Courtesy of Physician-Scientists Divisional Newsletter
What motivated you to become a physician-scientist?
I went to undergrad at Colorado College in Colorado Springs. Academically I was passionate about chemistry but was unsure about what with my degree after graduation. One of my professors, Richard Taber, taught a course in biochemistry and after completing it I realized that combining chemistry with health and physiology was what I wanted to do. I subsequently spent a summer at Mayo clinic where I did research on natural killer cells with Dr. Paul Leibson. He inspired me to pursue a career that combined research with medicine. I initially started in the MD program at Washington University School of Medicine but was immediately looking for research opportunities.
I joined Dr. Wayne Yokoyama’s lab which further solidified my desire to become a physician-scientist. I subsequently applied for and transitioned to the MSTP at Wash U. Over the past 30 years I have been able to combine my love of clinical medicine with my passion for research, and for this I am very grateful.
What drew you to your field?
Scientifically, I was always drawn to the investigation of how innate immunity contributes to tissue repair vs. damage. During my clinical rotations in medical school, cardiology piqued my interest. However, it wasn’t clear how I would combine these areas until I did a rotation on the advanced heart failure and transplant service with Dr. Joe Rogers. It was an “a-ha” moment and from that point forward I knew I wanted to pursue specialization in cardiology and advanced heart failure and transplant.
What has mentorship meant to you?
Mentorship has been a vital part of my journey as a physician scientist. There are several key people who encouraged my interest in the sciences when I was high school and college. In particular, Mr. Kind, Mr. Hanson and Mr. Albrecht in high school and Dr. Nate Bower and Dr. Howard Drossman in College. Without their encouragement and direction I never would have pursued an MD,PhD. I have been at Wash U for nearly 3 decades and I owe a huge debt of gratitude to several mentors who helped me navigate the challenges of science and a career as a physician-scientist. This includes Dr. Wayne Yokoyama, Dr. Scott Hultgren, Dr. Stuart Kornfeld, Dr. Joe Rogers, Dr. Doug Mann, Dr. Daniel Kelly, Dr. Abhinav Diwan, and Dr. Jean Schaffer. I am extremely grateful for the professional and personal guidance provided by these amazing individuals. I have tried to carry forward their example. Without mentorship it is nearly impossible to become a successful physician scientist (or to succeed in life for that matter).
Three things about me:
I am a passionate musician and currently play bass guitar in the band South of Sanity. We play live shows once a month on both sides of the river. My band from high school was called Crossfire and we recorded 5 studio albums and made 3 music videos in the late 1980’s/early 1990’s.
The Green Bay Packers are my favorite sports team.
My wife and I met at Oak Ridge Tennessee National lab where we were both doing a semester of research during undergrad.