As a straight A-student from a small town, I did not really have any other option but become a researcher. My research work on the association of gene polymorphisms with essential hypertension eventually led me to exploring transgenic models. Animal models allow us to come as close as possible to solving a particular biomedical problem. I would like to achieve a target tissue specific reversible saturation-based modification of the transcriptome of human somatic cells.

My advice to young scientists would be to look into biomedicine. Search for new therapeutic platforms for the treatment of systemic diseases, look for new pharmacological targets, develop methods for target delivery of small molecules and interfering RNA. Remember that to found your own competitive research laboratory, you need to gain sufficient experience in the world leading labs first.