Rajiv McCoy is a newly tenured Associate Professor within the Department of Biology at Hopkins. He is renowned for his research in evolutionary genetics. In an interview with The News-Letter, he discussed his specific interests within the field of biology and expanded upon his passion for scientific research and discovery.
His interest in biology was built upon a curiosity for physics and the origin of life. He was especially intrigued by the origin of the universe during his early education. Since his mother was a physician, he was drawn to a career in medicine until taking introductory biology courses in college, when he realized that he was more fascinated by fundamental questions relating to life’s origins.
McCoy then explained his research, primarily highlighting the context behind his lab’s investigations. His lab is focused on pregnancy loss. In 2023, it was reported that around 10 to 20% of pregnancies result in a miscarriage, however, the actual number is likely higher.
“It's estimated that only about half of conceptions in humans survive to birth, and that's largely due to embryos, fertilized embryos, that are lost just in the first days of development.”
The McCoy Lab utilizes techniques in statistical and computational genetics to study evolutionary processes. This includes tracking how epigenetic changes that occur at birth or throughout a lifetime impact human health and development. Through these studies, the ultimate goal is to explore the underlying biological mechanisms that drive evolution at both the individual, or cellular, and population level. The lab encompasses subjects in human evolution, for instance with understanding the evolution of genome function, and reproduction and development including how genetic variation influences miscarriages.
His lab consists of three post-doctoral fellows, two doctoral students and a few undergraduate students. For doctoral students, McCoy stressed that the focus is on research instead of a heavy courseload. As his doctoral students may engage in a variety of biology-related coursework, they become equipped with diverse training experiences alongside their work within the lab. However, access to these experiences differs between researchers.
“If you’re like me, you'll learn the best by getting thrown into a real world problem. Coursework is very beneficial. It's even necessary, but things don't really click for a lot of people, including myself, until there's an actual problem you have to solve. That's what research is. It's like immersion learning,” McCoy explained. “We're trying to answer questions that nobody knows the answer to. So it's unlike your classwork, where there's a defined question for you, and there's a correct answer that's already known.”
McCoy acknowledged the difficulties associated with this type of experimental learning. Recalling his own experiences as a doctoral student, he shared insight to how to recognize those struggles.
“It can be difficult at the beginning. I remember my own experience as a PhD student, [it] felt very unstructured and a little bit disorienting,” he said. “But that's what is so exciting about it. It is a very creative process, and the farther you go in your scientific career, the more freedom you have to be creative.”
As he leads a research lab, McCoy also shared the attributes of a quality researcher at any education level. He highlighted the importance of a long-term investment into research. Especially when dealing with technical skills, a student may come in already equipped with the necessary skills. However, a student who may lack them can learn those techniques with commitment in the lab. A genuine interest in the research topic is what will sustain a student through a research experience, McCoy noted.
“I also look for, how does this person get along with the rest of the lab? Because research is a collaborative team experience, and that's a really important aspect. And then, I look for communication skills, because we're not doing research just to keep it on our laptop or in our mind, you have to communicate it to each other, to other scientists. We have to publish it. We have to present it.”
When asked about the current landscape of biology and the challenges that face biologists today, McCoy touched upon the nuances of the political landscape. He also emphasized the public’s misunderstanding and skepticism about science. Yet to combat this, he noted how scientists should be brave and outspoken when communicating the value of science. As competitive of a field that it is, and with artificial intelligence booming, it is still vital to motivate junior researchers.
“Broadly, I think we're in a challenging moment for science, and nevertheless, we're in an exciting time, especially in my field, where there are massive technical advances that open up new avenues for discovery. We have to hold both of those aspects simultaneously.”
