Malik Raynor is an Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (MID) program alumnus who graduated in spring 2018 with a PhD. He’s always had an interest in figuring out how things work since he was a child. He would take apart toys with moving parts to see how each piece functioned only to find a number of circuit boards beneath the casing. His passion for science is an extension of discovering how aspects of the natural world function. Raynor chose the GSBS for his graduate career for some very specific aspects. He knew he did not want a teaching career, so he chose a program that did not have a teaching requirement. In addition, Raynor chose the GSBS because the graduate stipend not only allowed him a loan-free education but he knew that the stipend was a more than sufficient amount to comfortably live in Houston.

Raynor chose the lab of Theresa Koehler, PhD, for his research training after attending an American Society of Microbiology Biodefense Conference and remembered Koehler was listed as one of the organizers. Koehler's research on Bacillus anthracis was one of the main reasons he applied to the GSBS. He knew, after interviewing with her during his visitation weekend and subsequently completing his first rotation in her lab, that she would be a great mentor.

After graduation, Raynor began his job search with leveraged contacts from his professional career prior to graduate school. He also searched job sites such as LinkedIn and USAJobs, but in the end, his professional connections proved the most successful at securing his first position following graduate school. Currently, you can find Raynor at working as a senior scientist at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. His team partners with researchers in academia, the pharmaceutical industry, and other government entities to discover and develop novel small molecule antibiotics effective against Gram negative bacteria, specifically those on the World Health Organization's Priority Pathogen list. In his laboratory, they evaluate molecules for species coverage and potency against clinical bacterial isolates of varying antibiotic susceptibilities before other in vitro assays are performed to assess how well the molecules can function as drugs.

His advice to current graduate students would be to use time wisely. “Give some thought to what you want to pursue after graduate school, either a particular subject matter within or outside academia, and then make sure you're setting yourself up to be marketable in that area. If you're interested in forensics or bioinformatics, learn what skills are marketable in those fields and then try to incorporate a few of them into your dissertation research.”

What ignited your passion for science?
"I would say I've always had an interest in figuring out "how things work" since I was a child. I would take about toys with moving parts to see how each piece functioned. My greatest disappointment was taking apart my old Nintendo and only seeing a number of circuit boards beneath the casing. I think my passion for science is an extension of discovering how aspects of the natural world function."

Why did you choose the Graduate School for your research education?
"I worked for seven years between completing my undergraduate degree and beginning graduate school so I had a very practical approach to selecting a graduate program. I knew I didn't want to enter a teaching career so I chose a program that didn't have a teaching requirement for trainees. I selected a program that offered a stipend sufficient to live without needing loan assistance. Houston is the fourth largest city in the country, but still much more affordable than other cities of similar size. The Graduate School also procures a lot of NIH funding throughout the various program areas so I equated that metric with the ability to access experts outside my research focus if ever needed."

How did you choose your advisor?
"From my previous work experience I knew Select Agents/infectious diseases were a research area that would always have Government interest, hence there would always be jobs available. Prior to graduate school, while working at the Environmental Protection Agency, I attended the American Society of Microbiology Biodefense Conference and remembered Dr. Koehler was listed as one of the organizers. Dr. Koehler's research on Bacillus anthracis was one of the main reasons I applied to the Graduate School. After interviewing with her during my visitation weekend and subsequently completing my first rotation in her lab I knew she would be a great mentor for me."

What is your current position?
"What type of research/work are you working on currently? (Please explain in lay terms) Currently, I'm working as a senior scientist at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. My team partners with researchers in academia, the pharmaceutical industry, and other government entities to discover and develop novel small molecule antibiotics effective against Gram negative bacteria, specifically those on the World Health Organization's Priority Pathogen list. In my laboratory we evaluate molecules for species coverage and potency against clinical bacterial isolates of varying antibiotic susceptibilities before other in vitro assays are performed to assess how well the molecules can function as drugs."

What was your path/jobs towards your current position?
"I knew I wanted to pursue a career outside of academia so when I began my job search I leveraged contacts from my professional career prior to graduate I also searched job sites i.e., LinkedIn and USAJobs, but in the end my professional connections proved the most successful at securing my first position following graduate school."

What has been your biggest success?
"I don't have a genuine answer for this, I think all my successes are equal."

What has been your biggest failure and how did you overcome it?
"I would say my biggest regret versus my biggest failure would be that I didn't seize an opportunity to get in- depth, hands-on experience with bioinformatics while I was a graduate student. I didn't realize at the time how much of an invaluable skill it would become whether in or outside academia."

What advice would you give graduate students now?
"My advice would be to use your time wisely. Give some thought to what you want to pursue after graduate school, either a particular subject matter within or outside academia, and then make sure you're setting yourself up to be marketable in that area. If you're interested in forensics or bioinformatics, learn what skills are marketable in those fields and then try to incorporate a few of them into your dissertation research."

What’s something you like to do when you are not working?
"Anyone that knows me personally knows that I'm in the gym too much."