Logan Northcutt grew up in a North Carolina town so small, it did not even have a stop light. What he did have are parents who instilled a love of learning with optimism, inquisitiveness and drive. Northcutt attracted mentors who saw his potential, and he jumped at opportunities to grow.
Today he is researching ways to fight the spread of cancers, with a Ph.D. in biology from Vanderbilt School of Medicine Basic Sciences. He is also fulfilling a dream of teaching and mentoring other students like himself.
Northcutt's research examines breast cancer and what happens when the cancer moves from the breast tissue to the bones, where tumor cells can lay dormant for years.
"I always wanted to do science, not just for the sake of science, but to actually use that information to help people. And when it came to cancer research, I can help people," Northcutt said.
"I am very interested in the concept of cancers that go into the bone and how to help fight that," he said.
His postdoctoral work is with a research and teaching fellowship through the University of Pennsylvania.
LEARNING PLAYGROUND
Northcutt's dream is to create a research lab with a "learning playground" vibe for students.
"I'd love to have a research program for students to come in and have the freedom to do the things that I did," he said. "I want them to come to me and say, 'Hey, I have an idea about this thing with cancer cells,' and if it's within reason, we can try it and see what discovery happens."
Northcutt's optimistic drive in research and teaching had a big impact on the professors he worked with at Vanderbilt.
"Logan is a role model for scientists at all levels," said Julie Rhoades, professor of medicine and associate professor of biomedical engineering. "His positivity, patience and passion for mentoring and science is exceptional. He was willing to step out of his science comfort zone and tackle challenging projects, and he is also one of the nicest people I have ever met. We miss his presence in the lab."
We sat down with Logan to learn more about him and his Vanderbilt experience.
1. WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD LIKE?
I grew up in a really small town, and my mom was a teacher at a local school. I would hang out in her classroom after school, and I was surrounded by books," he said. "I've always had this level of curiosity and wanting to know why things operate the way they do. At one point, I thought I'd be an inventor of some sort. I have a vivid memory of my cousin and me trying to build a bike that would run a water pump and my mom walking in with the floor covered in encyclopedias."
2. WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO VANDERBILT?
"I have to go all the way back to 2015, I was a freshman at Morehouse College. I was doing really well in my biology class, and one of my professors, who is a Vandy grad, told me about a summer science program Vanderbilt was starting through the Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program. It was difficult because I really had no idea what to expect coming into something like this at such a young age. I didn't know if I was supposed to solve cancer by the end of the eight weeks-I wasn't-and it changed my life."
"Fast forward to when it came to picking a program to do my Ph.D. work, I always thought about the community of people that I built at Vandy in that undergrad program. I knew one of the things that I really wanted out of a grad program was a group of people who could support each other. I am the first student from that summer science academy to earn a Ph.D., and my roommate at that program, Dr. Hamilton Green, is also graduating from School of Medicine Basic Sciences."
3. YOU DO A LOT OF MENTORING, WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU?
"I was actually a graduate mentor for the Leadership Alliance this past summer, which was a great full-circle moment. I'm definitely very interested in teaching. I love that feeling of helping someone who just doesn't quite get it," he said. "And part of my fellowship includes teaching at partner universities and community colleges around the University of Pennsylvania."
4. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THE YOUNGER YOU?
"The world's a really big place, so continue to be grounded and find where you fit rather than letting the area or circumstances around you determine who you are. And don't be afraid to ask the questions and get the help and resources you need to succeed."
5. FINISH THE SENTENCE, "TO ME VANDERBILT IS…"
"Vanderbilt is a really great place for you to grow. And it's also a great place to invest in yourself because you will get back dividends on what you put into it."
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