Rising Stars: Meet Thu Huynh

Today we’d like to introduce you to Thu Huynh.

Hi Thu, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am an Arizonan – born and raised. I graduated with a Molecular and Cellular Biology degree from the University of Arizona, moved to NYC and completed a PhD in Neuroscience at New York University. On paper, my story gives the false impression that I was destined for a career in neuroscience, but the reality is that I struggled for a few years after college and was unsure what my professional career would be. In fact, I received a C in my first neuroscience class.

With hard work and the help of several important mentors in my life, I completed my training in neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medicine and am now an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Midwestern University. I am involved in a team-taught Biochemistry and Genetics curriculum delivered to several graduate healthcare programs, and I run a small lab studying the effects of stress on brain metabolism.

I have a wonderful partner and we have two small children and a mini golden doodle. They inspire me every day to be my best self.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The pressure that women receive to fit a specific societal stereotype can oftentimes be overwhelming. Too often, people assume all women want to get married and have children. Now, it is not uncommon to find women who have no plans for either OR have plans for one without the other. And it doesn’t stop there. If you’re a working woman with children, the responsibility of caretaking comes into play. It’s virtually impossible to make choices that are right for a woman and her family without drawing opinions. The dialogue has to change where women can make decisions that best suit their lives, without any judgments regarding which societal stereotype that woman is fitting into or breaking. If we are successful in accomplishing this, I hope that a woman can make the decision to have kids and how it will impact her career will be a non-issue.

Unfortunately, the COVID19 pandemic has brought many of these issues to the forefront, and it is clear how little support working women have in supporting children. My partner and I are privileged to have access to childcare and family nearby, but many people are without this support. My hope is that some of these disparities can be addressed, otherwise the workforce will be lacking a great deal of talent.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
In a few words, I have my dream job. My passion lies in teaching and research and at Midwestern University, I have dedicated time to do both. Midwestern University has several graduate healthcare programs including osteopathic medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physicians associate, and others. It is a privilege to be involved with educating the future healthcare worker generation. Moreover, I am involved with several Diversity and Inclusion initiatives at Midwestern University where we are dedicated to increasing diversity and wellness on our campus and in the healthcare workforce. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that many of these initiatives are brought to life by our vibrant student community.

My lab focus is in understanding how stress impacts our brain and in how stress impacts our brain’s energy consumption. It’s no secret that stress has several damaging effects on our bodies- it alters our sleep, immune function, metabolism and mood, among many other things. With the help of talented Midwestern University students, our goal is to understand the changes that occur in our brains following stress that lead to some of these detrimental effects.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
My job is tremendously rewarding, and I love what I do- but it’s true that this is a necessity given it means time away from my family. This is a reality I face every day, and so I try to be intentional with my time. Despite being in academia, which often means bringing work home, I try to maintain a balance of being present with my family and giving them my undivided attention and remaining focused when I am in my office.

Parenting in the 21st century can also be very challenging; in particular, getting work-life balance right. That’s why I try to use any resource I can to make things easier. For example, a start-up, Maisel, recently took the high-contrast images that pediatricians and neurologists recommend parents show infants and put them on phone cases. This innovative product not only stimulates a baby’s brain when parents are inevitably on their phones in front of them but also allows for better pictures of the tots. Parents no longer need to feel guilty when they’re working or connecting with family on their phones while caring for their babies. As a neuroscientist, I know the cognitive benefits of black and white images for a newborn. Beyond being a member of this company’s advisory board, as a mom on the go, I appreciate the simplicity and genius of putting the images on cell phone cases.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.huynhlab.org  www.hellomaisel.com
• Instagram: thulium3
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/thuhuynhphd