Transcript of Career Conversation with Lilly Hurtado
Speaker A
Great. Thank you, Joe.
Speaker A
Hi, everyone. I am Dr. Lily Hurtado. I’m a research director at Private Health Management, or PHM. And before I get started, just wanted to say thank you for having me. I’m very excited to be here today.
Speaker A
So, at phm, we help people who are facing really complex cancer diagnosis. My job is to use science, research and data to make sure that they get the best care possible. What that really means is I get to take everything that I learned in the lab, biology, genetics, experiments, and use it to help real people and families. For me, cancer has always been very personal. I have lost very family members to it and have seen other family members face it too. And those experiences really changed the way I thought about science. It stopped being something I did for curiosity, and it became something deeply human, something that could make a real difference. So now every day, I get to use science to bring clarity, options, and hope to people who need it the most.
Speaker A
So before I get into what it is I do exactly, I want to share how I got here. Because my path wasn’t exactly straightforward. I had no idea that it would end up looking like this. So I. My career journey started in my undergrad at Texas A and M. I received my bachelor’s in biology. When I started college, I just knew that I liked biology. I didn’t know what it could become. So you guys are doing something really special. This apprenticeship is a real on ramp to careers in the life sciences. Just like you, I started by exploring labs and research, but it wasn’t until undergrad. So the fact that you all are here now shows that you’re ahead of the curve. So just wanted to take a moment to say it’s very impressive how committed you all are.
Speaker A
So during my bachelor’s, I worked in a research lab. It was a plant genetics research lab though, so I found it interesting, but it didn’t fully capture my attention. I then did an internship at the University of North Texas Health Science center, and that was my first experience in a cancer research lab. It was also the first time that I learned about PhDs and thought, well, if I’m not sure what I want to do now, I might as well pursue a PhD while I figure it out. And so that’s exactly what I did. During my PhD, I was. I became even more fascinated by cancer. How something happening in a single cell could completely change someone’s life. That curiosity never left me. After graduate school, I explored a lot of different directions. I did research the brain and the immune system. I then worked at a startup that Used artificial intelligence to analyze data, and.
Speaker A
Then later helped run a large cancer research program for the department of defense. Each step taught me something not just about science, but about myself. I realized that science isn’t just about experiments or results. It’s about the impact that that can have on real people. And so ultimately, it’s what led me to phm.
Speaker A
Where I can take all of my experience and use it to help patients directly. And this has by far been the most meaningful work that I have done.
Speaker A
So now let’s talk about what I do at phm. I like to think of myself as part detective, part translator. Every patient comes to us with a unique story. Their medical records, test results, genetic data. My team and I will go through all of that information very carefully, Making sure that nothing is overlooked. We dig into the latest research, reach out to specialists around the country, and try and piece together a clear picture of what’s going on and what the best treatment strategy or treatment options might be for them. Then we translate all that science into something patients and families can actually use to make informed decisions. So it’s about taking cutting edge research and turning it into hope and clarity for someone in one of the hardest moments of their life.
Speaker A
So many of you may be wondering what a scientist actually does outside of a lab. So let me give you a glimpse on what a workday may look like. For me, one of the things that I love about my work is that no two days look the same. So here is an example. In the morning, I could be reading about a new cancer research therapy, Trying to understand how a new drug works or what mutations it targets. By midday, I am meeting with our care teams, doctors, nurses, scientists, to collaborate with them and make sure that we are thinking through every possible treatment path. In the afternoon, I could be combing through genetic data or identifying new clinical trials that could be life changing for a patient. And by the end of the day, I’m on the phone with doctors or writing up summaries that explain all the science in a patient friendly way.
Speaker A
It’s a job that’s part of the science. Part communication, part heart as well. I get to take all of this complex information and turn it into something that can change someone’s future.
Speaker A
The best part about my work is that it is never abstract. It’s always connected to a person. So every case we take on represents someone’s parent, child, or loved one. Sometimes we find a treatment option that wasn’t even on the table before. Other times, we’re simply helping someone understand what’s happening. And that sense of clarity can be just as powerful. So for me, science isn’t just about discovery, it’s about service. It’s about using knowledge to help someone feel seen and supportive. And honestly, that is what motivates me every day. Seeing research make a real difference in someone’s life. And that is the best feeling for me.
