An Interview with Rong Li

SPOTLIGHT 1015

An interview with Rong Li

Rong Li is an Investigator at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, USA. Her lab is made up of a lively team who are all fascinated by cellular asymmetry, division and evolution. Rong joined Development as an editor in 2009. We interviewed Rong to find out about her work and career, her interest in developmental biology and her new role with the journal.

and Fine Art. In the end, though, science helped me maintain a balanced perspective won, because I thought it would be easier to and has been an important source of advice pursue art as a hobby rather than the other and inspiration. way around. You run many different research You started your own lab at Harvard – projects at Stowers – which do you how did that happen? enjoy the most? I was recruited by Marc Kirschner, who had The best thing about being at the Stowers is just moved to Harvard Medical School to be that I can focus on my interests without the Chair of Cell Biology. Marc was one of distraction. When I moved my lab there in my professors at the University of 2005, I made a conscious decision to California, San Francisco, a scientist I really investigate questions that are truly admired. I left David Drubin’s lab at UC fascinating but are risky and open-ended, Berkeley before I had any publications as a either by adding new approaches to postdoc, because I just couldn’t pass on an scientific lines of enquiry I was already At what age did you realise you opportunity to work alongside Marc. pursuing or by developing new lines of wanted to be a scientist? research. This decision has shaped all of our When I was in high school. I was very Were there other important mentors current work. I particularly enjoy projects in interested in science and it was also in your life? which the outcome of each step is expected of me, partly because both my I left China for the US when I was very unpredictable, as they produce the most parents are geologists and partly because of young. Being far from home and my family, surprising and exciting findings. the attitudes prevalent in China in the early I couldn’t have gone very far without lots of 80s. High school students with good grades mentors at each step of my career path. They If you could find the answer to one in maths and physics were given a lot of include a senior chemistry professor who developmental biology question encouragement to take their study of science went out of his way to tutor and encourage tomorrow, what would that question and technology further. me when I had tremendous difficulties with be? the language as a freshman at Yale, the I would want to know how precise and How did you choose your college? people I worked with as an undergrad who reproducible developmental patterns arise I applied to a US college – Yale – as I was introduced me to the art of experimental as a result of dynamic, often promiscuous planning to study molecular biology. To be biology, one of my graduate mentors, Tim interactions of lots of molecules present in honest, I hardly knew what molecular Mitchison, who later became a close fluctuating amounts. I’m intrigued by the biology was at the time but I was certain that colleague in the same institution, and, of idea, as elaborated in Stuart Kauffman’s I would have to go abroad to get the best course, Marc Kirschner, who gave me book, The Origins of Order, that biological education possible in that field of science. unwavering support when I struggled systems operate on the edge of chaos. mightily as a starting Assistant Professor. Kauffman argues that such systems are best Did you ever want to be anything able to coordinate complex tasks and are else? poised to evolve under selective forces. It An artist! As a child I was very interested in I left China for the US when will be interesting to explore this idea in art and did a lot of drawing and painting. At specific cellular and developmental home this wasn’t considered a promising I was very young. I couldn’t systems. The complexity and dynamic basis for a future career but, after reaching have gone very far without nature of developmental systems will Yale, I signed up for a double major, taking require the application of non-traditional roughly equal numbers of courses in lots of mentors at each step approaches. Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry of my career path. What have you discovered in your scientific work that has been a real If I had to name my one most important surprise? Interview by Kathryn Senior* scientific mentor, it would be my PhD thesis I love surprises, even if they prove me Freelance Science and Medical Writer advisor Andrew Murray. Andrew taught me wrong, and I’ve had a few good ones! One

*Author for correspondence how to think and what to strive for in surprise that had a profound impact on how

