Serendipity and purpose

As a medical oncologist-researcher, I am often asked ‘How (or why) did you go into cancer?’ and ‘Isn’t it a depressing field?’ The answer to the second question is a resounding ‘no’, and this brief profile charts my path to answer the first question.

Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, I am the daughter of two geologists, so ours was a scientific family. From an early age, my brother, sister and I spent many weeks each summer camping in remote areas of the western US as my father pursued field work for his job as a geologist for the US Geological Survey. Though none of us followed in our parents’ footsteps, we were exposed to the excitement and beauty of earth science from an early age. A pivotal event was my father’s transfer to serve as a consultant for the US Agency for International Development working with the Indian Geological Survey. Our family of five moved to New Delhi, India, when I was ninth grader, a life-altering event for all of us. For me it was the year I studied high school biology with Mr Warren at the American International School (New Delhi, India). After a year of international adventure, my family settled in the suburban Washington DC area where my parents served as career geologists for the US Geological Survey for several decades before their retirements.

This circuitous route led me to a weekend program on biology at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, USA, which cemented my interest in biomedical science, and I struck off for Wellesley College (Wellesley, PA, USA) with a tentative plan to study biology. After 2 years of course work, I decided to extend my experience into the research laboratory through the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology …