Featuring Dr. Scott Nguyen
Show Notes:
Tune in to hear Dr. Scott Nguyen explore what it means to trust scientific data while still questioning it carefully. Dr. Nguyen shares a memorable comparison between bioinformatics and storm chasing. In both cases, he explains, you look at data, interpret clues, make predictions, and understand that the information may not be perfect. For storm chasing, that might mean comparing radar images with what you can see in the sky. In genomics, it means checking sequencing results with other tools, understanding how the experiment was run, and making sure the conclusions are supported. The conversation also touches on imposter syndrome and how learning to trust the scientific process can help build confidence. Dr. Nguyen’s storm-chasing example is connected back to his work with genomic data, showing how curiosity, caution, and experience all play a role in good science.
Guest:
Scott V. Nguyen, PhD
Senior Biocuration Scientist, Sequencing & Bioinformatics Center, ATCC
As a Senior Biocuration Scientist in ATCC’s Sequencing & Bioinformatics Center, Dr. Nguyen helps lead the ATCC Genome Portal—a cloud resource of authenticated, traceable microbial genomes. Dr. Nguyen’s work spans microbial genomics, comparative genomics, and data provenance, with recent projects covering Yarrowia lipolytica strain sequencing, pangenomics, and structural variation. He has authored conference posters, application notes, and manuscripts advancing standardized hybrid assembly and ISO‑compliant workflows for reference genomes. Earlier in his career, Dr. Nguyen’s identified multiple SARS‑CoV‑2 variants, including the Delta–Omicron recombinant XD (“Deltacron”), and held research roles at USDA‑ARS, University College Dublin, and the DC Public Health Laboratory. He earned his PhD in Microbiology & Immunology from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Dr. Nguyen’s current focus is enabling reliable, engineering‑grade genomic data for bioprocessing and industrial biotechnology.
Host:
David Yarmosh, MS
Lead Bioinformatician, ATCC
David Yarmosh is a lead bioinformatician in ATCC’s Sequencing and Bioinformatics Center. He’s a graduate of New York University’s Tandon School of Engineering. He has been working in large data aggregation and analysis since 2013 and microbial genomics with a focus on biosurveillance R&D efforts since 2016. David has led international training exercises in Peru and Senegal, sharing metagenomic analytical capabilities. His interests include genomics database construction, metadata collection, drug resistance mechanisms, bioinformatics standards, and machine learning. Since joining ATCC in 2020, David has worked extensively in SARS-CoV-2 classification, epidemiology, and genomics evaluation, including enhanced and uniform variant reporting. He has contributed more broadly to genomics reporting and analytical standardization and he has helped develop the podcast Behind the Biology, which he now hosts.
Find more resources on the ATCC Genome Portal
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