About

Dawn Michelle Lipscomb
dawnlipscomb@berkeley.edu

Sunlight and white noise overwhelmed my senses as small groups of students moved quickly between classes–full of chatter and excitement–beneath a perfectly clear, cloudless sky. Behind me–barely audible above the dull campus murmur–a door sighed and swung inwards, softly clicking closed.

That day, I hurried down the steps–practically running from the door–a Ph.D. in hand and the malignant whisper of uncertainty in my ear. After the door shut, I spent time rediscovering why I decided to devote my life to science.

Simply, I chose my discipline(s) because I love learning about everything–physicists use mathematical laws to predict the forces that drive simple systems while biologists study the complex systems that give rise to life.

I’ve explored the intersection of physics and biology through various government and academic research positions–including using high powered lasers to monitor the signature dance of water around proteins, searching for key biosignatures that might indicate life on alien worlds at NASA, and determining the 3D structure of protein complexes critical for eukaryotic life. I’ve gained unprecedented insight into research–seeing all angles of the multifaceted problem called science–which got me off the bench and behind the story.

Currently, I review research papers and translate protocols, basic science, and experimental outcomes into fun, easily digestible information for patients and medical professionals. This all takes place in a live weekly video podcast series I co-host for Regenotech and PRP labs.

I also write longer pieces about complex biological topics–such as why we age–and SEO-focused content writing about fertility and inheritance of genetic diseases.