors,
exercise, muscle and cardiovascular biology. My research interests at
UTHealth are in understanding the role of nuclear receptors in muscle
endurance, regeneration, stem cells and angiogenesis with ultimate focus
on cardiovascular health.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
Ability to ask the right question. Writing and publishing. Networking.
What I love most about my job:
Interacting with students, postdocs and fellow scientists.
Contact information:
Vihang.a.narkar@uth.tmc.edu
20Academia: Faculty
Melanie Samuel, Ph.D.
Job Title: Assistant Professor of
Neuroscience
Current Employer: BCM
Education:
PhD Washington University
B.S., B.A. University of Idaho
Bio: Melanie Samuel aims to decode the
structural and molecular regulators of
synaptic rewiring. She is currently an
Assistant Professor of Neuroscience and
CPRIT Scholar in the Huffington Center on Aging at Baylor College of
Medicine. As a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar she earned three bachelor’s
degrees from the University of Idaho (summa cum laude) and then
completed her Ph.D. at Washington University studying neurotropic viral
pathogenesis with Michael Diamond. As a postdoctoral fellow with Joshua
Sanes at Harvard University she developed the retina as a model for
synaptic aging. Her past awards include those from the Howard Hughes
Medical Institute, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, the
Brain Research Foundation and a Pathway to Independence Award from
the NIH, and the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award. Dr. Samuel’s
interdisciplinary research group leverages nanoscopic imaging
technologies and high throughput in vivo molecular studies of single cells
and their circuits in order to identify ways to repair neural networks.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
Ability to develop ideas, communicate, and execute a plan to achieve a goal.
What I love most about my job:
Freedom to pursue any and all ideas; ability to inspire future generations of
scientists; the opportunity to change the world for the better.
Contact information:
msamuel@bcm.edu
21Academia: Non-Faculty
Alessandro Carugo, Ph.D.
Job Title: Functional Genomics Group
Leader – Scientist
Current Employer: Institute of Applied
Cancer Science – UT MD Anderson Cancer
Center
Education:
Ph.D. European School of Molecular
Medicine (SEMM)
M.S. University of Milan
B.S. Biotechnology, University of Milan
Bio: I transitioned to big pharma (Pfizer/NMS) as target identification and
validation Research Associate in cancer drug discovery after my MS. I came
back to academia for my Ph.D., where I expanded my interests in cancer
target discovery pioneering a novel method to unmask unprecedented
vulnerabilities of pancreatic cancer. Awarded with a post-doctoral
fellowship by the European Community I joined Dr. Draetta’s Lab at the
Dana Farber Cancer Institute for continuing my search of innovative
therapeutics for pancreatic cancer. I joined the Institute for Applied Cancer
Science at MD Anderson Cancer Center in 2015 as Scientist Associate and
was recently appointed as Group Leader of the Functional Genomics Unit. I
contributed to projects that aimed to discover genetic vulnerabilities in
specific-cancer contexts and set-up new disruptive translational tools to
accelerate drug discovery pipelines. Some of these studies have recently
entered clinical phases.
Most useful skill sets acquired from academia: Always doubt the dogma;
Interdisciplinarity; Self-organization (mental and practical)
What I love most about my job: I have the opportunity of doing cutting-
edge research together with top-of-the-notch scientists, translating basic
findings in true therapeutics and impacting the clinical scenario.
Contact: acarugo@mdanderson.org; (713)745-0862; Skype: alecarugo
22Academia: Non-Faculty
Amy Hazen, Ph.D.
Job Title: Associate Director Shared
Research Resources
Current Employer: UTHealth
Education:
Ph.D. Moffitt Cancer Center at the
University of South Florida
B.S. University of Florida
Bio: As a postdoctoral fellow I struggled
to find a healthy work/life balance. I
quickly knew that a future as a Principal
Investigator would not be in the cards for
me. When I was offered an opportunity as a Research Scientist within the
flow cytometry core facility at MD Anderson it was a perfect fit. It was the
ideal combination of some research yet a more set schedule allowing for a
better life balance. After several years, I was recruited back to UTHealth to
run the flow cytometry core facility I once used extensively as a postdoc.
