Dr. Richard Gomer
B.A., 1977, Pomona College, Physics.
Ph.D., 1983, Caltech, Biology.
Postdoctoral research, University of California, San Diego.
Previous faculty appointments: Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
“Fibrosing diseases involve increasing amounts of scar tissue forming in organs such as the heart, lungs, or kidneys, and are associated with 30-45% of deaths in the U.S. We are studying the mechanisms that cause fibrosis, and are developing potential therapeutics for these diseases. We also use genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, and some theoretical physics to understand, and develop potential therapeutics for, other diseases such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and tuberculosis”
Research Specialties
Medical Genetics- Human and Animal
Microbial Genetics
Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Genetics
How long have you been a faculty member at Texas A&M?
10 years
What made you choose to join the A&M faculty?
My wife has a job here!
What makes A&M stand out above other institutions? What is the best part about being part of the Genetics program?
I really like having the diversity of people and departments that are here at A&M, and are represented in the Genetics program.
How have your experiences in the Genetics graduate program shaped your thinking?
The Genetics program broadens my horizons – I learn a lot of new things, and get great ideas, from the interactions.
What is your favorite conference to go to? And why?
Any conference where I don’t know a lot about the area, and where I can learn a lot and start new collaborations!
Fun Facts:
When I am not in the lab, I am…
Working, sleeping, or exercising. Cooking, eating, yard work, and the occasional shower round it out. Work (probably not the right word for it, since its so much fun) involves editing papers (the students and postdocs are very productive!), and working on new projects.
My favorite restaurant in College Station is?
Taqueria Arandas!
What is the most gratifying aspect about mentoring graduate students?
Seeing them become successful scientists!
Who is your famous role model?
An astrophysicist named Subramanyan Chandrasekhar, he followed his calculations even when they contradicted dogma and the major people in the field gave him a very hard time about it. He ended up being right.
Do you have any pet peeves?
No, my life is fun!
Do you have any pets? If so, please tell us about them.
We have 4 cats, a dog, 3 donkeys, and a horse. The cats have widely different personalities; one is grumpy, one sleepy, one kind, and another very energetic and playful, but all are nice. The dog is very sweet and affectionate, the donkeys are all mellow, and the horse varies from cranky to sweet on a random basis.