Speaker A
So as I mentioned, I did not always know that I wanted to work in cancer research. What really set me on this path was losing family members to cancer, Seeing how many unanswered questions there still are. It made me realize that science could do more than just explain things. It could help people. So that or those experiences lit a spark in me. I wanted to understand how cancer works, what treatments exist, and how I could be part of finding better answers. So every patient I help is a reminder of why I started. Each time.
Speaker A
Science gives someone new options or new hope, it feels like a small victory for them and for families like mine who inspired me to begin this journey in the first place.
Speaker A
You know, looking back, I realized that there.
Speaker A
Wasn’T ever one big decision that led me to my current role. It was a lot of tiny experiments in my life.
Speaker A
So show of hands, who here already knows exactly what they want to do after high school?
Speaker A
That’s awesome. If you do, if you don’t, that is completely normal. When I was your age, I did not know what kind of scientist I wanted to be. I just knew I liked science. Honestly, I thought being a scientist was limited to working in a lab or becoming a professor and that’s it. But what I learned over time is that there are so many different directions science can take you. There is biotech, law, data science, medicine, communication, startups, the list goes on.
Speaker A
Honestly, before my current role, I had never heard of a job like mine. Clinical decision making and patient facing role such as mine is very unique for a PhD.
Speaker A
Especially now with the emergence of technology and AI, who knows, some of your future careers might not even exist right now.
Speaker A
So something important that I would like you all to take away from my talk is that every step, even the ones that don’t work out, teach you something valuable about what you enjoy and what you don’t. Science is a team effort, not a solo sport. And the best discoveries come from collaboration. And the most successful careers come from staying curious and open minded.
Speaker A
One of the best ways to figure out what you love to do is to just try it out. So my biggest piece of career advice is to do internships as early as possible in your career. I like to think of Internships as test drives for your career. You get to sit in the driver’s seat and see what it actually feels like, not just read about it. So when I was in school, internships helped me realize what I didn’t want to do just as much as what I did want to do. And honestly, that is such a valuable part of learning. At one point during my undergrad, I considered going into conservation work. Spending my days cleaning up lakes and forests sounded like fulfilling work. However, after being knee deep in mud and twigs in my hair, I started to realize that that wasn’t exactly for me. So you might discover that you love working in a lab or that you don’t, that you prefer talking with people about science or working on science policy.
Speaker A
As I said, the best thing to do is to just gain as much experience as possible. You could even ask to interview someone that is in the job field or with the job title that you are considering. Hearing their personal experiences is another way to learn more about that field. So each experience.
Speaker A
Just adds a piece to the puzzle. It adds value. Don’t worry about getting it right the first time. That’s just how you find your direction. And so.
Speaker A
A couple different resources I would recommend looking into are young women in bio. They run mentorship and science events for high school students interested in stem. So I’d highly recommend that. Also local universities, they have so many outreach programs where students can shadow researchers, they can provide even more resources for you.
Speaker A
Honestly, I think just putting yourself out there, you know, trying to network and meet as many people, talk to as many people as possible, is is the way to go.
Speaker A
Science is a journey. It’s rarely a straight line. If there’s one thing that I have learned, it’s that every turn, every setback, every surprise has something to teach you. You don’t have to know all of the answers right now. You just need to stay curious, pay attention to what excites you, and keep moving forward, keep moving toward that. That curiosity is what got me from a biology class in college to helping cancer patients today. And I promise that it can take you to amazing places.
Speaker A
So I hope something in my story reminds you that it’s okay to explore, to change directions, and to let curiosity lead the way.
Speaker A
Does anybody have any questions?
Speaker B
Thank you for sharing your journey with this again, Lily. You know, one thing I, I, one of my takeaways was that, you know, like you said earlier, science isn’t just about curiosity. It has every decision you make has real world implications. Whether that’s patience or your ability to address different challenges. So really appreciated you sharing your story with us and describing the uncertainty that often goes into both doing science, but also in the path along the way. So I think that’s really important.
Speaker B
Wanted to open it up to see if anyone had any questions, comments.
Speaker C
Yeah, anybody want.
Speaker A
I also have. Oh, go ahead.
Speaker C
No, I was just going to say that anybody can post their questions in the chat or they can raise their hand.
Speaker A
I was also going to say if anyone is feeling shy or wants a one on one discussion. I have also put my contact information.
Speaker A
LinkedIn might be.
Speaker A
A little old for your age group, but I’m on LinkedIn as well.