Through a variety of circumstances I slowly transitioned into a role in
research administration providing oversight to all institutional core
facilities.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
Extreme multitasking
Resourcefulness
Perseverance
What I love most about my job:
Cultivating relationships between key investigators to generate
collaborative efforts and aid in scientific progress.
Contact information: Amy.Hazen@uth.tmc.edu
23Academia: Non-Faculty
Suzanne Tomlinson, Ph.D.
Job Title: Director, GCC Research
Programs
Current Employer: Gulf Coast Consortia
for Quantitative Biomedical Sciences
Education:
Ph.D. University of Texas Medical
Branch, (UTMB), Galveston, TX
Bio: Dr. Tomlinson earned her Ph.D. at
UTMB, Galveston, TX, in Biochemistry
and Molecular Biology, specializing in
computational drug discovery and lead optimization in the development,
patenting, and licensing of West Nile and dengue virus protease inhibitors.
As a Postdoctoral Fellow, she developed aldose reductase inhibitors as
potential colon cancer therapeutics. After her postdoctoral fellowship, Dr.
Tomlinson was the Director for Molecular Therapeutics for the UTMB
Center for Addiction Research and Program Manager of the Innovations in
Therapeutics and Devices module of the UTMB Institute for Translational
Science CTSA award. Currently, Dr. Tomlinson is the Director of Research
Programs for the Gulf Coast Consortia for Quantitative Biomedical Sciences
(GCC). Her primary responsibilities include direction of 10 scientific topic-
focused research consortia and development and implementation of new
interinstitutional research initiatives, curriculum, scientific conferences,
and grant proposals. Dr. Tomlinson also manages the John S. Dunn
Foundation Collaborative Research Award Program for the BioScience
Research Collaborative.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
1) Drug Development; 2) Computation; 3) Collaboration/Team Building
What I love most about my job: Collaborative spirit of the GCC and
faculties with whom I work; being able to recruit the most qualified experts
from all GCC institutions to develop new research initiatives; I am
continuously exposed to science that is outside of my field.
Contact information: smtomlin@rice.edu
24Art & Science
David Aten, M.A.
Job Title: Senior Medical Illustrator
Current Employer: MD Anderson
Cancer Center
Education:
M.A. UT Southwestern Medical Center
B.S. University of Kansas
Bio: I started in art school, until I
realized I didn’t want to do book and
magazine illustration. After a stint
studying pre-med, I discovered medical
illustration as a career path. I attended graduate school for medical
illustration at UTSW, and upon graduation, began freelancing doing
illustrations and animations for medical device companies. In 2002 I began
working at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio, doing surgical and
cellular illustrations for academic publishing and patient education. I
transferred to MD Anderson in 2007 and have been working here doing
much the same ever since.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia: Research skills, team
problem solving, communication skills
What I love most about my job: The ability to be immersed in the latest
medical research and to be creative in forming communication strategies
for that information.
Contact information: dmaten@mdanderson.org; 713-792-1304;
www.linkedin.com/in/dave-aten
25Art & Science
Oscar E. Ruiz, Ph.D.
Job Title: Senior Scientist
Current Employer: MD Anderson
Cancer Center
Education:
Ph.D. University of Utah
M.S. Universidad Autónoma de
Tamaulipas, Mexico
B.S. University of Texas at San Antonio
Bio: The first part of my career
followed the typical career path,
graduate school to postdoc with the goal of becoming a PI. It wasn’t until I
had to cut my postdoc short that I looked for an alternative career path. I
was fortunate enough to find a position as a lab manager in a lab that was
just starting at MD Anderson. This experience of starting and running a
new lab made it clear to me that I really preferred doing actual experiments
and probably did not want to be a PI. Soon after I transitioned into my
current position as a Senior Scientist in the same lab and love the work we
do. I am still able to conduct experiments and have the freedom to pursue
other areas of research while still participating in various outreach
programs and attending scientific conferences.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia: Ability to think
critically, collaborative spirit, flexibility
What I love most about my job: I love developing new assays for the lab
and learning new technologies that can be applied to our research.
