Hirotaka Ata
Why did you choose research as a career?
Growing up as the Human Genome Project was conducted, the prospect of manipulating DNA for therapeutic purposes fascinated me.
What attracted you to Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences?
It's strong clinical background and team-based discipline that would allow me to think ahead for future translational work.
Why did you choose the clinical and translational science track?
As an M.D.-Ph.D. student, I felt the most important aspect of my graduate-level training to be actually understanding the mechanisms and barriers of translational studies.
What do you like about Rochester, Minnesota?
It's family friendly, and the housing market is affordable, so you don't have to commute very long.
What are your plans for the future?
I would like to stay in academia.