Simon Lab Spotlight! Andrew Boylan
Andrew, Boylan, Associate Researcher, from Mt. Kisco, NY
B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Tufts University in Boston, MA
Images with birds courtesy of the Wild Bird Fund in NYC! Find out more here about their amazing work: https://www.wildbirdfund.org/
Q. Cats or Dogs or Other?
A. I would have to say cats.
Q. What sparked your interest in virology research or led you to join the Simon and Mulder Lab?
A. I worked in a food microbiology lab in college, and it was always interesting to see occasional bacteriophage on my plates. As strange as bacteria are, virology is a whole other world! Working in the Simon and Mulder lab has shown me that viruses are everywhere, from the air we breathe to our own DNA.
Q. What is the most interesting part of your job?
A. I most look forward to visiting the Wild Bird Fund, a wildlife rehabilitation center across Central Park, to collect samples each week. We have a machine deployed which continuously collects viral particles from the air in the clinic, and we’re hoping to use the data we’ve gathered to predict future outbreaks.
Q. What is your favorite spot in New York?
A. That’s a tough question - I think Governor’s Island is a great retreat away from the hustle-and-bustle of Manhattan, and it’s only a short ferry ride away.
Q. How did the Pandemic impact your position on research and virology?
A. The pandemic hit my senior year of high school and continued through much of my time in undergrad. Learning about developments like the mRNA vaccine in real time was fascinating as a burgeoning scientist. Most importantly though, watching how people reacted, or didn’t react, to public health guidance emphasized to me the importance of science communication and de-mystifying the interesting and important work that we’re doing to a skeptical audience.
Q. What does a day in the lab look like?
A. I always start the day with our team huddle, explaining what experiments I’m running and how I’m analyzing the data we’ve collected. Following that, I’m handling samples from the Pathogen Surveillance Program (PSP), or I’m at my computer parsing through our nucleic acid sequences to study the expression of Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs). I wrap up the day by logging everything I did in my lab notebook.
Q. Aside from being a great Associate Researcher, what would you describe as your personal superpower?
A. I’d say gluten-free baking! I have celiac disease, and re-formulating traditional recipes so they’re safe for me to eat and don’t crumble apart under a slight breeze makes it feel like I'm running experiments in my kitchen.
Q. If you could share one piece of advice with people interested in research, what would it be?
A. Communication and flexibility are key! Be upfront about your interests and be flexible to make the most of every opportunity. Whenever you’ve worked on a project and you’re discussing your findings, be clear and concise to highlight the impacts of your work. Also, learn how to analyze the data you generate!
Thank you Andy for sharing your story and also Aidan Vera for helping with the Spotlight Series!