Speaker C
Well, we have, we do have them introduced to LinkedIn. I made them already. They should be prepping them already at some point. So we are going to have them involved with that. So definitely, guys, reach out if you have any questions after the chat. But I guess I do have one question. So just to kind of get a better understanding of exactly what you do and how it impacts patients. How does a patient come to your, your group? Is it that they get referred by their physician? Is it something that’s kind of, they’ve exhausted other options and then they are kind of, you know, given your.
Speaker C
Company’S name or your name as like a resource for looking at other options like how do you exactly find patients and how do you decide which patients your team is going to take on?
Speaker A
Yeah, those are some really great questions. So there are a couple different services. One is that their company pays for our services and so through their company’s insurance they are able to access us. And then there are patients that come not through insurance, just, you know, individually and pay out of pocket. And the way that it gets.
Speaker A
Distributed, the different patients and cases. And our team is.
Speaker A
Really focusing on who is a subject matter expert in that type of cancer. Of course, everyone is trying to expand their expertise in multiple different kinds of cancer. Right. So we’re not limited to just one indication, but typically we will assign cases to the ones that have the most experience in that indication. There are also many different steps in the patient journey that we will see patients. So for example, as you mentioned, some of them might come to us because they have exhausted all other options and they’re not sure how to move forward. We have also seen patients who don’t even have a cancer diagnosis. Their.
Speaker A
Physician has a suspicion of cancer and so they are, you know, they have done the biopsy and they’re just waiting on results, but don’t even have a confirmation, but wanted us to be involved in every step.
Speaker A
If it turns out to be cancer.
Speaker A
Every case is unique.
Speaker A
We have a whole team of PhD, researchers, nurses, clinicians.
Speaker A
We’re a very collaborative group.
Speaker C
Awesome. Thank you so much. That was a good answer and good insight into how you guys are able to help people. And that kind of. You kind of hinted on my follow up question to that with what you just said right now about the different types of people that you work with.
Speaker C
Something that I’ve experienced in the past and something that I would say pretty much everybody in the biotech world or in STEM has to experience at some point is working across disciplines and kind of, you know, having interdisciplinary collaborations in order to achieve whatever you’re trying to do. So you already mentioned, you know, nurses, clinicians, you know, doctors, obviously probably also the, you know, maybe the people who are actually doing the research, the researchers who are kind of doing this cutting edge cancer research that you are sourcing as part of your treatment plans. What have maybe been some things that you’ve noticed working across these different disciplines? You know, are there different things that certain types of people are more, are, are more attuned to picking up? Are there certain insights that people, you know, maybe nurses have this insight into a problem and then maybe doctors have something else and researchers have these other insights. What has it been like and what has maybe been some of the things you’ve picked up working across these different disciplines?
Speaker A
Yeah, that’s a great question.
Speaker A
Everyone has a different lens that they view science. And so as a PhD, you know, we may be more focused on, okay, what does the data tell us?
Speaker A
How can we compare it? You know.
Speaker A
Looking at specific experiments and, you know, those kinds of details, having a very.
Speaker A
Technical.
Speaker A
Perspective. Right.
Speaker A
The nurses, you know, they are obviously interacting with patients more. They would have more experience with that. So they may know things not from reading in research papers like us, but.
Speaker A
Through their patients, through their patients experiences. I mean, of course they are very knowledgeable and know side effects for all the different drugs and things like that. But they would also know, oh, hey, a lot of my patients say that XYZ really helps with the side effects or a lot of patients notice this with this drug.
Speaker A
So in science, I mean, it has to be collaborative. That’s how you move forward really. I think any career you’re going to have to collaborate with other people, but especially in science. And it’s always.
Speaker A
Nice to get different perspectives, right. Having different experiences and training. It’s, as I said, going to give everyone a different lens to view the patients and potential treatments. So I always really value hearing the differences in opinion or new ideas. That, as I said, is really what propels us forward.
Speaker C
Awesome. Thank you so much for that answer. Anybody else have any questions?
Speaker B
I’ll keep going.
Speaker B
I had one question, actually. So my question pertains to the uncertainty that we often encounter in science and sort of how you often navigate those challenges when you might have a research question that you’re trying to answer that no one else has that there may not be published research on, or, you know, you may not have the data to. To. To try and have enough information to investigate this particular question. So I’m curious in, like, those instances, what you found to be successful in navigating those aspects of science. That.
