By: Jazmine Robinson
October is widely recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is a time to spotlight the research and innovation advancing prevention, treatment, and understanding. At HudsonAlpha’s Sara Cooper Lab, Emily Gordon, PhD, serves as a Senior Scientist studying the genetics behind cancer risk and drug resistance.
Her work dives into one of medicine’s most complex puzzles: why some inherited cancer risk factors remain undetected by current genetic tests, and how subtle variations in DNA shape both susceptibility and treatment response. In our conversation, Emily shares how personal experience, resilience, and curiosity continue to drive her research and mentorship.
Jazmine Robinson: As we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month, can you tell us about your research into breast cancer risk?
Emily Gordon: Many people assume that if cancer runs in their family, it must be inherited. But when they undergo genetic testing, the results often come back negative. Part of that is simply because we don’t know everything yet, or because the genetic changes may be located in non-coding regions, which are more challenging to study. Part of our work focuses on identifying these rarer variants that are not yet on clinical genetic tests to help explain hereditary risk and bring greater clarity to families.
Jazmine: What inspired you to pursue a career in genetics and genomics research? Would you say you have always been interested in science?
Emily: I’ve been interested in science since I was a little kid. My parents encouraged that curiosity, and as I learned more, I found that genetics combines everything I enjoy: science, math, and problem-solving.
Genomics today is nothing like it was when I was a kid. Back then, there was no complete human genome, and genomics wasn’t yet a well-established field. We mostly just studied genes and Punnet square problems in class, but there had to be more. I’ve always been fascinated by how genes contribute to disease, but now we can begin to see how even tiny changes in DNA can have a profound impact, not just on cancer, but also on drug resistance and other diseases. My background is in biochemistry and structural biology, and I am fascinated by how these teeny, tiny changes can create such big biochemical effects.
Jazmine: Could you tell me more about your academic path?
Emily: I entered Baylor University with the intention of becoming a surgeon. I volunteered in a same-day surgery ward for about a year. It was a valuable experience, but it helped me realize that medicine might not be the right fit for me, but I still had a deep love and curiosity for science
I have always known I wanted to attend graduate school. Around that time, my dad was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. I came home to Huntsville to spend time with my dad, help my mom, and eventually earned my PhD in Biotechnology Science and Engineering with a focus on biochemistry and structural biology at UAH. I initially planned to attend college elsewhere, but I chose to come home and spend that time with my dad, which I don’t regret. You can always create more opportunities, but you can never get time back.
Jazmine: Did your dad’s cancer diagnosis influence your decision to pursue cancer research?
Emily: Not immediately. I actually avoided anything related to cancer for a while. But over time, my fascination with the biology of cancer and drug resistance pulled me in. Resistance is a major reason treatments fail. There’s a genetic component that drives drug resistance. My current project focuses on ovarian cancer, but the mechanisms we uncover often apply to other cancers, too. Understanding why cancer cells become resistant can help us tailor therapies and offer patients better options. That’s where this work feels most meaningful.
Jazmine: What do you find most rewarding and most challenging about your job?
Emily: Every day, I have the opportunity to learn something new. Experiments don’t always work the way you expect, and when they don’t, it’s your job to figure out why and improve them. Science is a constant process of learning that keeps me motivated.
I also do a lot of mentoring in the lab, and witnessing the students get excited about science or realize they really enjoy it is rewarding for me.
The hardest part is balancing curiosity and discovery with resources. Science requires time and funding, and it’s important to use both resources responsibly. I’m always aware that grants and donations come from people who trust us to make progress. That accountability gives the work extra purpose.
Jazmine: Federal funding for scientific research has decreased fairly significantly this year, so I imagine that makes it even more challenging. How do you keep your motivation strong when experiments fail or funding is tight?
Emily: Some days can definitely be challenging. I think staying motivated comes down to resilience. I’ve always been pretty resilient, and one of my first mentors told me that doing research is a lot like trying to hit a baseball. You have to get up every morning and swing, over and over again. Some days you’re tired, frustrated, or experiments just aren’t working. If you don’t have that drive to keep going, swinging towards a ball 500 times, then maybe this isn’t your passion and not the right job for you.
My curiosity also keeps me going. When something doesn’t work, I might step away for a walk around the lab or on the helix, clear my head, and come back with fresh eyes. In this field, more things fail than succeed some days, and that’s okay; it is all part of learning and scientific research. There’s no set recipe. You just have to figure out the next step based on what you see and continue the process of discovery.
Jazmine: What advice would you give anyone interested in pursuing a career in STEM?
Emily: Get hands-on experience early. Reach out to companies or labs to explore internship or mentorship opportunities. Programs like BioTrain and our HudsonAlpha summer camps are great ways to get started. I think it’s really important for anyone interested in science to spend time in a lab to see if it’s truly what you want to do. It’s just as valuable to discover that it’s not the right fit. STEM is such a broad field, and realizing that one path isn’t for you doesn’t mean another won’t be. The only way to know is to actually get in there and try it.
Jazmine: Can you share any moments in your career that have had a lasting impact on you?
Emily: Talking to people whose lives are impacted by our research always brings me back to why we do this work. Whether it is during campus tours or community events, hearing their stories reminds me that behind every experiment are real people and families.
I’m not much of a baseball fan, but my mentor’s analogy still resonates with me. Science is about getting up every day and swinging again. Each attempt brings you closer to understanding, and that persistence keeps me going.
