How are you?
I’m doing great, thanks for asking! It seems like this recent cold spell is finally behind us and I’m looking forward to Spring and starting my vegetable garden. I’ve had a lot of things to celebrate both at work and in my personal life recently, so I think it’s going to be a good year.
Please introduce yourself. What should readers know about Scott Allen?
I am a professional RNA nerd. Most basic biology classes teach that RNA is like the molecular middleman between the DNA that makes up your genome and the proteins encoded by your genome. It does so much more than that, but I like this basic analogy because it places RNA in its rightful place as the molecule at the center of biology. I’ve spent most of the last decade studying different facets of RNA biology and there is always more to learn. Outside of the lab, I am an avid foodie and a man of many hobbies. My wife and I enjoy raising chickens on our small plot of land in Pittsboro, and we are also the happy parents of three goofy and lovable cats. When I am not doing house projects or yardwork, I’m usually in the kitchen cooking up something new or out exploring nature. One of my favorite outdoor activities is observing and photographing the local wildlife while exploring the nature preserves and walking trails in the area.
You are the inaugural postdoc for the AGILE (Advance Great Inventions or Leave Early) program. Can you share how you got involved, and how this postdoc experience differs from a more traditional postdoc?
As a senior graduate student, I found myself facing the same dilemma many graduate students face, which is deciding whether to pursue a career in academia or industry. I knew that I wanted to study the influence of RNA structure on gene expression (one of those nerdy facets of RNA biology I had yet to explore). I also wanted to move my research in a direction with more therapeutic potential. When I had the opportunity to work with two world-class scientists to therapeutically target structured elements in RNA, it seemed like the perfect next step. The AGILE program differs from a more traditional postdoc in several ways. First, the projects are designed in advance by two PIs with diverse expertise and are pre-selected for funding to hire a postdoc and conduct the necessary research. This means postdocs hired through this program are co-mentored by two PIs and can draw from both of their expertise. Each project is predicated on inventing a product or technology with clear commercialization potential or social innovation within a 2-year timeline. To help achieve that goal, there is an emphasis on training AGILE postdocs in how to effectively market their innovation. This includes incorporating market feedback to shape their innovation in real time. In my experience we also held quarterly meetings with an advisory board that helped advance the project and discuss commercialization strategies.
While I imagine much of your work is confidential, is there anything you can tell us about your research areas, and what inspired you to pursue this field?
I’d be happy to! I should probably start by mentioning that the therapeutic strategies we attempted in the AGILE project fell more into the “Leave Early” category at the end of the 2 years. Not every pre-commercial idea is going to succeed and that’s okay. I still learned a ton from the experience. Since transitioning to a more traditional postdoc role, I’ve continued to pursue projects that enhance our ability to therapeutically target RNA. By now I think most people have heard about gene editing therapies that can correct errors in your DNA. What people may not know is that there are analogous technologies being developed to correct errors in your RNA. This is viewed as a safer approach because RNA is less permanent than DNA. One of the major challenges to advancing these technologies is getting edits where you want them and preventing off-target edits. One of my current projects seeks to better understand the rules that govern where edits occur so we can engineer therapeutics with better control over this process. My second project involves a collaborative effort between several labs and universities to develop therapeutics targeting RNA for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). One of these molecules is already showing promise in a laboratory setting and we are moving to file a provisional patent later this Spring. I was inspired to pursue efforts to therapeutically target RNA, first as part of the AGILE project and continuing into my current endeavors, because it really is the next frontier in current medicine. Almost every therapeutic on the market today targets a protein, yet up to 90% of proteins are deemed “undruggable”. This has driven a lot of interest and innovation in targeting RNA as a way to expand the therapeutic space. Since RNA is the precursor molecule that serves as a template for making proteins, therapies that target specific RNAs can impact the specific protein those RNAs make.
As an AGILE postdoc working with Institute for Convergent Science and Innovate Carolina, how has your understanding of innovation evolved? What does “innovation” mean to you in practice?
