#TraineeTuesday: Duy Phan, PhD

From the Lab to the Limelight - Blog version of our #TraineeTuesday Twitter series

Meet this week’s #TraineeTuesday star Duy Phan, PhD! This MD/PhD student — co-mentored by Kristopher Kahle, MD, PhD and Nenad Sestan, MD, PhD — recently matched into the University of Virginia’s neurosurgery residency program.

At Yale, Duy researches the molecular genetic mechanisms of developmental brain disorders. He’s particularly interested in hydrocephalus (a build-up of fluid deep within the brain), which is the most common reason for brain surgery in children. Pairing gene discovery in human patients with neurobiology studies in animal models, his research has led to new understanding of genes involved in formation of the brain-cerebrospinal fluid interface.

In the long-term, his findings could provide the basis for gene therapy approaches that truly “cure” the patient by repairing the underlying molecular genetic defect.

Duy’s passion for neuroscience started early. He practically “grew up” in a neuroscience lab, he said, having started research at Ohio State as a high schooler. Duy’s enduring interest in the brain led him to Johns Hopkins University, where he majored in neuroscience. At Johns Hopkins Hospital, he continued working on neural development research, alongside neurologists, psychiatrists, and neurosurgeons.

When it came time to apply for MD/PhD programs, Yale stuck out to Duy. He believed the university maximized synergy between basic and clinical neuroscience, similar to what he enjoyed at Hopkins.

“There is something incredibly thrilling and fulfilling regarding the ability to take care of patients in the hospital and then run across the street to do research on that exact same condition to try to understand what makes these patients sick,” Duy said.

Duy was impressed by Yale’s record of training pioneer physician-scientists in their respective fields, and found the research experience altogether engaging and intellectually stimulating.

His two advisors both have MD/PhD degrees. Dr. Kahle is a pediatric neurosurgeon-scientist studying the molecular genetic mechanisms of pediatric neurosurgical disorders, while Dr. Sestan is a basic science developmental biologist investigating the molecular logic of human brain evolution and cortical connectivity. Duy was grateful to work with this “dream team” over the last several years. The cherry on top was getting to interact with other giants of neuroscience, such as Pasko Rakic, MD, PhD, and “role-model surgeon-scientists” Murat Gunel, MD, and Nita Ahuja, MD.

Outside of being a researcher, Duy finds joy in music. He plays three classical instruments: piano, violin, and guitar. To him, having creative outlets makes him a better scientist. “I see beauty in scientific discovery and in music, which are both creative processes. In many ways science is an art, and expressing myself through music helps me to be more ‘human’ and make me a more well-rounded neuroscientist,” Duy said.

With his recent match into residency, Duy’s journey to becoming a neurosurgeon-scientist continues. He’s guided by two missions: 1) use innovative genomic approaches to illuminate disease biology and 2) develop better diagnostic tools and treatments for children with developmental brain malformations. For now, Duy is preparing for a fresh start in Charlottesville, Virginia.