([email protected]) science. Over the years, Andrew has always I think about biological systems came from DEVELOPMENT 1016 SPOTLIGHT Development 137 (7) studying a yeast cell. We supplied a non- processes. I also think that studying cell student days. When I return home from polarised yeast cell with high doses of biology in the context of development rather work, my favourite outside activity activated Cdc42 GTPase and were amazed than in generic cell culture models is much nowadays is playing with my children. to observe that it polarises robustly, albeit in more meaningful. It is so important to find random directions, without the influence of ways to move beyond specific gene-centric If you could give one piece of advice any existing spatial asymmetry. Before this views and to promote studies that attempt to to a young scientist starting out on experiment, we had thought that the origin explain morphogenetic phenomena from the their first degree today, what would it of cell polarity came from the inductive perspective of complex dynamic systems. be? power of external, pre-existing spatial cues, I’d like very much to contribute to this To realise that a large percentage of such as existing structural ‘landmarks’ or effort. experiments fail miserably on a daily basis, diffusible chemoattractant gradients. The especially if one strives to answer unmistakable ability of cells to break What do you enjoy about your role significant questions. The key to symmetry and polarise without these cues, with the journal? maintaining the energy and drive to move just by reaching a certain internal I get a lot out of being the first to read some forward continuously is to recognise that biochemical state, highlights the principle of of the best work in developmental cell each non-trivial negative result reveals ‘self-organisation’. I had heard of this but biology. Through the process of evaluating something useful. This can be a glitch in never really considered it in my own work; these manuscripts, I hope to learn a lot more thinking or a problem in the experimental now, I think about it all the time, even when about developmental biology, get to know approach. Being able to learn something, no considering problems outside cell polarity. and interact with researchers in this matter how small, from a negative result community, and help shape new takes you forward because it enables you to You run a large group – how do you perspectives for research on developmental be better at designing and interpreting the find the management and mentoring systems. next experiment. Quantum leaps in the side of science? discovery process are built upon many small I learned a lot from my own mistakes What do you feel is the main benefit steps that seem insignificant individually. running a lab at Harvard, which was much of the journal in this field of science? smaller than the one I have right now (about Development is a leading journal in the field What one thing would people be 20 people currently). When I was rebuilding of developmental biology. It serves the surprised to learn about you? my lab at Stowers I decided to change my developmental biology research community We have a small weekend farm outside approach to become a much more dedicated by dedicating itself to the best work in this Kansas City in a beautiful area of rolling mentor. This is one side of science that I field, and hopefully also by broadening the meadows, hickory woods and creeks. We really enjoy these days. vision and approach of the field with grow, with the help of a professional farmer, cutting-edge thinking and methodology in alternating crops of corns and soybeans, and Where would you like to be and what cell and systems biology. The fact that all of have a good-sized vegetable garden. Both would you like to be doing in 20 years the Editors are scientists themselves with my husband and I grew up in a big city but time? expertise in various areas separates the farmland all around Kansas City I’d like to be exploring the subject of Development from journals whose Editors prompted us to try a rural lifestyle. So far, theoretical biology because I personally feel are not research scientists. Free access to weekend and holiday living on a farm has that the post-genomic biology needs some certain papers and freely available color been a most unusual and rewarding overarching theories. I also enjoy the mental figures are two other outstanding features experience. process of receiving and integrating diverse that are highly appreciated by the research kinds of information and trying to figure out community, especially in this time of Which of the following would you how the information is connected and what funding shortage. mind the least: doing a parachute general principles it may convey. I’ve also jump, going deep-sea diving or being always envied the fact that theorists can do One of Olivier’s goals is to stranded on a desert island – and their work from anywhere – my husband add a cell and systems why? and I both grew up in China but have I haven’t done any of these, but I’d happily transplanted ourselves into the biology perspective to definitely put deep-sea diving on my to-do American culture. We hope to have the Development, which I list. Falling from the sky, by whatever opportunity to experience living in other method, holds no appeal for me, and I’d cultures too. believe is worthwhile miss my family too much if I were stranded because fascinating and on a desert island. How did you become involved with wide-open cell biology Reference the journal Development? Kauffman, S. A. (1993). The Origins of Order: Self- I came on board at the invitation of the new problems abound in Organization and Selection in Evolution. New York: Editor in Chief, Olivier Pourquié. He was at developmental processes. Oxford University Press. Stowers for several years before his departure to head the IGBMC in Strasbourg. What do you do to take a break from One of Olivier’s goals is to add a cell and science? systems biology perspective to I have a lot of hobbies outside science, such Development, which I believe is worthwhile as arts, sports, good food and wine, and because fascinating and wide-open cell travelling. I’ve always thrived on working

biology problems abound in developmental hard and playing hard, ever since my DEVELOPMENT