Ahead of his Professional in Residence visit on December 3, I connected with Bill Burkholder, science program director at Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco (CZ Biohub). We chatted about his journey through science, staying motivated in the face of adversity, and what excites him about his work. Graduate students and postdocs can register for Burkholder’s visit to learn more about how he has followed his curiosity.
Meaghan Marohn: Tell me about your career path—how did you get interested in science, and how have your scientific interests changed throughout your career?
Bill Burkholder: It’s been a long circuitous path! I started undergrad thinking I would study psychology and philosophy. I didn’t take any biology, but was exposed to neuroscience and was drawn increasingly in that direction. Wet lab was difficult to pursue at first. I’m legally blind, so I have reduced visual acuity. I always say “I can look into the cage but I can’t tell if the mouse is asleep or dead.” I had done a lot of statistics, literature review, experimental design, but that didn’t get me that excited. I didn’t know what to do, but had that gnawing feeling that I really wanted to do wet lab science. So I did some informational interviews and found that the National Science Foundation had a list of disabled scientists that I might have reached out to—but didn’t. I never ran into anyone in the US that said “you can’t do this.”
I ended up in grad school at Columbia because I felt I could pivot to theoretical work if needed. My first semester I took a course in bacterial genetics, where I was inspired by a professor and former student of Ira Herskowitz’s, who had such a compelling approach on how to do science. The difference between reading about experiments and doing them with your own hands and seeing results made such a difference to me. I’ve kept that philosophy with me, keeping in mind the difference between ‘being able to see’ and ‘learning to see’ when imagining the outcomes for an experiment. Designing experiments with strong expectations helps you to recognize and get excited when you find the unexpected!
MM: And you took this philosophy with you to your faculty position at Stanford—but then you transitioned to lead a group at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in Singapore. What inspired that?
BB: I loved Stanford but struggled with grant writing. I found it deeply anxiety-producing. A colleague of mine actually recommended me for A*STAR to co-lead a bioengineering/bioinformatics lab in Singapore. I was sold for two reasons: 1) The funding was generous, so I’d just get to think about science, and 2) I got to think about a broad swath of science, learning about bioengineering, genomics, and bioinformatics. I got to create a lab that brought together diverse expertise with a culture of cross-training, learning, and discussion. I wanted to foster a lab environment where generous curiosity was encouraged and it felt safe to say, “I don’t know” and to provide and receive advice and constructive feedback.
It’s worth noting that I ran into what could have been a brick wall. I needed a medical clearance to work in Singapore, and the doctor there had no sense of perspective or humor about my eyesight and the bureaucratic norms. Had I run into this, say, 20 years prior, I probably would have had a different reaction and career trajectory.
MM: How do you think these experiences have influenced your current role as science program manager at CZ Biohub?
BB: A lot of my work focuses on scientific community building, and also the foundational administrative stuff, the nuts and bolts of getting stuff done. I try to model the behavior I want to encourage in our community members: following my own curiosity, leaning into what I don’t know, and listening and asking questions with the ear of a naive generalist (which I am!). I try to encourage people from different disciplinary backgrounds to talk with each other, learn from and be inspired by each other, and to foster opportunities for collaboration.
MM: What about your work excites you? What do you think is particularly promising or motivating for you?
BB: My motivation and excitement has changed throughout my career. Around 20 years ago I would have probably said teaching and mentoring. Teaching biological intuition is so important. I like to focus more on “how” you think about things rather than the subject matter details.
Now I think it’s about doing things as teams. There’s value in having a motivated vision for what you want accomplished and a team where people are bringing different gifts to the table. Embracing a team is necessary since you actually can’t do everything. When unique gifts are brought together you’re able to achieve something mind-blowing. The people around you are the inspiration for picking up and continuing onward.
MM: I’ve really enjoyed hearing about your journey. I always find non-linear paths, like yours, the most interesting and encouraging. Do you have any advice for current students or anyone figuring out their next steps in their scientific career?
BB: I really emphasize the value of mindfulness. Your emotional responses are often more sensitive sensors than your intellect. Lean into being confused and be brave about it, ask the naive questions. There is everything to be gained and nothing to be lost when you follow your judgment about your next step. Often we feel when we make a decision, we’re making a choice that closes doors. But in my experience that’s not how it works. There isn’t one single way to do something. Really pay attention to what gets you excited, and also what drains your energy. That can be true for people and for projects. Just make sure to find your community and stay connected.
Bill Burkholder earned his PhD in biochemistry and molecular biophysics from Columbia University. Following his postdoc at MIT, he became an assistant professor at Stanford University and transitioned to senior scientist and principal investigator at A*STAR. He now serves as science program director at Chan Zuckerberg Biohub San Francisco, encouraging collaborative efforts between researchers.
Meaghan Marohn is a UC Berkeley PhD student in molecular and cell biology with a designated emphasis in computational and genomic biology, studying human evolution and population genetics in Priya Moorjani’s lab.