Analyzing Data for Improved Patient Outcomes

You go where you feel a connection — and for Dawood Al Dawood ’23, UMR just felt right.

In 2021, Al Dawood was visiting Rochester for 10 days for medical purposes. An undergraduate student in biology at the University of Alabama, he recalls feeling an immediate connection to the Rochester area. “I think what attracted me to the city is that it’s not crazy-busy like big cities, and also the calmness of the downtown and most places. The traffic does not last more than 30 minutes, and it has some historical and natural attractions to see and explore.”

When he first arrived at UMR, he had no specific career plan in mind. Center for Learning Innovation (CLI) courses helped him find his strengths and how he might apply them.

“I was impressed by the opportunities UMR offers and the flexibility,” he said. “I was amazed when I learned about the great level of cultural diversity and how differences are embraced and celebrated on campus. It is a small campus yet it has the potential to draw the big picture of its students’ academic lives.”

A key experience was the Special Research Student (SRS) program and his involvement in a research project at the department of nephrology at Mayo Clinic for two semesters. “I learned a great deal and acquired many critical skills that are crucial in the field of research, especially the wet lab setups.”

He earned his Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences in 2023, but he wasn’t done yet.

Al Dawood is now in the final stretch to earn a master’s degree in bioinformatics and computational biology (BICB) in December.

Established in 2007, BICB is a collaborative academic and research graduate program that advances informatics and computation through interdisciplinary education. It unites health sciences, biosciences, engineering and technology with many University of Minnesota departments and Mayo Clinic, National Marrow Donor Program, IBM, Hormel Institute and more.

Al Dawood described the program as the integration of three essential fields: biology, statistics and computer science.

The bioinformatics component uses existing software and algorithms to understand biological data such as DNA sequences, protein structures and gene expression profiles. The computational biology component develops theoretical methods, mathematical modeling and computational simulation techniques to study biological systems. “It is very important to have a good understanding of what programming is and make the effort to use algorithms through methods such as machine learning or data mining.” With the rapid increase of technological advancements and the emergence of artificial intelligence, he said, such careers are needed.

BICB felt like a career that could help find answers to all the “whats, hows, and most importantly, the whys,” he said.

The field was a natural fit for Al Dawood’s many interests. “I have always liked biology courses, especially those related to the human body. I always find it fascinating to look into the smallest things that can have a huge impact on human health and the body. This includes DNA, RNA and proteins.” 

Studying those areas as an undergraduate was not a huge struggle, he said, but he knew more would be expected in graduate school. He prepared by taking a genome biology course through Mayo Clinic in the summer of 2023. “That course was one of the most difficult courses I have taken, yet it got me looking very closely at the biological and chemical aspects of epigenetics and heredity biomarkers. It also involves the understanding of alterations that can occur to the DNA or RNA, including methylations, acetylation and external modifications through deletions and insertion. It is a whole different world.”

With the combination of dry lab experience in BICB and wet lab through SRS, “I can say I have earned a very well-rounded experience in the field as both labs complement each other and rely heavily on each other.”

While pursuing his master’s degree, Al Dawood works as a research technologist in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at Mayo Clinic. 

In his daily work, he isolates peripheral blood mononuclear cells from the blood samples of patients with liver diseases like fibrosis or cirrhosis. Occasionally, he works directly with the human liver from the operating room. He especially enjoys analyzing the data after sequencing the samples and seeing how different each sample is.

One of the most rewarding aspects for Al Dawood is knowing that his work directly contributes to the well-being of patients. Every analysis, every piece of data processed, has the potential to enhance patient outcomes, he said. 

“What is most meaningful to me about patient care today is the ability to contribute to personalized medicine. By analyzing vast amounts of genetic and epigenetic data, I can help develop tailored treatment plans that are specifically designed for an individual’s unique genetic makeup. This means that treatments are more effective, have fewer side effects and can significantly improve a patient’s quality of life.” 

Read more stories from the Fall 2024 Alumni Magazine: The Kettle.