Name: Trinh Phan-Canh
Affiliation: Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology (HMM), Medical University Innsbruck, Austria
Website: phancanhtrinh.com

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and share your current research focus?
I am currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Medical University of Innsbruck, where I investigate antifungal drug resistance mechanisms and explore new strategies for antifungal drug development in Candida auris. During my PhD at the Vienna Biocenter with Dr. Karl Kuchler, I focused on understanding how this emerging human fungal pathogen develops multidrug resistance and how it colonizes and adheres to human skin, facilitating transmission in healthcare settings. My work contributed to uncovering molecular mechanisms underlying antifungal resistance and virulence, including addressing long-standing questions related to amphotericin B resistance and skin colonization.
Next month, I will move to Boston to work with spatial multiomics technologies to further investigate host-disease interactions.

2. What inspired you to pursue research in the field of biology?
My interest in biology began early in childhood. Growing up, I was fascinated by observing plants, mushrooms, and small organisms in my home garden. These early experiences sparked my curiosity about the diversity and complexity of life. However, I did not initially realize that I could pursue a career as a scientist until I joined a microbiology laboratory as an undergraduate researcher. There, I studied spore formation in Bacillus subtilis and became fascinated by the ability to experimentally explore complex biological processes. This experience motivated me to pursue research as a career.

3. Could you please share with us your feelings about winning the Biology Young Investigator Award?
Receiving the Biology Young Investigator Award was a truly meaningful moment in my career. I felt deeply honored and grateful. This award not only recognizes my work but also reflects the support and mentorship I have received from my supervisors and colleagues. At the same time, I am aware that many talented young scientists equally deserve such recognition, and I feel very fortunate to have been selected.
Science is a field in which much of the work takes place behind the scenes, often involving repeated failures and experimental challenges. Moments of recognition like this are especially motivating and help highlight to the broader community that our work is valued and making an impact.

4. Do you have any other suggestions on how journals and publishers can further support young researchers and the academic community?
I came from a resource-limited institution, so I am aware that researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) often have to work much harder to achieve certain milestones in their careers. Therefore, I strongly encourage publishers and journals to consider offering pilot research funding programs, which could be highly impactful for early-career researchers in LMICs.
Travel and internship grants are also particularly valuable, as they provide opportunities for students from these regions to visit well-resourced institutions at an early stage of their careers.

5. Based on your experience, which research topics in this field do you think will be of particular interest to the academic community in the next few years?
From my perspective, biology encompasses a wide range of subfields; here, I focus on human biology. Much of our experimental work remains susceptible to artifacts, highlighting the need to develop systems that more faithfully recapitulate native physiological conditions. In this context, spatial omics technologies represent a major advance, enabling the study of biological processes at the tissue level. Together with recent developments in single-cell technologies and pooled perturbation-based approaches, these methods allow us to capture biological information at scale while incorporating diverse environmental cues. This integrated approach brings experimental systems closer to physiological reality.
Continued advances in experimental technologies are essential, particularly to achieve more precise and quantitative measurements. Coupled with progress in machine learning and artificial intelligence, these developments will enable more accurate prediction and, ultimately, rational engineering of cellular and tissue behavior, contributing to a deeper understanding and potential resolution of various diseases.

6. What advice would you give to early career researchers or young scientists who are just starting their academic journey?
An academic career can be challenging and often requires resilience, adaptability, and mobility. It is important to actively seek opportunities, even in the face of limited resources and frequent rejection. From my own experience, success often follows many unsuccessful applications. Rather than becoming discouraged, it is essential to persist, continuously improve, and remain focused on developing rigorous scientific work.
Curiosity is the foundation of a scientific career. At the same time, ambition and perseverance are crucial for translating that curiosity into meaningful contributions. I encourage young scientists to think boldly, pursue their ideas with confidence, and remain committed to their long-term goals.

7. Looking ahead, what are your main goals or projects for the coming years?
I am currently in a transition phase and will soon move to Harvard Medical School, where I aim to decode host–disease interactions using spatial multiomics and machine learning approaches. My long-term goal is to develop and integrate technologies that enable a comprehensive understanding of tissue biology, allowing us to capture native cellular interactions across different disease contexts.