Page 19 - CBAC Newsletter 2013

As an undergraduate at Brandeis University, I worked in
the lab of Dr. Michael Rosbash studying a key transcrip-
tional feedback circuit underlying circadian behavior in
fruit flies. I became fascinated with the ability to study
a complex behavior at the molecular and genetic level.
I also decided that pursuing an MD/PhD program would
provide the tools to explore research with applicability to
human disease processes.

During my Ph.D. work in Dr. Aaron DiAntonio’s lab at
Washington University School of Medicine, I worked on
the fruit fly neuromuscular junction, investigating the
molecular identity of the post-synaptic glutamate re-
ceptors and identifying a novel mechanism of pre- and
post-synapticcoordinated development which optimized
synaptic function.

When I returned to clinical training, I realized that cardi-
ology offered a unique area in which clinical disease and
basic physiology closely overlapped. The fact that rou-
tine diagnostics, including ECGs and echocardiography,
provide direct measures of basic organ physiology fasci-
nated me. A more difficult decision arose over whether
to pursue clinical electrophysiology. After extensive dis-
cussion with my clinical mentors and no small amount of
deliberating, I ultimately decided that a focus on basic
research career was most in line with my aspirations and
decided to focus my time and effort on furthering my re-
search training.
Dr. Scott Marrus was born on Clark Airforce Base in the
Philippines where, for a time, he had dual U.S. and Phil-
ippine citizenship. When he was growing up, his family I started the Medical Scientist Training Program at Wash-
moved every few years as is typical of military families. ington University School of Medicine in 1998 and grad-
Perhaps, since his family moved to a number of differ- uated in 2005. I then completed residency in Internal
ent locales, (the Philippines, California, Massachusetts, Medicine and a fellowship in Cardiology at Washington
Maine, Mississippi, Illinois and Belgium), one can spec- University School of Medicine. As part of my fellowship,
ulate that he has seen more of the world in childhood I spent three years on the Cardiovascular Training Grant
than most. as a post-doctoral fellow in Dr. Jeanne Nerbonne’s lab.
Since completion of my fellowship, I have remained in Dr.
Nerbonne’s lab, supported by an AHA Fellow-to-Faculty
I have always been fascinated by the natural world and
decided at an early age that I wanted to be a biologist. grant, to continue developing an independent research
My parents raised me in an environment of intellectual program as the foundation of my future career.
curiosity and encouraged me to pursue these interests,
raising me on PBS nature specials. In addition to completing my Ph.D. in the DiAntonio lab, I
also met my future wife, another MSTP student in the lab.
Natasha has been my best friend as we both navigate the
My scientific training actually started in the field of neu-
roscience, both as an undergraduate and graduate challenges of physician-scientist career development.
student.
I have been very fortunate to have the opportunity to

CBAC Center Heartbeat | 13