Bio Career Center

Prior to joining the U.S. Army in 2003, I had read a considerable number of scientific publications on biomedical research projects that were submitted by the U.S. Army. At the time, I was very fascinated by the microbial pathogens they were studying and the impact their research may have on improving the welfare of the general public. However, despite how appealing their research was to me, I thought that a person had to be a "career" soldier (who normally starts young in their early 20"s) in order to become part of the team. As a result, I did not pursue my future toward that direction. It was not until I came across a job advertisement by U.S. Army Medical Department (AMEDD) in the American Society for Microbiology News that I learned I could still be part of the team. In hindsight, pursuing an opportunity with the Army Medical Department is probably one of the smartest decisions I have ever made. To date, I have been enjoying the life of being an AMEDD officer in the U.S. Army.

I was born and raised in where I obtained my bachelor's degree in Horticulture and served as an enlisted soldier in the Taiwanese Army for two years. I immigrated to the in 1988 and, like many other immigrants, I had an American dream and I knew that education was the key to fulfilling that dream. First, I completed my M.S. in Microbiology in 1994 from California State University , Long Beach . I studied the spectrum and mechanism of action of a novel and yet very potent platelet microbicidal protein using common endovascular pathogens. I then went to the University of California , Davis , and pursued my Ph.D. degree in Microbiology during which I examined a well-known signal sensing paradigm in Escherichia coli K-12 called the two-component system. Upon the completion of my Ph.D. degree in 1999, I became a full-time lecturer at California State University , Long Beach , teaching Pathogenic Bacteriology and Microbial Physiology.

In 2000, I was offered a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Animal Disease Center-USDA in Ames, Iowa where I characterized a rare cytotoxin-producing strain of multiple antibiotic resistant Salmonella typhimurium in calves. In 2002, I accepted a tenure track assistant professor position at Louisiana Tech University , Ruston, LA. My core workload was to take charge of two core courses " General Microbiology and Medical Immunology for pre-med and Med-Tech program students. In the interim, I was aggressively engaged in research activities to find both intra and extramural funding. My key research interests were to identify lead molecules for novel antibacterial agents that have unique but universal targets within the bacterial pathogens. At that point in time, I was happy with what I had accomplished and had plans for the exciting teaching/research endeavors. However, I was continually puzzled by questions such as, "Do I really want to settle down in a small college town?" "Could I have achieved more had I been given more resources and responsibilities?" "How can I work on a project(s) that will have a wider and even sooner impact on medicine?" and "How can I better serve the country?"

As I learned more about the Army Medical Department, it was becoming increasingly clear that all of my questions have been answered. I am unaware of any other opportunity that could have provided me a nurturing environment where I could grow as scientist AND as a leader. What other job could pay to move me and my dependents around the globe? What other job offers free health/dental/vision care to me and my dependents? The U.S. Army is providing it all to me! I was commissioned as a Captain in the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps in December 2003 and attended the Officer Basic Course at Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio in March 2004. I then reported to my first duty station, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), Silver Spring, MD , in June 2004. WRAIR is a state-of-the art research facility in which all key stages of typical biomedical research take place. Basic and advanced research, animal trials, clinical trials, and putting vaccines into the vials can all be accomplished within this Institute. The long list of products from WRAIR that have saved the lives of many Soldiers and civilians goes on and on. WRAIR has a high concentration of world-renowned vaccinologists in its workforce, for example, Dr. Wendell Zollinger, PhD (meningococcal vaccine), COL Gray Heppner, MD (malarial vaccine), and COL Wellington Sun, MD (Dengue fever vaccine).

The lab that I was previously assigned to at WRAIR has been at the forefront of the world's efforts in making vaccines for group B meningococcal meningitis. Although I have never worked with Neisseria meningitides before (which is notoriously known as a very tricky organism to do research on), I was given enormous amount of guidance, support, and resources to take on the challenges of creating four vaccine strains. The timeline of my objectives was 18 months and I accomplished my mission in 11 months. The products of my vaccine strains are now in the human trial stage. I do not believe I could have achieved the same level of performance had I stayed in my previous university job. Throughout this assignment, there were constant opportunities for professional development and collateral duties available for me to polish my research capabilities as well as leadership skills.

In June 2005, I was selected to be the Headquarters Company Commander of WRAIR. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me as I learn how to be a leader of ~ 400 officers and enlisted soldiers. My responsibilities in this assignment include, but are not limited to, 1) implementation and enforcement of Army regulations and policies within the unit; 2) planning and execution of trainings mandated by MEDCOM, Dept. of Army, and DoD to ensure deployment readiness within the unit; 3) establishment of family care/support programs and education for Soldiers to promote morale, unit cohesion, and career advancement within the unit; and 4) exercising UCMJ (uniform code of military justice) authority at my disposal to discipline Soldiers within the unit. There is no such kind of equivalent position on the civilian sector and I would not have had this opportunity had I not joined the Army. In closing, I am glad that I made the choice to join the Army as a scientist and I would recommend it to anyone who has strong self-motivation, the will and initiatives to take responsibilities and face challenges, and most of all, the pride of being a U.S. Soldier.