Dr. Tshaka Cunningham Carves a Path for African Americans in Science

By Stacy M. Brown | NNPA(NNPA) – Dr. Tshaka Cunningham, a pioneering molecular biologist, has made an extraordinary journey from the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C. to the cutting edge of precision medicine and genomics. Returning to his roots for an interview on the PBS show “The Chavis Chronicles,” Cunningham shared insights into his career, the importance of diversity in science, and his commitment to advancing genomics for the betterment of all communities.Raised in D.C.’s historic Shaw area, Dr. Cunningham’s early exposure to science came from a deeply personal source—his grandmother, a cancer researcher who played a pivotal role in sparking his lifelong passion for molecular biology. “I was exposed to science at an early age from my grandmother, a cancer researcher,” Cunningham said before his 30-minute discussion with National Newspaper Publishers Association President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., the host of the Chavis Chronicles. “She sparked in me that intellectual curiosity of what caused a cancer cell to be a cancer cell. It’s fascinating to me.”This fascination led Cunningham to pursue a career in molecular biology, a field that explores the fundamental building blocks of life. “The reason I became a molecular biologist is because the sum...