Contact information: oeruiz@mdanderson.org
26Burnout Management (Workshop)
Eugene Boisaubin, M.D.
Job Title:
Distinguished Teaching Professor of
Medicine for the McGovern Medical
School at UTHealth
Current Employer:
The McGovern Medical School at
UTHealth
Education:
M.D. University of Missouri School of
Medicine
B.A. Washington University in St. Louis
Bio: Dr. Boisaubin earned an AB degree in Zoology and Art History from
Washington University in St. Louis Missouri and received his MD degree
from the University of Missouri Medical School at Columbia, including a
Fellowship in Clinical Pathology. He completed his residency training in
Internal Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine as well as a Chief Medical
Residency year. Subsequently, he did graduate studies in Clinical Medical
Ethics at the Kennedy Center at Georgetown University. Before joining the
UTMSH he was a faculty member at Baylor College of Medicine and the
University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He currently focuses his
academic attention on Physician Wellbeing, including burnout, impairment
and professional standards for clinicians.
Most useful skill sets from academia:
1. How to work with people at all levels
2. How to both teach and educate learners at all levels
3. The more recent realization that my academic life is less important
than the health and wellbeing of both myself and my family
What I love most about my job: Although I started my academic career
with the usual goals of research/ publishing and medical education, I later
evolved into a more profound appreciation of how to teach, educate and
motivate students of all levels around me as well as my patients.
27Clinical Operations
Carol Chuang, Ph.D.
Job Title: Sr. Clinical Research Program
Coordinator
Current Employer: The University of
Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Education:
Ph.D. Baylor College of Medicine,
Houston, TX
B.S. St. Mary’s University, San Antonio,
TX
Bio: Dr. Chuang received her Ph.D. in
biomedical sciences from Baylor College
of Medicine with a focus on molecular and cellular biology. Prior to joining
the Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (ICT) at The
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC), she was a patent
research analyst at Global Patent Solutions and a postdoctoral fellow at
MDACC. Dr. Chuang joined ICT as a regulatory coordinator in September
2014. Her various experiences have provided her with the tools to meet
tight deadlines and to effectively communicate expected timelines and
deliverables to the study Sponsor and/or Contract Research Organization.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia: (1) Verbal and written
communications; (2) Time management skills and ability to prioritize
multiple deadlines; (3) Problem solving and people management skills
What I love most about my job:
It is rewarding to know that a patient, who has failed multiple treatments,
can be treated on an investigational agent because of my hard work to
expeditiously coordinate and activate clinical trials. I love that I have the
flexibility to work remotely and my boss respects people’s time off.
Contact information:
www.linkedin.com/in/carolcmda ; cchuang@mdanderson.org
28Clinical Operations
Preeti M. Ismail, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Job Title: Clinical Operations Leader
Current Employer: PAREXEL
International
Education:
Ph.D. University of Hyderabad, India
M.B.A. Rice University, Houston, TX
Bio: After my post-doc, an MBA helped
me to better understand the world of
pharmaceutical business. At Agennix, I
worked with Dr. Atul Varadhachary, in
the areas of research, business development, regulatory affairs and clinical
operations. These experiences helped me think as a scientist and business
professional, and transition to PAREXEL. As a clinical operations lead, I
coordinate team members and their activities across all geographies,
liaising with project leadership and sponsors to ensure that the Global
Research Operations deliverables (timeline, quality, productivity) are met. I
have an overall accountability for the execution of the clinical operations
strategy. To function efficiently, one has to maintain a working knowledge
and ensure compliance with applicable ICH-GCP Guidelines, local regulatory
requirements and PAREXEL SOPs, and study specific procedure.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia: Do your research and
come up with solutions. Interpersonal, oral and written communication
skills that allow you to present data in a clear and logical manner. Your
successful project is a direct reflection of your working efficiently with your
team.
