Dr Vivien Schoonenberg

Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School

What is your current position?

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

What is your main area of research?

Gene therapy and hematology.

What was driving your decision to continue a career in academia?

Opportunity to do exciting, cutting-edge science with a translational focus. It gave me the ability to further develop and expand my skillset, be challenged on a scientific level and extend my network.

How did you find your current position? What were the steps you took to get to where you are now?

Through my network, I stayed in touch with previous supervisors who offered me this position. I put it out there that I was exploring next steps.

What advice do you have for someone getting his or her PhD and looking to continue a career in academia?

Hone your unique skillset, and find groups or teams that you specifically would like to work with. Try and find a project and subject that you love working on, but more than anything: look for good mentorship and a good working environment - it is the most important.