3 answers
Nora
Student
Camillus, New York
1
Question
Asked
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What are some good careers for someone who has an interest in genetics and research?
What are some career ideas for an individual who likes genetics and research?
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3 answers
Nadine Maayah
Student (aspiring geneticist)
18
Answers
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Updated
Nadine’s Answer
Laboratory & Research-Based Careers:
- Geneticist – Studies genes, heredity, and how they influence traits or diseases. Can work in academia, healthcare, or biotech.
- Molecular Geneticist – Focuses more on DNA, RNA, and gene expression. Often works on understanding diseases at the molecular level.
- Genomics Researcher – Studies entire genomes, often using bioinformatics to analyze large datasets.
- CRISPR Scientist – Works on gene editing technologies for treating diseases or improving crops.
- Biomedical Scientist – Conducts research to understand diseases and develop treatments.
- Pharmacogeneticist – Studies how genes affect a person’s response to drugs—great if you're also interested in personalized medicine.
Healthcare & Clinical Careers:
- Genetic Counselor – Works with patients to interpret genetic test results and explain risks of inherited conditions.
- Clinical Geneticist – A medical doctor who diagnoses and treats patients with genetic disorders.
- Pharmaceutical Physician (Clinical Research) – Combines medical knowledge with drug development, often involved in clinical trials.
- Embryologist – Specializes in IVF and fertility treatment, analyzing and handling reproductive cells in labs.
Computational & Data-Driven Careers:
- Bioinformatician – Uses computer science and statistics to analyze genetic data.
- Computational Biologist – Builds models to simulate biological processes and understand diseases.
- Biostatistician – Designs experiments and analyzes data in medical or genetic studies.
- Geneticist – Studies genes, heredity, and how they influence traits or diseases. Can work in academia, healthcare, or biotech.
- Molecular Geneticist – Focuses more on DNA, RNA, and gene expression. Often works on understanding diseases at the molecular level.
- Genomics Researcher – Studies entire genomes, often using bioinformatics to analyze large datasets.
- CRISPR Scientist – Works on gene editing technologies for treating diseases or improving crops.
- Biomedical Scientist – Conducts research to understand diseases and develop treatments.
- Pharmacogeneticist – Studies how genes affect a person’s response to drugs—great if you're also interested in personalized medicine.
Healthcare & Clinical Careers:
- Genetic Counselor – Works with patients to interpret genetic test results and explain risks of inherited conditions.
- Clinical Geneticist – A medical doctor who diagnoses and treats patients with genetic disorders.
- Pharmaceutical Physician (Clinical Research) – Combines medical knowledge with drug development, often involved in clinical trials.
- Embryologist – Specializes in IVF and fertility treatment, analyzing and handling reproductive cells in labs.
Computational & Data-Driven Careers:
- Bioinformatician – Uses computer science and statistics to analyze genetic data.
- Computational Biologist – Builds models to simulate biological processes and understand diseases.
- Biostatistician – Designs experiments and analyzes data in medical or genetic studies.
Ashish Patil, MD, PhD
Pathologist
2
Answers
Tucson, Arizona
Updated
Ashish’s Answer
Depends! I would caution about pursuing research in genetics as a primary career option! If you want to be a scientist a faculty in academia, you have to remember that hardly 3% of the PhD graduates get faculty positions in academia, that too after doing 3 to 4 year’s postdoctoral research after graduating from PhD. Moreover it’s not the quality of your which will get you faculty position, but how good you are connected at NIH and how good one can manipulate data. In 15 years of my research career I just came across 1 scientist that at Mayo Clinic who used to do real research! That’s the reason when Dr. Glen Begley from Amgen when he tried to reproduce data from top 100 papers in cancer research of all time, hardly 5% of data was reproducible! Also when academic scientists say that they have come up with treatment for cancer and sell the patents to pharmaceutical companies hardly 1 in 5000 drug molecules sold by academia pass the clinical trial!
Ashish Patil, MD, PhD
Pathologist
2
Answers
Tucson, Arizona
Updated
Ashish’s Answer
Depends! I would caution about pursuing research in genetics as a primary career option! If you want to be a scientist a faculty in academia, you have to remember that hardly 3% of the PhD graduates get faculty positions in academia, that too after doing 3 to 4 year’s postdoctoral research after graduating from PhD. Moreover it’s not the quality of your which will get you faculty position, but how good you are connected at NIH and how good one can manipulate data. In 15 years of my research career I just came across 1 scientist that at Mayo Clinic who used to do real research! That’s the reason when Dr. Glen Begley from Amgen when he tried to reproduce data from top 100 papers in cancer research of all time, hardly 5% of data was reproducible! Also when academic scientists say that they have come up with treatment for cancer and sell the patents to pharmaceutical companies hardly 1 in 5000 drug molecules sold by academia pass the clinical trial! Instead pursue medical school and do genetic research as a hobby