Sendurai Mani, Associate Director of Translational Oncology, Dean’s Chair of Translational Oncology, and Professor of Medicine at Brown University, and Co-Founder and CSO of Iylon Precision Oncology, shared a post on LinekdIn:
“Why do we show up every day, knowing most experiments will fail?
I am incredibly lucky to have brilliant students and trainees in my lab at Brown University, the Legorreta Cancer Center, and at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
They embody curiosity, resilience, and a profound commitment to their research. Scientific research is often a challenging journey marked with uncertainty and setbacks, yet they consistently work with deep passion and persistence.
I plan to share a series of conversations focused on who they are, what drives their science, and the passion and perseverance behind their work.
Today, I share the story of Dr. Patrick G. Schupp, Senior Data Scientist.
- How would you describe yourself beyond your academic role?
A job well done is its own reward. - What first sparked your interest in research?
Like so many children I fell in love with the variety of flora and fauna in the woods in the village where I grew up. Spending days catching tadpoles and exploring the forest was magical. - When research does not go as planned what keeps you moving forward?
A high rate of failure indicates novelty and potential for innovation. There is nothing like thinking about problems for days (or weeks) until finally seeing a positive result! - What personal value, belief, or motivation drives your commitment to your work?
It is a privilege to work in such an interesting field where you are able to determine your own contribution while directly contributing to an effort to ameliorate one of the world’s greatest ills. - What question are you most curious to answer right now and why?
How do genetics and the environment interact to induce cancers? This question pits fate against controllable circumstances. Given an unfortunate prevalence of cancer in my extended family, optimizing my life for health and longevity is of great interest to me and I would think anyone in similar circumstances. - What do you hope this research journey helps you to become?
As the proverb goes “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” Therefore, I hope to plant trees by mentoring interested parties and developing tools and infrastructure to help others be more effective than I ever was.”
Other OncoDaily articles featuring Sendurai Mani.