Speaker A
Yeah, that’s a very important question because unfortunately, that does happen quite often. Cancer is a very complex and multifaceted disease. So there is no one pathway or mutation that needs to be turned on or off, and that’s it. You know, there are many different factors that are involved, and we don’t have all the answers to everything yet. So one of the most difficult aspects of this job is that there is no one perfect answer. Sometimes for our patients, it depends on a lot of different factors. As I said, each person and each person’s tumor is unique.
Speaker A
And so.
Speaker A
Usually when we come across situations like that where we’re not sure what the next step should be, or, you know, we have a patient that is going through multiple lines of.
Speaker A
Therapies with no success, then we turn to the literature.
Speaker A
See what is the latest data. Right. On emerging treatments and technologies. And one way to access emerging and novel treatments is through clinical trials. So that is something that we often look at for our patients and clinical trials. As I said, it’s a way to access new treatments. So they’re not approved yet, but they have a lot of preclinical data. You know, they have undergone a lot of testing in the lab, and they’re hopeful that they will work for patients. So that is one option that we can turn to. Or collaborating with other specialists, getting their opinion.
Speaker A
That’s another avenue.
Speaker B
Amazing. So just the ability to really hone and synthesize different information from different sources to try and come up with the best possible decision.
Speaker A
Yes, exactly.
Speaker C
All right. Unless anybody has any other questions, I might do one or two more, and then we can wrap things up. So this one, a little bit of a tougher one. You don’t have to answer this one if it’s, you know, if it’s still kind of a controversial topic. But obviously, you know, we’ve been hearing in the news with recent federal impacts to research funding, how do you anticipate that affecting your work and affecting patients?
Speaker A
Yes, actually, I. As I mentioned earlier, I used to work for the government, and so I saw firsthand the effects of federal cuts. And as you said, it is a hot topic, unfortunately, because continuing to move forward on science is very important.
Speaker A
So it’s unfortunate that it has this political aspect to it. I think.
Speaker C
So.
Speaker A
I don’t know what the future holds, but I am hopeful that.
Speaker A
Perhaps through other.
Speaker A
Avenues of revenue, we can keep research going.
Speaker A
And keep this momentum. Because I truly believe that every day we get a step closer to understanding cancer. And hopefully one day cancer won’t be something to be afraid of. It will be something to manage and that we can treat successfully.
Speaker A
For everyone.
Speaker C
I agree that that is a really good vision for the future. And I also am optimistic that there will be a time where that vision for the future and investing in creating a safer, healthier society is not an issue of political debate.
Speaker C
So to kind of lighten things up and leave it on a more positive note. And again, you don’t have to. Obviously not sharing any personal information or anything, but are there any particular patient success stories that have really stuck with you?
Speaker A
Yeah, so I have.
Speaker A
I have just started my position about four months ago, so I have not been here long enough to see the whole journey.
Speaker A
I will say, though, that I get mini wins in, you know, seeing that the treatment plan that we proposed or discussed or explained to them is having a positive response. You know, that they’re seeing success.
Speaker A
The times that patients tell us how much our work means to them, that it gives them hope and clarity, that really motivates me. So I hope, you know, to. To have many more.
Speaker A
Many more good interactions like that and have success stories.
Speaker C
Awesome. And that’s good to hear that the patients have direct contact with you guys. You know, obviously, you know, they’re going through a very stressful time in their life. There’s a lot of different people. There’s a whole team of care that is surrounding them and, you know, having that support system and having. Being able to interact directly with the people who are making their healthcare decisions is also a really cool thing to hear about.
Speaker A
Yes, it is definitely a very unique position for a PhD.
Speaker B
Yeah.
Speaker C
Awesome. So.
Speaker C
That is just about everything that I have. Thank you so much for the conversation and for all of the great details about how you got where you were, both the details about, you know, your actual position now and the pathway to get there. I think that’s all really valuable stuff for our students, especially as they’re kind of just starting out and figuring out where they want to go. Like you said, it’s very rare. You know, we got a couple hands earlier, but most. Most people probably are still just barely figuring out what they might be interested in. And that’s fine. That’s great. It’s important to try things, and it’s important to kind of see pathways like this to get a better idea of what might be a good fit for all the students. So we really appreciate your time. If anybody else has any questions, this is the last call. But otherwise, thank you so much.
Speaker A
Thank you so much for having me. It was. It was very nice to be part of this.
Speaker C
Anytime.
Speaker B
Thank you.