For this Faculty Feature, we spoke with Kevin Bowling, PhD who is in our newest Division of Genetic and Molecular Pathology.
Tell us about your background. Where did you grow up, and when did you first become interested in science and medicine?
I grew up in a very rural town in northern Alabama and graduated from Speake High School (along with 30 other students). I was interested in science from an early age, especially as it relates to severe weather. As a child, I always pretended to be a “weather man”, and while my siblings played sports, etc., I was much more interested in putting together a “forecast.” In high school, my interest in science further peaked because of an amazing high school teacher. It was this teacher who introduced me to biology and careers in STEM.
What is your career path?
My college career began at the University of South Alabama as a meteorology major. However, while in college I became much more interested in medicine and research and shifted my major to biology. At the time of my major change, I transferred to the University of Alabama where I earned a BS, MS, and PhD in molecular biology. Following my PhD training, I joined HudsonAlpha Institute as a postdoc to learn more about human genetics and genomics. I eventually accepted a senior scientist position at HudsonAlpha and began conducting exome and genome sequencing for patients with rare disease presentations. It was this experience that made me pursue a career in clinical genetics and translational genomics research, and ultimately led me to Washington University.
What are your favorite parts of your current role?
There are many aspects of my current role that I find to be enjoyable and fulfilling. I get great satisfaction from knowing that the work that my colleagues and I are doing is impacting patient lives and informing their clinical management and treatment. I also appreciate that I am surrounded by colleagues with remarkable expertise, and I am lucky to learn from them on a daily basis. Moreover, I have made a lot of friends in the Clinical Genomics Laboratory, which makes for a fun work environment.
What is a memorable moment you’ve had while working in the department?
One of my most memorable moments thus far at Washington University has been mentoring an undergraduate research student. I really enjoy working with and teaching students/trainees, but introducing undergraduate students to complex topics in genetics and genomics, and then seeing them succeed, is quite rewarding.
What special skills or talents do you have that people may not know about?
I think that a lot of people know this about me already, but I am obsessed with pizza making. I would love to own my own pizza restaurant one day.
What are some of your favorite hobbies or activities?
I enjoy playing tennis, spending time with friends and family, baking, watching Alabama football, traveling, and watching reality TV (it’s an escape from reality for me, or rather an escape into someone else’s reality!). I am also slowly learning to love the Cardinals.
What is your advice to aspiring people in your field?
My advice to those who aspire to work in my specific field of study would be 1) be patient as professional growth takes time, 2) be persistent and push through the difficult times, 3) consistently step outside of your comfort zone, 4) surround yourself with people who support and encourage you, 5) maintain work/life balance.