What I love most about my job: The unique challenges that I encounter.
Each project offers me an opportunity to think creatively. I am never afraid
to seek unique perspective from experts.
Contact information: www.linkedin.com/in/preeti-ismail-b388246/
29Clinical Operations
Chongjuan Wei, Ph.D.
Job Title: Clinical Studies Coordinator
Current Employer: The University of
Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Education:
Ph.D. Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Beijing, China
M.S. Jilin University, Jilin, China
B.S. Northwest University, XiAn, China
Bio: Dr. Chongjuan Wei earned her
Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology from Chinese Academy of Sciences and came to MD Anderson
Cancer Center in 1999 as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Department of
Epidemiology, where she later gained her instructor and assistant professor
position. Dr. Wei was also a co-director at the Biospecimen Extraction
Resource Core Facility at MDA before she moved to the Department of
Clinical Cancer Prevention in 2014. At the beginning of 2015 Dr. Wei started
her career at the Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics at
MDA, and now she is a Clinical Studies Coordinator for Phase I clinical trial
at the Department of Leukemia.
Contact information: cwei@mdanderson.org
30Consulting
Laura Medford-Davis, M.D.
Job Title: Engagement Manager
Current Employer: McKinsey &
Company
Education:
M.D. Harvard Medical School
M.S. University of Pennsylvania
B.A. University of Oklahoma
Bio: Laura is a practicing emergency
physician, former Chief Resident at
Baylor College of Medicine, and former
Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar. She spent a year working in health
policy on MACRA and ACOs with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Innovation, and a year working on international disaster response policy at
the World Health Organization. She also has quantitative and qualitative
health services research experience in improving the efficiency and value of
care delivery, and in patient access to care. She joined McKinsey & Company
to solve the systems issues she encountered in the healthcare system, and
her work there has focused on provider strategy to respond to health
reform and on hospital transformations to decrease costs and increase
growth.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
Problem solving
Intellectual curiosity
Communications
What I love most about my job:
I am continuously challenged intellectually and as a leader and mentor.
Contact information:
Laura_Medford-Davis@mckinsey.com
31Consulting
Arturo Pizano, Ph.D.
Job Title: Engagement Manager
Current Employer: McKinsey &
Company
Education:
Ph.D. MIT
B.S. Caltech
Bio: I was a life-long academic chemist
turned consultant. I joined McKinsey
after a PhD in inorganic chemistry and
a 1-year postdoctoral fellowship at
Harvard. At McKinsey, I serve clients across a variety of industries,
including industrials and chemicals, across a variety of topics including
strategy, operations, and organization.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
- Hypothesis-driven, analytical thinking.
- Collaborative problem-solving.
- Intellectual curiosity and comfort with independent thinking.
What I love most about my job:
It’s a privilege to serve clients to help tackle their toughest problems. I’m
lucky enough to work with exciting, motivated colleagues and choose the
people to invest in and where build relationships. I love getting to work
with people from all over the world with diverse backgrounds and
expertise.
Contact information:
arturo.pizano@gmail.com
+1-713-382-4955
https://www.linkedin.com/in/arturopizano/
32C.V./Resume Workshop
Derek Haseltine, M. Ed.
Job Title: Director, Career
Development Center
Current Employer: Baylor College of
Medicine
Education:
B.S. University of Maryland
M.Ed. University of Texas at Austin
Bio: Derek Haseltine is the founding
director of BCM’s Career Development
Center, a centralized resource serving
students and postdoctoral fellows across the Schools of Medicine, Allied
Health and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Prior to joining BCM,
Derek held various leadership roles in career development. Derek has been
invited as a guest speaker on various career-related topics at the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), Harvard Medical School, American Association
for the Advancement of Science, American Association of Immunologists
annual meeting (2010-2016), and Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania and
published two invited commentaries in Nature Immunology.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
Time management, networking, empathy.
