Her Story
About Sherry
I'm a board-certified clinical molecular geneticist by training, and I've been working in the field of precision medicine for over two decades now. My journey into genetics began in my early 20s when I was conducting research on a family suffering from a rare, undiagnosed eye disorder that was causing blindness by their late 20s. We discovered the gene causing their disease and were able to diagnose them, and that experience showed me this was a field that has a direct impact on patient care. Since then, I've continued advocating for the field and pursuing education in related areas of study. What I do today goes beyond just genetic testing for hereditary diseases. We use molecular fingerprints to achieve better responses to treatment, looking at targeted treatments based on genomic profiles and pathogen genomics. I founded Precision Medicine Care because I saw a significant gap between the research facilities where discoveries were being made and the translation of those discoveries into actual patient care. There was so much advancement in precision medicine limited to research settings and not being offered to patients. My motivation was to make all of these tools accessible and offer them to patients, because at the end, we were doing the research to improve human health. I'm most proud of founding this company to meet that gap and ensure these breakthrough discoveries reach the people who need them most.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sherry
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell them to believe in yourself. In any working environment, don't think about your gender. Rely on your intellectual property and believe in yourself. Just believe in the mission and believe in yourself.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge we face is the lack of regulatory framework to keep pace with rapidly evolving science and technology. While we're advancing at incredible speed with discoveries and technology, particularly with AI, we have a significant lag in catching up with the proper regulatory framework to use these discoveries in clinical practice. It often takes several years to pass a bill or work with policymakers to bring change, yet we're moving at the speed of life with our advancements. We also need professional guidelines, not just laws and legislative frameworks. Having expert panels release statements and publish data takes years. The real challenge is converting and translating precision medicine into clinical practice. The scientific breakthrough is not sufficient enough on its own. We need the infrastructure to make these tools really accessible to patients, which includes raising awareness for patients and providers, bringing regulatory frameworks so insurance companies cover these tools, and establishing ethical guidelines that protect patient information. That conversion from research to practice is the biggest challenge we face today.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important value to me is being able to offer all of these tools and innovations and make them equitable and accessible to all. Some of these more advanced tools are being offered to elite populations that have a higher socioeconomic status, but unfortunately there is a big blockage when it comes to making them accessible to populations that have a lower socioeconomic status, simply because they cannot afford to pay for these tools. That's most valuable to me because I am trying to do my best and make them all accessible to everyone, not just people that have higher socioeconomic status.
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