Gail Clinton Ph.D. a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Oregon Health & Sciences University (OHSU) School of Medicine in Oregon's largest city Portland grew up in a small logging town in a rural part of the state. Her career goal was elementary education but this changed after her first year in college. She spent that summer in a research laboratory and “after one week � said Gail she knew she wanted to do research. Although Gail is interested in studying basic science she also wants to see her research have practical applications in terms of understanding and treating disease.