What I love most about my job:
Serving as an advocate for enhanced career development in biomedical
research training and assisting students and fellows realize and achieve
their professional goals.
Contact information: derek.haseltine@bcm.edu; 713-798-4038
www.linkedin.com/in/derekhaseltine
33C.V./Resume Workshop
Andrew Tessmer, M. Ed.
Job Title: Assistant Director of Career
Development | Career & Personal
Counselor
Current Employer: Rice University |
Eddins Counseling Group
Education:
B.A. Texas A&M University
M. Ed. University of Houston
Bio: I assist students, post-docs, and
alumni in exploring their interests,
personality preferences, values, and strengths to create greater meaning in
their lives though careers. I worked as a Career Counselor at the University
of Houston between 2013-2015. I am currently serving as the Treasurer for
the Houston Area Consortium of Career Centers. I am also an active
member of the Texas Counseling Association, with divisional memberships
in the Texas Career Development Association and the Texas Association
of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Counseling. I am in the
process of obtaining licensure as a professional counselor, and am a
licensed professional counselor.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
Presentation and communication skills. Ability to incorporate diverse
visions and ideas into a single plan. Project and time management skills
What I love most about my job:
Helping individuals reach their full potential through fostering self-
acceptance, personal growth, and empowerment. I love students and clients
grow and thrive.
Contact information:
linkedin.com/in/andrewjtessmer
34C.V./Resume Workshop
Robert Tillman, PhD.
Robert Tillman serves as Director of
the Department of Faculty & Academic
Development at the University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center in
Houston that supports the professional
development and health and wellness
of faculty, fellows, and other academic
populations MD Anderson. At MD
Anderson, he has been a lead in
developing the Provost’s Faculty
Mentoring Program, and been engaged
with leadership programs run through
his office that has trained over 750 MD
Anderson Faculty over the past 12
years. As Director of Faculty Professional Development at Columbia
University Medical Center in New York City Columbia University Medical
Center, Dr. Tillman co-developed a Women’s Leadership & Management
Institute in addition to developing professional development programs for
faculty. As a master facilitator for the NIH supported National Research
Mentoring Network he provides mentor training at MD Anderson, the larger
Texas Medical Center community through the Gulf Coast Consortium for
Quantitative Bioscience, and other locations nationally. He has served on
the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Group on Graduate Research,
Education, and Training (GREAT Group) Postdoctorate Leaders Section
Steering Committee from 2007-2009, which was concurrent with his role in
directing the postdoctoral training office at New York University School of
Medicine. He continues to be active in the Association of American Medical
Colleges’ Group on Faculty Affairs and in the National Postdoctoral
Association.
Contact information:
RETillman@mdanderson.org
35C.V./Resume Workshop
Leslie Beckman, B. A.
Job Title: Program Manager – Office of
Postdoctoral Affairs
Current Employer: UTHealth
Education:
B.A. University of Texas at Austin
Bio: With a background in Human
Resources, International Healthcare
Recruiting, Immigration law and 12
years at UTHealth, I have developed a
career as an expert in Postdoctoral
Administration. I have significant experience in developing postdoctoral
training programs, expertise in postdoctoral policy and advocacy as well as
a proven record of mentoring and coaching postdocs and administrators.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
Training postdocs to understand and market their transferable skills, to
better communicate their accomplishments and understand their
importance in the overall job market, be it academic or in other avocations.
What I love most about my job I get to spend much of my day helping
others. Usually they think I have so much to offer them without knowing
that they offer me much more than I do them.
Contact information:
Leslie.Beckman@uth.tmc.edu
36Data Science
Rafael Rosengarten, Ph.D.
Job Title: Chief Product Officer
Current Employer: Genialis, Inc.
Education:
Ph.D. Yale University
B.A. Dartmouth College
Bio: Rafael’s initial research focused on
genomics and related analysis tools.
