Computational Biologist Gets to Work with a Variety of Data

Name: Daren Card (he/him)

PhD: Biology, University of Texas - Arlington, 2018

What was your main area of research?

I am an evolutionary genomics researcher who works to illuminate the mechanisms of adaptive evolution at various levels of biological regulation ranging from genes to organisms. During my PhD and postdoc, I focused on tying interesting organism traits, like island dwarfism and limb loss, to genetics in non-traditional model species, largely reptiles. In my current role, I have begun applying my expertise to understanding the role of chromatin remodelers on biology in the context of human disease, especially cancer.

What is your current job?

I am a Computational Biologist I at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in Boston, Massachusetts.

I design and develop novel tools and algorithms to analyze and visualize large, predominantly genomics datasets to link molecular biology to phenotypes, like disease. I support diverse projects conducted by other non-computational scientists in my lab and also work to produce general lab computational infrastructure. I work with a small team of computational biologists where I am most senior, so I also mentor and manage others in coordination with the lab PI.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

I love working with a wide variety of datasets and applying many different approaches to generate insights.

What is the most important skill you developed or experience you had during your PhD that now helps you in your current position?

Computational data analysis in genomics

How did you build the skills necessary for your current role?

I was self-taught as part of PhD studies. Mostly Google with trial and error.

I took some upper-level coursework in bioinformatics, genomics, and molecular evolution. I also participated in a workshop from Data/Software Carpentry (which I also taught for, which helped in learning).

How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?

The Broad Institute careers page

PhD graduate ➡️ Postdoctoral fellow ➡️ Research scientist

If someone is interested in a similar role, what would you recommend they start doing now to prepare?

Technically, skills in computational biology/bioinformatics including large data analysis and data visualization are most important for a role like this.

Beginning to network with others in this area early is also useful.

Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?

I decided not to pursue a career as a tenure-track academic (technically, I am still in academia) for a variety of reasons. The most important ones were a desire not to move me and my family again, the variety of good job opportunities in Boston in my career area, fatigue with the incentive structures and habits of modern academic science, and feeling increasingly constrained intellectually by my former career path.

It was a very difficult decision that took a lot of time to come to, and I still feel somewhat conflicted about it, but I believe I made the right decision.

What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?

Start learning and networking early!

The resources to learn about opportunities and engage others have improved significantly since the COVID pandemic as more people have begun pursuing non-academic careers, so this is easier than ever but still takes time and energy, especially in locations or fields that are more tangential to health science and other major fields.

Ideally your training program(s) helps with this but in my experience, this is often not the case and many advisors have only worked in academia and cannot advise as effectively in these areas.

An internship can also be very worthwhile.

Are there any components of your identity you would like to share, including how they have impacted your journey?

I am a first generation college attendee and graduate and began my postsecondary education at a community college. While this history has meant I missed out on opportunities and resources available to others who attended top research programs, I have advanced successfully nonetheless.