Nearly everybody knows about Jan Van Deursen. A devoted and career-focused American scientist who is still working to create cutting-edge therapies for treating age-related ailments.

He developed the method for stem cell editing in mice while working toward his doctorate. He was offered the opportunity to start his lab at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital because of his remarkable understanding.

His wisdom and expertise in research streamlined his vision regarding tenacity and career pursuit. He shared his views regarding his determination, career, and technology, which helped him flourish as a researcher and scientist.

Let’s look into his vision – excerpting lines from his interview below.

Jan Van Deursen’s Views on Life & Career

Q1) What inspired you to pursue a career in science?

My strong curiosity was piqued by biology since it came naturally to me, I attended a university in the Netherlands and majored in it. I realized there that I was good at it and really enjoyed it. My diligence paid off because shortly after graduating, I was allowed to consider interesting job opportunities. I then started my Ph.D., which allowed me to focus entirely on a challenging study topic.

Besides, my career was influenced by the fact that my mother died when she was a young woman. She was afflicted with pulmonary fibrosis. It started when I was about 11 years old, and she passed away when I was 17.

Being forced to watch my mother suffer from a condition for which there was and is currently no cure was incredibly upsetting. When a patient learns from their doctor that there isn't much more they can do, I want to assist others in that position. I wanted to help with the research for cures and the understanding of these diseases.

After receiving my degree, I worked in areas where the study may have medical applications to comprehend how diseases develop at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. It is crucial to comprehend the disease's mechanisms since, once they are established, discovering successful therapies necessitates a considerable trial.

Q 2) What advice would you provide someone entering your industry?

To excel and make science your career, you must be passionate about the subject. “Remember, it takes hefty amount of time and effort to make innovative discoveries, which are rare. Therefore, if you are not passionate about your profession, cutting-edge science might not be the best choice for you, at least not in the end.

Being a scientist involves more than just producing high-caliber work; it also involves publishing the work. You can easily have a year or more of work to do, revising your study to submit it again in the hope that they like it better.

Moreover, there’s no guarantee that they will. So the point is, it's a tough business, and you must be resilient and keep trying.

Q3) What aspect or function of technology you think has benefited your work as a scientist?

Today, working remotely and connecting with people while physically absent is essential for productivity. I continued working with my former coworkers even after I left Mayo Clinic, producing important discoveries that expanded our knowledge of aging-related diseases. That was only possible with this contemporary electronic communication technology.

4) Did your early mastery of transgenic technology launch your career?

My Ph.D. advisor told me, “That's great for you to help others knock off their most interesting genes, but you also need to create your research program.” That seemed like some good advice at the time.

I immediately became fascinated by the potential of the technology. Few people have the information required to complete the process when I finish my Ph.D. I had many employment offers because multiple institutes wanted to open a center.

As soon as I began my degree, I developed a strong interest in Nup98, a part of the nucleocytoplasmic transport system linked to cancer. I wanted to determine the typical functions of Nup98 and Rae1, their binding partner. In the end, we

Q 5): Who has inspired you and why?

An important person in my career was my Ph.D. advisor, who had a forward-thinking way of thinking. He was motivated to increase our understanding of genetic illnesses to develop novel treatments and was willing to conduct high-risk research.

He was a thoughtful, exacting scientist. He tolerated me because I always wanted things finished right away, and yesterday. He must have recognized and appreciated my talent since I gained a lot from him during our acquaintance.