During a first postdoc at Lawrence
Berkeley Laboratory, Rafael was a co-
inventor of j5 software, an R&D Top 100
nominee (2011), for automating high-
throughput cloning. During another postdoc at BCM, he delved into data
mining, machine learning and biomedical informatics. Rafael also helped
launch the Houston-based Health IT start-up MDRing, before joining the
founding team of Genialis, Inc. full-time in mid-2015. Genialis drives life
science innovation with insightful data analytics software. Its software
addresses four major challenges: NGS data management, analysis
reproducibility, intuitive visualization, and dissemination of results. As CPO,
Rafael specifies what Genialis software should do, and how it should look
and feel. He manages the product team and collaborates with heads of
engineering, marketing and sales, and customer success. Over his career, he
has cultivated a deep empathy for life scientists in need of friendlier data
analysis tools. Always a dilatant, Rafael’s true scientific passion lies in the
natural history of marine invertebrates.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
The ability to learn whatever is needed when it is needed. Communicate
with words and pictures. Self-guided work and self-starterism.
What I love most about my job:
Brainstorming solutions with people representing totally unique skill sets,
from bioinformaticians to designers to hardcore software engineers.
Contact information:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafael-rosengarten-b534202b/
37Data Science
James Sokolowski, Ph.D.
Job Title: Operations Manager
Current Employer: Tessella
Education:
Ph.D. Rice University
B.S. University of Michigan
Bio: I have diverse scientific, technical,
and engineering skills developed as an
experimental physicist, a professional
astronomer and astrophysicist, an
electro-optical systems engineer and
imaging scientist, as well as a consultant for a wide array of government
and commercial customers. My unique skill set enables me to produce the
most cost-effective solutions in new and challenging environments where
out-of-the-box problem solving is essential.
Contact information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-sokolowski-
600a9713/
38Data Science
W. Jim Zheng, Ph.D.
Job Title: Associate Professor, Director,
Data Science and Informatics Core for
Cancer
Current Employer: University of Texas
Health Science Center at Houston
Education:
Ph.D. UT Southwestern
M.S. Computer Science UT Dallas
M.S. Biophysics Wuhan University, China
B.S. Wuhan University, China
Bio: Dr. Zheng spent most of his career in bioinformatics research in both
industry and academia. In his early career, Dr. Zheng worked on R&D
projects in industry, conducting bioinformatics researches in functional
genomics and data management, genome annotation, comparative
genomics, gene discovery in disease-relevant genomic regions, and
developing commercial genomic databases and bioinformatics software. Dr.
Zheng’s current research interests are eukaryotic genome information
integration, modeling and visualization in three-dimension, and large-scale
biological data integration and mining for translational medicine. Dr. Zheng
and his colleagues developed Genome3D, the first model-view framework
that integrate and visualize 3D eukaryotic genome. His works also include
developing novel data mining methods to extract useful information from
biomedical literature for novel therapeutic strategy development against
cancer and other human diseases.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia:
Critical thinking in biomedical research, Computational analysis of
biomedical data, Communication (verbal and writing)
What I love most about my job:
Computational approach to conduct biomedical research that can impact
the health care outcome, with huge amount of data available to analyze at
my fingertip, and testing ideas without doing experiments.
Contact information: wenjin.j.zheng@uth.tmc.edu Office: (713) 500-3641
39Entrepreneurship
Gwynneth Ballentine, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Job Title: Digital Health Innovation
Lead
Current Employer: TMC Innovation
Institute
Education:
Ph.D. Wake Forest University
M.B.A. from Wake Forest University
B.S. North Carolina State University
Bio: Gwyn works primarily with the
TMCx accelerator and Biodesign
programs to support and guide current and future companies toward
commercial success with their innovative health care products. She also
leads engagement of investors with the startup health care companies, as
well as with TMC Innovation as a whole. Gwyn comes to TMC from
Diversigen, a Baylor College of Medicine startup company, where she was
the director of scientific operations and commercial development. Gwyn
has also worked with other startups across various R&D areas, including
development of a novel treatment for antibiotic resistant bacterial
infections and vaccine development for mosquito borne diseases, where she
was successful in raising over $5 million in early stage-funding. She is
passionate about startups and the entrepreneurial environment and is
eager to commercialize novel technologies in health care.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia: Critical thinking,
problem solving, collaboration/team work
What I love most about my job: It is so rewarding to work with passionate
entrepreneurs who have devoted their lives to their products and
companies. This dynamic environment challenges me daily, allows me to
wear many different hats and learn something new at every turn.
