Third-year graduate student Renan Escalante says science is social, especially if you’re a systems biologist. He uses high-throughput techniques to study yeast in the Springer Lab at Harvard Medical School, where he has an opportunity to discuss ideas with researchers from many different backgrounds.
What are you studying?
I study how yeast cells make decisions, and, more specifically, how they pick the right type of nutrient when they’re growing in an environment that has several options. People often have to make similar decisions. For example, at lunch you might be given the choice of salad or a sandwich. But yeast cells don’t have human senses or brains to help them make this type of decision.
What drew you to the field of systems biology?
I was excited to use mathematical tools to explore how biological systems work.
Did you encounter any surprises when you arrived at Harvard and immersed yourself in the field?
One of the first things I noticed was that people in the Department of Systems Biology are extremely friendly and open. It’s not unusual to run into someone in the hall and just start chatting about your research. And our coffee room has whiteboard walls to encourage interaction. They’re covered in ideas, so you can learn what other people are doing just by looking around while you’re grabbing a cup of coffee. Science can be a very social activity.
Are these interactions useful?
Having constant feedback from a lot of people with very different types of expertise really helps you grow as a scientist. I interact with mathematicians, physicists, computer scientists, molecular biologists, biochemists and others. They help me think about problems in different ways.
What do you do in your spare time?
I’m the vice president of the Dragon Boat Club at Harvard, which has been an incredibly enriching experience. I’ve enjoyed getting to know people from totally different fields—music, literature, urban planning. They’re all passionate about what they do.
Learn more about the Systems Biology PhD Program at Harvard.
