Author: [AUTHOR] Published on 8/1/2021 12:00:00 AM

Huanyao Gao, PhD, Research Fellow, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

What Has Been the Greatest Challenge in Your Career?
Knowledge integration. As an experimental pharmacology researcher, my research is powered by data mining throughout various novel omics-techniques. This requires me to not only constantly learn and understand these techniques, but also learn how to identify, acquire, and analyze these datasets using appropriate tools, and more importantly, how to interpret the results into biological sensible conclusions and convert it to an experimentally testable hypothesis. Working in a highly diversified group like ours means every project I have been working on rarely starts with a trackable ZY(MP1) pathway at the initial stage of each study, but rather is a unique process of integration of domain knowledge, bioinformatic tools, and results interpretation. In fact, this is both a challenging and an intriguing process to me and has become what I am most proud of in my work.

How Do You Keep Focused and Motivated?
“Stay hungry. Stay foolish”—Steve Jobs, address at the 2015 Stanford University Commencement. I am always eager and ready to learn new things. My motivation comes from my enthusiasm for integrating new knowledge into my research. Because of the uniqueness of each of my projects, I will never limit myself to certain types of techniques or datasets. This also requires me to stay focused and craft unique approaches for each of them. Every time I look at the same datasets, I can often find a different prospect that is tailored to the project. I keep open to new ideas and methodologies. Both new techniques as well as new ways of looking at the “same old” datasets are fascinating experiences to me and keep me motivated.

Who Has Inspired You in Your Career?
Everyone I worked with inspired me in one way or another. I am grateful that I am on a very diversified team where everyone has unique skillsets, knowledge, and expertise. Our team embraces collaboration and has a culture that encourages robust and effective communication. This keeps us learning and inspired from each other’s experiences. I would especially appreciate my advisor, Professor Liewei Wang, and members of our lab, for putting their trust in me and allowing me to analyze and interpret omics data they generate. This has provided me a lot of opportunities to learn from their domain or project-specific knowledge, and greatly expand my scope of pharmacogenomic research.

What Was Your Childhood Dream Job?
I used to dream of being a crazy scientist: making a potion of mixed red, blue, and green colored liquids that makes people live longer when they drink it. Although that is not likely to become real in a short period of time, I do work in the right field that helps people live healthier lives. This is a very encouraging and rewarding field and I should say I chose the right way to go.

Dr. Gao has been a member of ASCPT since 2019.