Wow, that is quite hard to trace. Obviously, living in the Big Apple is like a normal childhood fantasy, right? But it has been a long way, in which every step count.
I guess everything started in Navarro Villoslada, where you are probably reading these lines. The first time I heard about cell biology, genetics and biomedical research was in biology class, during my last year of high school. While trying to survive to end-of-year exams, university entrance tests and “Selectividad”, I realized that I was puzzled by the role our genes play in our cells. I wanted to know more about how the genes in the DNA of each cell tell them when to grow, work, divide and die.
And how when these instructions get mixed up, cells divide and grow out of control, causing cancer in any organ of the body. So, I decided to study Biochemistry at the University of Navarra, where I collaborated as an intern student in a research lab, and even go a summer internship in at the University of Michigan.
There is when I realized I wanted to be a scientist. But the scientific career is quite long and hard, so I spent another five years at university, doing a doctorate in biomedical research, at the Center for Applied Medical Research, also called CIMA.
If you are not familiar with biomedical research, you may picture a lonely scientist in a lab coat peering over a microscope to discover a new microbe. This does happen, of course, but during all these years I found out that research was much more than that, involving any field related to medicine, biology and pharma with a potential to heal and improve people’s lives. And that is exactly what took me here, to New York City, one of the cities with the greatest scientist community in the world. Here I work at the Institute for Systems Genetics, trying to understand the basis gene regulation, and its application to human diseases, including cancer.
But of course, you cannot do a good job, if your job is all you do! There is no point in living in New York City if you do not enjoy all the experiences this city offers. There is always so much to do around, that staying home or at work all day long is just not an option. One of my favorite spots in the city? Broadway! I guess my fondness for scenic arts started also back in Pamplona, when I joined the Theatre Workshop at Navarro Villoslada in the play “Primera Vez. Suite ADSLcente”. Since then, I always wanted to watch a real Broadway play, and believe me, this is a “must do” in the city. Here, culture, music and theatre are just extraordinary. But so are the museums (MOMA, Natural History, the Met), small art galleries, opera, dance, festivals, sporting, restaurants… You could never see it all.
But if there is something I love about this city is diversity. With over 200 languages spoken here, and around 40% of New York City population born outside of the United States, the culture, habits and food are from almost every world culture. I think everybody should live in New York City at least for a period of time. Work here, talk to random people in the subway, find out how nice, resilient and creative they are, and of course, learn to play chess. Definitely, New York City is the world’s best teacher.
Why don’t you take the chance? As locals say, nothing compares to New York. Since the very first day I moved in, I wake up every morning feeling incredibly fortunate to live here. Now is your time. Do it, step by step. Work to get it. And some day we can meet in the Big Apple.