That’s an excellent question. I’ll start out by saying that innovation isn’t always about inventing a technology or product. Innovation can also be purely academic. Sometimes all it takes is recognizing unexpected opportunities. For example, while working on the AGILE project I had the realization that a “negative” result from one of our experiments contained information that addressed a gap in knowledge in biological research. We managed to put together a team and assemble a whole research project from that insight, resulting in a story that we hope to publish soon. My understanding of what innovation means in the commercial sense gradually evolved over the course of my time working with ICS. I used to think commercial innovation mainly arose from a single disruptive idea for a new technology or product that was quickly brought to market. That kind of innovation does exist, but those instances are rare and far from the typical experience. Most commercial innovation is much more incremental and iterative. There is often a lot of market research and outreach to potential buyers to identify the specific niche where your product or technology will have the biggest impact. Oftentimes that research leads to iterative improvements on the product or technology to improve its utility for a specific market. Sometimes the innovation itself is simply finding a new niche for an existing product. In the end I learned to appreciate that even small advances can have meaningful real-world impacts.
For postdocs who are curious about innovation, what lessons from AGILE would you share? Are there specific habits, skills, or ways of thinking that you think other postdocs could adopt if they want to be more innovative?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from AGILE is that innovation often arises from sharing your ideas with people who have different perspectives or expertise from your own. In fact, this premise is the reason for the core requirement that AGILE projects arise as collaborations between PIs with diverse expertise. Sometimes this meeting of minds is structured like in the AGILE program, but innovation can just as easily arise from a chance conversation at a function or event. As for specific habits, I would say always have a 30-second elevator pitch ready to describe what you do. Doing this and reviewing/revising your pitch regularly can help you maintain perspective and hone the mission that drives you. Having a pitch ready can also make the difference between an awkward interaction with a stranger and an engaging conversation that leads to new insights or collaborations.
Do you have any advice for new postdocs, or things that you wish you had known when you first started? (e.g., career resources, training initiatives, networking, mentorship etc.)
I have two pieces of advice. The first is to stay curious but also focused. A postdoc is a steppingstone. You need to determine pretty quickly where you want to be 2-5 years from your start date and the skills and milestones you need to achieve to get there. A degree of curiosity is needed to be innovative and to drive collaborations, but you always need to be mindful of your goals and timeline. The second piece of advice is to get out there and connect with people. Connect with other postdocs through OPA. Connect with local entrepreneurs through events hosted by Innovate Carolina. Connect with distant colleagues through conferences and social media. Engaging with others is one of the surest ways to drive innovation and have a meaningful impact in your field. It’s also extremely fulfilling and can result in long lasting collaborations and friendships.
What are some experiences, places, or activities you would recommend to postdocs living in the Triangle?
I’m a major foodie, so I would definitely say explore the local cuisine, and don’t limit yourself to just Chapel Hill. While TOPO serves up a great brunch, three donut shops over in Durham (Monuts, Early Bird Donuts, and Rise) compete for best donuts in the area. If fine dining is something that interests you, then you might be surprised to learn that Pittsboro has one of the few Michelin recommended restaurants in the state. There are also plenty of more affordable options and Pittsboro’s culinary scene is definitely worth checking out. Some of my favorites include Doherty’s Irish Pub, Small B&B Café, and if you’re looking for a retro vibe Al’s Diner and S&T’s Soda Shoppe. There’s also Triangle Restaurant Week which just happened in early February, where many restaurants in the area offer fixed menus at discounted rates. It’s a great way to explore new restaurants at an affordable price, so if you missed it this time around then put it on your calendar for next time and try somewhere new.
Can you share a book, movie, or podcast that has had a meaningful impact on you?
Certainly! I would say that Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by Jeff Sutherland and The 2-Hour Job Search by local author Steve Dalton have both been impactful for me. I’ll caveat that second title by saying I don’t think anyone is conducting a 2-hour job search anymore. I’d still recommend it though because it emphasizes human connection, which is probably even more important in today’s job market than it was a few years ago. Regarding the first title, I found this book very helpful in developing a time and project management system that is both simple and flexible enough to withstand the chaos of everyday life. I have a sticky note wall in lab that I use to list, loosely schedule, and rearrange tasks across multiple lab projects one week at a time. I find it’s a great way to both measure and maintain regular progress without too much upfront time investment.
Finally, where do you hope to see yourself in the next 5 years?
In the next 5 years I hope to be advancing new therapeutics as part of a larger team at either a start-up or major pharmaceutical company. I’m doing some of that work now in collaboration with a really great team of people from across the country, and I’ve really enjoyed the experience. I am, and probably always will be, a professional RNA nerd.