Yu-Wen Alvin Huang is the GLF Translational Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, joining the faculty of Brown Biology and Medicine in July, 2019.
Carney Institute (CI): Tell us a little bit about yourself. What got you interested in neuroscience?
Yu-Wen Alvin Huang (YAH): Where I grew up (Taiwan), people believe that talented students should go to medical school and, honestly, that's what I did. I’d always liked medicine and I was particularly fascinated about how our brain functions, how our memory works, and what constitutes cognition. So, I’d already known that I would be specializing in neurology. But if there is one thing that really drove me to my subspecialty, which is memory disorders, it was my grandma’s illness. At that time, there were a very limited number of medical treatments for those experiencing Alzheimer’s. So, I didn't just learn about this disease from a physician’s or doctor's perspective, I also got to learn how Alzheimer’s deeply affects caregivers. Looking back, I would say that our family was very fortunate in that we had the resources to take care of her until the very last moment. But many, many families just are not as lucky as were.
CI: You got an M.D. and then a Ph.D. Why this particular path? Does it give you a unique perspective on how you approach research?
YAH: I decided to get a Ph.D. to learn more about how our brain functions because, at the time, I didn’t feel like I was making long term improvements in the lives of my patients. Initially, I thought that a Ph.D. would be just a detour and afterwards I would go back to Taiwan to resume my clinical practice. But it turned out to be a direct path to a research career that I hadn’t initially expected.
Now, because of my medical background, as well as my clinical experiences, I’m a good translator. I understand clinical language but at the same time I think I'm also a very hardcore neurobiologist. Similarly, at Carney and Brown, I see people with wide ranges of expertise working together, complementing each other. You also see this borne out by our division structure. For example, the BioMed division integrates basic biology as well as medical science under the same umbrella.
At this moment, I’m collaborating with two engineering department professors who are not biologists but we're able to join forces and develop some new tools. That's definitely very unique about Carney and Brown, as compared to the other giant medical schools and hospitals.
CI: When you look at your career, how important has mentorship been in your professional development? Were there specific people who have been important to you helping you grow?
YAH: There have been a number of people along the way. My Ph.D. advisor, Dr. Molly Meffert came from exactly the same background as I did. She has an M.D. and a Ph.D., and decided to become a neurologist. She showed me that your clinical training doesn’t go to waste. Instead, it becomes the nutrients and foundation upon which to build your own unique research.
And my postdoc advisor at Stanford, Dr. Tom Südhof, was another key mentor. Dr. Südhof won the Nobel Prize in 2013 for medicine and physiology. He also began as a doctor and clinician but didn't complete the residency after he got his M.D.. Instead, he started his own lab and began doing research. So, when I went to Stanford for my training I remember saying at the interview that I was only planning to stay for three years; just enough time to develop something foundational for my research which I could then combine with my clinical practice. And then he just laughed and said "You’re more than welcome to do so but I bet you won't go back to clinical." And he was right!
Working with Tom, I realized that much of my initial research had been known for decades but there were so many fundamental mechanistic questions that had barely been touched. So, with this guidance, I began focusing on identifying the first acellular signaling mechanism which can account for the disease effect from this particular Apolipoprotein E from this gene.
CI: When you wake up in the morning, what excites you? What drives you?
YAH: Overall, it’s how to use science to design experiments that answer “the big questions” in neuroscience. To do this, we need to accumulate small data sets to keep moving forward. And, every once in a while, we do get surprises that are very important and only add to my excitement.
As researchers at Brown, we really want to tackle disease at the root. Nowadays, we have come to realize there is a very wide range of cell biology underlying Alzeheimer’s. Even though it comes with the one name, it's a very heterogeneous population of patients. In order to really develop the next generation treatment, we will have to further dig into the cellular molecular mechanism and then, using precision medicine, have treatments that can be really tailored to individuals to maximize the effect.
I'm also fortunate to have an incredible team. We’re small and efficient and we talk to each other a lot. It’s in these conversations that we come up with new ideas and experiments that drive our programs and guide our research.
CI: So what would you say to a young person who's maybe really starting to start their career and who may be wondering “Do I go into the academy? Do I go into the for-profit field?”
YAH: Reflecting on my time working with my advisors, I would say that there are many ways to do science, promote science, and make science better. Don't let the format or setting limit you. As long as you are productive, you’ll find a position that will really motivate you — be it in academia or in a research institution. Furthermore, hands-on experience is a very important training for you to understand your research niche.
At this very moment, I have two graduate students. One has already made up his mind to stay in academia. The other is looking to go into industry. And that's totally fine. They’ve both got this very solid training and can think like scientists. This is the biggest asset you can bring with you on your career path.