In the summer of 2008, high school student and Dorchester-native Khoi Nguyen followed his older sister’s advice and registered for the Forsyth Student Scholars (FSS) summer program. The experience would prove to be “incredibly transformative” for Khoi, helping him find his passion for science, fostering lifelong friendships and mentorships, and setting him on the path to obtaining his Ph.D. and becoming a scientist. Khoi credits Forsyth Student Scholars for providing him with critical skills and relationships relevant throughout graduate school and to the present. Today, Khoi is Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Accelerated Muscle Biotechnologies, a Boston-based startup.
Finding Passion
As the Chief Technology Officer at a biotech startup and a Ph.D. from Yale in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, one would think Khoi Nguyen was destined to be a scientist from the day he was born. However, during his high school years, Khoi remembers thinking that science was not something meant for him. Compared to his peers, Khoi felt like the “back-of-the-pack,” and although he remembers doing well in science classes, it was not something he felt passionate about. As Khoi recalls, “I didn’t have a science mindset. I was just taking classes and doing stuff.” That all changed when he began the summer of 2008 as a Forsyth Student Scholar. At the Forsyth Student Scholars program, Khoi learned what it meant to pursue science, conduct research, and live as a professional scientist. From this new perspective, Khoi gained confidence, a passion for science, and an appreciation for being able to work on solving problems that will better the lives of others. As Khoi put it, “it was the start of my dream.”
A Special Environment
When reflecting on their time in the FSS program, many alumni note just how special the environment itself is, a sentiment echoed by Khoi. As a high schooler, Khoi remembers feeling truly refreshed by the FSS environment—an environment where it was normal to think critically and ask lots of questions. In the Forsyth laboratory environment, Khoi had the opportunity to observe and collaborate with all sorts of researchers, from postdocs to investigators, for the very first time. This exposure provided Khoi with a clear picture of what life as a scientist can look like, and he began to see a path forward for himself. While the research itself was exciting, what has really stuck with Khoi about the FSS program through the years is the unique environment that encouraged him to cultivate lasting relationships. Notably, Khoi found a key mentor in ADA Forsyth Associate Investigator George Chen, PhD…
An Invaluable Mentorship
Much of Khoi’s time as a Forsyth Student Scholar was spent working with Dr. George Chen, analyzing the genomics of bacteria that cause gingivitis. Working with George, Khoi learned how to code and how to effectively make use of readily available online resources. Khoi asserts that a do-it-yourself mindset is a key determinant for success as a researcher, saying “that’s the one thing that, surprisingly, not many have.” Sixteen years later, George remains a key mentor for Khoi. Khoi regularly emails George with life updates, letting him know that he helped him get to where he is now: “the skills I learned from George still carry me really really far.”
Building a Startup
Although his career path has taken him beyond the oral health space, Khoi emphasizes that the skills he learned at FSS continue to be invaluable to his professional growth. Khoi recently co-founded a startup, Accelerated Muscle Biotechnologies, where he is CTO. The company is built around a technology that maps how proteins are structured using X-rays shot into tissue samples. This process provides a fast and direct way to access a large amount of molecular information from a small muscle sample. Such data provides insight into molecular underpinnings of cardiac diseases and direct evaluation of drug efficacy and toxicity. The technology potentially offers experimental, analytical, and diagnostic services using synchrotron facilities, of which there are only a handful in the world. Accelerated Muscle Biotechnologies has secured half a million dollars in NIH funding and the prestigious Helmholtz fellowship from Germany.
Khoi’s Advice
The journey from an inspired high schooler to an ambitious start-up executive has given Khoi a breadth of insight and perspective, and today he has a lot of great advice to offer. First, Khoi places high importance on mentors and affirms the value of continually staying in touch with them to foster the mentor-mentee relationship, regardless of their level of influence on your career. Khoi also mentions that it is normal as a young person to take your time in finding your career path: “I would say it’s okay and, in fact, expected, to fumble and take a not-so-linear path.” Finally, Khoi advises, “Be kind to others and to yourself in walking that path. Life is hard enough, so let’s not make it any harder.”
Khoi’s story demonstrates the immense power of investing in yourself, continually learning and trying new things, and fostering relationships, even if you are not sure what the end outcome will look like. In Khoi’s case, these traits have allowed him to gain an amazing education, learn from excellent mentors, and create a startup that is not only pioneering impressive technology, but making the world a better place as well. ADA Forsyth looks forward to seeing what Khoi does next!
This interview was edited for clarity.
