Minh-Ha T. Do
Lumos Pharma
San Diego, CA USA
"I always feel like I don’t know a lot because there is always so much left to learn. There is always a drive to be better, there is always a drive to learn more. [That] is innate...you never know everything."
Career Roadmap
Minh-Ha T.'s work combines: Science, Medicine, and Problem Solving
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
I did informational interviews with those in industry and in the end stuck to my resolve. Now I know for myself that working in industry does not make you less of a scientist. It means that you get to use your skills in an applied manner - I get to work on things that can directly help someone with a disease. On the second point, I asked whether those discouraging me had even tried. They hadn't. So, I tried; I applied for jobs directly after graduate school and found one.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
University of California-Los Angeles
Doctorate
Biomedical Sciences, General
University of California-San Diego
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
Raised by parents who were refugees of the Vietnam War.
2.
Describes herself as an introvert with a passion for problem-solving, which is what drew her to studying the sciences.
3.
Was initially interested in pursuing marine biology, but chronic seasickness dissuaded her from making that her career.
4.
Attended UCLA and earned a bachelor's degree in molecular cell and developmental biology.
5.
Interned at a lab doing research on drug development for cancer patients, which inspired her to pursue working in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry.
6.
After graduating, she immediately went to graduate school at UCSD and received a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences.
7.
Got a job working at aTyr Pharma, starting as a scientist doing research and eventually working her way up to associate director.
8.
Now works as the director of pre-clinical innovation at Lumos Pharma, overseeing the development of drugs and treatment programs for underserved patients with rare diseases.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
Is transitioning to industry, away from the "ivory tower" of academia, a good idea? You can't get an industry position without doing a post-doctoral fellowship.
How I responded:
I did informational interviews with those in industry and in the end stuck to my resolve. Now I know for myself that working in industry does not make you less of a scientist. It means that you get to use your skills in an applied manner - I get to work on things that can directly help someone with a disease. On the second point, I asked whether those discouraging me had even tried. They hadn't. So, I tried; I applied for jobs directly after graduate school and found one.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
Growing up, we were poor. We saved, used financial aid, & scholarships to get me through school. I had to learn to not care about material things and to not compare myself to others around me with those things. The prize was always education.
My parents left Vietnam after the war. They were refugees, "boat people," and eventually were sponsored to the USA by a family in Texas, where I was born. My parents had to learn a new language and culture, all while fighting for education and jobs.
My whole family faced discrimination. I overcame that by following their guidance - by studying hard and getting an education. I did well in school because, in a large public school system, you have to be self-driven and seek opportunities.