Contact information: gballentine@tmc.edu; 713.791.8853;
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gwynneth-ballentine-17b94214/
40Entrepreneurship
Corwin Miller, Ph.D.
Job Title: Chief Scientist
Current Employer: Drugshoppe, LLC
Education:
Ph.D. Rice University
B.S. The University of the South
(Sewanee)
Bio: My work experience has spanned
areas within chemical, molecular,
synthetic, and cellular biology. My
graduate studies at Rice University
were focused on the evolution of antibiotic resistance in microbes,
specifically examining the evolution of resistance to the antibiotic
Daptomycin in Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis). This work both provided
unique insight into the evolution of a clinical pathogen, and further served
as a model system for the study of molecular evolution. In my postdoctoral
studies at Yale University, I worked to engineer new systems to expand the
genetic code of Escherichia coli (E. coli) to non-canonical amino acids. In this
work I employed both rational design methods to improve incorporation of
the amino acid Selenocysteine, and developed a new method of directed
evolution to improve incorporation of the synthetic amino acid Boc-Lysine.
As Chief Scientist and co-founder of Drugshoppe LLC, I work as part of a
team to develop and test novel small molecular drugs with indications
across a wide variety of disease states.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia: Independently driving
and advancing research projects, forming collaborations with other
scientific groups, working as part of a team
What I love most about my job: At Drugshoppe, I am glad to be able to
help steer our research agenda to focus on the areas we believe are most
important.
Contact information: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corwin-miller-
80b43882/
41Entrepreneurship
Melissa Singh, Ph.D.
Job Title: Principal
Current Employer: Fannin Innovation
Studio
Education:
Ph.D. The University of Texas Graduate
School of Biomedical Sciences at
Houston
B.S. The University of Maryland, College
Park
Bio: My scientific interest has always
been broadly in the design of novel therapeutics for disease treatment and I
designed my educational experiences to span many of the aspects of this
process. After obtaining my BS in chemistry, I moved to Houston for
graduate school where I gained a broad background in structural biology,
biochemistry, and molecular biology. For the next stage in my career I
wanted to learn more about the clinical and translational side of science so I
selected a lab at MD Anderson Cancer Center. My work resulted in several
peer-reviewed publications, university- and NIH-funded grants, and
competitive awards including the Bristol-Myers Squibb Award for
Postgraduate Clinical/Translational Research and the Ben F. Love Endowed
Fellowship in Innovative Cancer Therapies for my research in glioblastoma.
Toward the end of my postdoc, I took the opportunity to join Fannin
Innovation Studio to apply my scientific experiences to manage the early
drug discovery and development programs of several of Fannin’s
therapeutics portfolio companies.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia: Critical thinking and
problem solving; the ability to accept, overcome, and learn from failure;
building and maintaining relationships.
What I love most about my job: Managing start-up companies focused on
the development of life science technologies requires one to perform a
variety of jobs, each of which comes with a learning curve and challenges.
Contact information: melissa@fannininnovation.com; 713-966-5817
42Government Research
Stephen Crimmins, Ph.D.
