Marco Herling, M.D. Transcript

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Interview question for Dr. Herling:
Why M. D. Anderson?

Dr. Herling answers:
The most important factor for me to choose M. D. Anderson as the number one of my -- of the places to do my postdoctoral research -- was the fact that I thought I could advance my planned research in T-cell lymphomas the most in a environment that provides … large resources in terms of patient samples and clinical volume. Seeing many patients with this kind of disease that is actually very rare, and also an institution that provides an inspiring environment that entails basic science that is done on a very high level as well as translational and clinical research.

Interview question for Dr. Herling:
Tell us about your work.

Dr. Herling answers:
I have been successful in the things I have been doing. We are looking into a T-cell oncogene which we think causes leukemia, but it seems to be, as we found out, a very weak oncogene that allows other oncogenes later to come in and cooperate with this molecule so the oncogenic event that happens when you are a child, actually comes to carry as a clinical leukemia -- apparent leukemia -- in a patient in his or her 70’s and 60’s. So we are trying to find out what else, is necessary to happen after this initial event of the regulation of this certain oncogene. It is a very fascinating topic and it is also a topic that I, in retrospect, have to thank my supervisor for his -- for his gut feeling that he said -- we should focus on this in particular because nobody else in the world at the moment has been working on it, and then we will be the ones probably harvesting the first important data on it.

Interview question for Dr. Herling:
What do you like about M. D. Anderson?

Dr. Herling answers:
I think once you work in an environment that is so inspiring having both ends of our common goal, having better cancer therapies, you don’t want to leave and you feel very inspired every day I think -- having seen things from the perspectives of both sorts of people. This is my number one -- it’s the inspiring environment.

Interview question for Dr. Herling:
What would you say to prospective postdocs?

Dr. Herling answers:
I think first, that depends what you are. Are you a researcher who has a training in molecular biology and is a more basic scientist, or if you are a more clinically oriented researcher? In both cases, this is hard to find, I think (inaudible) to have an institution that could provide resources for both kind of researchers. Ideally at M. D. Anderson you find strong components of basic science as well as translational and clinical research. And, what I like the most -- I think I would just put this first -- is -- about M. D. Anderson -- is the fact that you have a close interaction between the basic researchers and the clinicians who identify the need on the bedside, collaborating with the basic researchers who have the expertise and understanding of the molecular interactions that make diseases.

Interview question for Dr. Herling:
Any advice?

Dr. Herling answers:
I would encourage everybody to participate in all sorts of activities that M. D. Anderson offers. It is not only more administrative activities that you can be involved in, if you want to, but it is also activities that involve teaching new students and activities that, for example, involve teaching the public about cancer or activities that just serve more the purpose of your own interest in terms of your own projects. You have so many scientific meetings at M. D. Anderson that you could actually spend the whole day visiting those, so don't stay isolated in your lab. You will be coming up much more inspired, you know, raise you head once in a while and go to other meetings instead of staying in the lab all the time.

Interview question for Dr. Herling:
Final thoughts?

Dr. Herling answers:
I think it’s also important to mention that if you come here as a postdoctorate fellow and you do not bring funding from your home country, you shouldn’t be worried too much, because if you are good and if you have a project that provides you with -- first of all -- interesting topic, good mentorship and you also show some initiative and you submit abstracts, you can apply for travel grants. You can apply for trainee awards. And, in my case I was fortunate enough to receive a M. D. Anderson Odyssey award which allows me to carry on my research funded by, good financial resources for the past three years, and has helped me a lot in making progress in my, in my laboratory projects. So, once you show up here, investigate those three sources as well and I promise you they are very rich.