The morning seminars have all been absolutely amazing. It’s great to hear about how all the speakers got to where they are, and most importantly, the science that they are doing. From fruit flies to lemurs, from evolution to medicine, it has never occurred to me that there are so many distinct yet interrelated branches under the huge umbrella of biological science, and every single one of them deserves being delved into.
As someone who is extremely fascinated by genes, I found Dr. Charles Gersbach’s talk on his life path and his research particularly fascinating. Dr. Gersbach focuses on cellular and molecular engineering. Specifically, one of the major aspects of his research is using genome editing technology to correct mutations that cause genetic diseases. For example, he and colleagues have successfully corrected dystrophin mutations in vivo in mouse models with CRISPR/Ca9 system, and this technology can potentially be translated to bedside, curing Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in human patients. I found gene/cell therapy very promising because it can get deep down to the fundamental level of genetic diseases and correct the mistakes at that level. In contrast, most of the therapies currently are only able to ameliorate the symptoms at the surface level rather than actually cure the disease. There is a fundamental difference between drugs targeting bad proteins produced by bad genes, and drugs that directly target and fix those bad genes. I believe that once the gene editing technology becomes mature enough, it will have wide-ranging effects on healthcare.
Also from Dr. Gersbach’s talk, I learned that being a biomedical engineer does not mean dealing with brain signals / machines all the time, as how biomedical engineers are stereotypically pictured. Editing genomes and regenerating tissues are also part of problem-solving, therefore also part of engineering. The use of the CRIPR/Cas9 system for genome modification is an excellent example. The technology is adapted from bacterial adaptive immune system, and therefore part of basic science. On the other hand, it is utilized to solve problems on actual human patients, and therefore part of engineering. Dr. Gersbach’s research is really at the intersection between basic science and engineering, and for me personally, working at the interface between these two would be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience.
Of course, Dr. Gersbach’s life path is very inspiring too. Started off as a chemical engineer, he didn’t follow the majority and went into chemical industry. Instead, he tried to figure out what he wanted and followed it. This let me know that, as an aspiring scientist, there are really thousands of different roads ahead. No matter it’s the main street or it’s the road less taken, it’s important to always find my passion and follow my heart, alway do things I truly enjoy. As the program is almost coming to conclusion, I want to thank all the faculty members who shared about their life paths and research with us. All the seminars so far have been really fun and inspiring, and I can’t wait to hear about the life and research of the last two scientists next week!