Job Title: Deputy Task Area Manager,
Combat Trauma and Burn Injury
Research
Current Employer: US Army, Institute
of Surgical Research
Education:
Ph.D. Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham
B.S. Univ. of Georgia at Athens
Bio: I joined the Army as a Biochemist in
2010 after an academic postdoc at the
rank of Captain and I have since earned a promotion to Major. In the army I
managed a food safety testing laboratory and developed a vector-borne
disease testing laboratory, responsible for analyzing samples from
overseas. Next, I managed a research laboratory at William Beaumont Army
Medical Center’s Department of Clinical Investigation where our mission
was to educate medical residents. Currently, I work as an assistant
laboratory director where I manage, guide, and develop the department’s
mission on combat trauma and pain. I am responsible for my own research
program, writing/editing grants and manuscripts, budgeting, management,
contract administration, and industry and academic outreach and
partnerships. My career is exciting and personally fulfilling, and has
exposed me to opportunities not typically available in academia.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia: (1) Using the scientific
method; (2) Critical thinking and problem solving; (3) Literature review
What I love most about my job: Using research skills to solve problems
related to battlefield trauma, pain, and prolonged field care. Working with a
diverse group of talented people and being exposed to a variety of tasks.
The opportunities to lead, develop, and educate new scientists.
Contact information: 915-203-1028; Stephen.l.crimmins.mil@mail.mil
(Work)/ slcrimmins@gmail.com (Other)
43Government Research
Kristy O. Murray, Ph.D., D.V.M.
Job Title: Associate Professor
Current Employer: Baylor College of
Medicine
Education:
Ph.D. University of Texas Medical
Branch,Galveston, TX,
D.V.M., B.S. Texas A&M University,
College Station, TX
Bio: Dr. Murray spent the first five years
of her career at the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC). At CDC, she served two years as an Epidemic
Intelligence Service Officer conducting outbreak investigations, including
the initial outbreak of West Nile virus in New York City in 1999, bubonic
plague in Wyoming, and unexplained illness and deaths in injection drug
users in Ireland. She also had the opportunity to work on the polio
eradication campaign in Bangladesh and research lyssaviruses in the
Philippines. She received several awards at CDC including the Secretary’s
Award for Distinguished Service for her work on the West Nile virus
Encephalitis Investigation Team and for the Anthrax Investigation
Emergency Response Team. In 2002, Dr. Murray returned to Texas, and her
research over the past 15 years has been focused on both laboratory- and
clinically-based studies related to vector-borne and zoonotic diseases,
including West Nile virus, dengue, St. Louis encephalitis, eastern equine
encephalitis virus, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Chagas, murine typhus,
and rabies.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia: Leadership;
Communication; Perseverance
What I love most about my job:
I love the problem-solving aspects. Our research is a puzzle and when we
put together the pieces, we are able to solve complex problems.
Contact information: kmurray@bcm.edu
44Government Research
Michael B. Stenger, Ph.D.
Job Title: Lab Director, Cardiovascular
and Vision Laboratory
Current Employer: National Aeronautics
and Space Administration
Education:
Ph.D. Univ. of Kentucky
B.A., B.S. Univ. of Kentucky
Bio: My graduate career at the University
of Kentucky focused on NASA-funded
research investigating countermeasures
to spaceflight-induced cardiovascular deconditioning. For my dissertation
project I studied dynamic cardiovascular responses to artificial gravity
training with most data collection occurring at the NASA Ames Research
Center near Mountain View, California. My Post-doctoral research mainly
focused on autonomic regulation of orthostatic tolerance, which led to my
participation in a JSC-UTMB artificial gravity study prior to joining NASA
Johnson Space Center Cardiovascular Laboratory as a Wyle contractor
employee. In this position, I participated in studies of astronaut health
during both real and simulated space flight before becoming the contractor
lead of the laboratory. I spent 10 years as the Wyle lead scientist on
multiple spaceflight-related studies before transitioning to a civil servant
position as the laboratory director. Currently I am serving as the Human
Research Program Lead Scientist for the Spaceflight Associated Neuro-
ocular Syndrome, a spaceflight phenomenon characterized by optic disc
edema, choroidal folds, globe flattening and hyperopic vision shifts.
Most useful skill set(s) acquired from academia: (1) Dealing with
Failure & Rejection; (2) Scientific Rigor; (3) Communication & Collaboration
What I love most about my job: Learning new things, interacting with
smart, hardworking people, contributing to our space program.
Contact information: michael.b.stenger@nasa.gov
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