Hughes Mentor:  Thomas Fox

Department: Molecular Biology and Genetics

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Meet a Cornell Researcher: Professor Tom Fox, Genetics

Professor Tom Fox attended Cornell University as an undergraduate and earned his Ph.D at Harvard University before doing postdoctoral work in Basel, Switzerland. Fox is a native of Staten Island, NY, and originally came to Cornell in the interest of pursuing the veterinary program due to an interest in animals, particularly snakes. At the time, Cornell’s veterinary program required a year of contact with animals on a farm. While setting out to complete this requirement after high school, Fox contracted hay fever, necessitating a change in career plans. Though enjoying other courses such as organic chemistry as an undergraduate, Fox became particularly interested in genetics and worked in molecular biology labs during summers.

The Fox lab studies the expression of the mitochondrial genome in yeast, which allows greater flexibility in lab work in this area than other organisms. Specifically, the lab is interested in how the translation of mitochondrial mRNAs is affected by activators specific to these mRNAs and by other factors such as ribosomes, and how mitochondrial proteins are incorporated into electron-transport mechanisms that are necessary in energy harvesting in oxidative phosphorylation. Although the lab’s alumni includes over forty undergraduates, the lab has shrunk somewhat over the years and does not have many undergraduates, who require more one-on-one time than more experienced graduate student researchers.

As both a Cornell alumnus and professor, Fox has an interesting perspective in observing how Cornell has evolved over the years. The site of the Biotech building, for example, where the Fox lab is situated, was used as athletic fields for varsity athletes when Fox was an undergraduate. One major trend Fox observes is that students and faculty now live further away from campus, and, consequently, fewer students and faculty brought cars to campus. While Fox was an undergraduate at Cornell, a March 1971 snowstorm caused Cornell’s first ever closure due to snow, which would not have occurred in the past with fewer faculty driving to campus and more faculty walking to campus from closer residences.

Most biology students at Cornell know Professor Fox as the spring instructor of BioGD 281, a course Fox himself took his sophomore year at Cornell. According to Fox, genetics poses a unique challenge to students in that the majority of biology courses students take prior to genetics are primarily fact based, whereas genetics requires problem solving. Compared to when Fox took genetics, the course has evolved in more ways than no longer meeting three times a week at 8 AM. While the fundamentals remain the same, there have been many advances in the field of genetics that merit inclusion into the course, making it difficult to cover as much material from topics that would comprise the semester in the past.

Outside of his research and teaching, Prof. Fox devotes his interest to ice hockey, camping, and motorcycles. Fox’s interest in hockey began at Cornell, when he attended the Red and White game; it is easy to see how he became drawn to the position of goaltender, since the goaltenders in this particular Red and White game were Montreal Canadiens legend and hockey hall-of-famer Ken Dryden ’69 and Brian Cropper ’71, the starting goaltender during Cornell’s historic 29-0-0 NCAA championship-winning season in 1969-70. Fox tends goal on the faculty hockey team and, in fact, had played hockey with three-time Stanley Cup winner and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Joe Nieuwendyk ’87 the night before my interview with him.

Throughout my interview with him, Prof. Fox emphasized the importance of getting involved in doing things related to one’s interests rather than simply enjoying interests passively: “superficial excitement is a hindrance.” Studying a foreign language in high school or undergrad differs from immersing oneself in an environment where the language is spoken – which is why Prof. Fox sought to do his postdoctoral work in German-speaking Europe after having studied German in undergrad – in the same way that understanding a sport only comes from playing it or understanding genetics only comes from solving problems. Prof. Fox encourages students to take a similarly active role in validating their scientific interests: it is important that students get into labs in order to see if they truly like science and the area of science in which they choose to do research.

An Interview with Tom Fox, Professor of Genetics

The Staten Island zoo was Dr. Fox’s first entry into the world of biology. Fascinated by their collection of rattle snakes (he even got to inject a King Cobra with penicillin!), he became interested in veterinarian medicine. With this in mind, he enrolled in Cornell University, but like many undergraduates, his career path took an unexpected turn into a subject that was equally, if not more, stimulating: genetics.

At Cornell, Dr. Fox’s favorite course was, not surprisingly, Genetics. This class was an eye-opener for him in that, for the first time, he could combine logic and problem solving in a biological setting. Back then, the course was at 8 AM three times a week and only four credits. His interest in science then led him to pursue undergraduate research in Bradfield Hall, where he worked with bacteria and yeast. The projects didn’t turn out the way he had originally planned, but nevertheless, he loved the team atmosphere of the lab and the valuable experience he gained. He even skipped out on his own Cornell graduation to attend a science conference with his lab on Long Island.

After getting his Ph.D. from Harvard, Dr. Fox went to Switzerland for his postdoctoral work on mitochondria. He wasn’t particularly interested in mitochondria at the time, but went for the opportunity to live abroad in a German speaking environment, with the expectation that he would return to the United States to work on something he thought would be more interesting. As it turned out, however, his field was more exciting than he had anticipated, and he decided to stick with it.

Now, Dr. Fox still studies mitochondria and works with yeast, which is a favorable organism because it is easily manipulated. He is interested in the mitochondrial genome and how it works with the much larger genome of the cell in putting together the electron transport chain. It is much more difficult to do the same kind of lab work in humans, and results from yeast studies are important steps in understanding the regulation of human mitochondria. Notwithstanding his current laboratory expertise, Dr. Fox is no stranger to past laboratory mishaps. He has experienced and survived a 300 volt electrical shock, accidentally ingested C14, and splashed acetone in his face.

While research is an integral part of his life, Dr. Fox also enjoys teaching. In fact, he teaches that same class which he loved so much as a Cornell undergraduate—Genetics 281. Fortunately for us, he teaches it at a more reasonable hour and we get one extra credit to make up for all that time in the fly lab.

When not in the lab or lecture hall, Dr. Fox might be found playing an intense game of ice hockey, which he picked up as an undergraduate at Cornell. He also loves camping and has not forgotten what first hooked him into science—his love for snakes.

In science research, there is always a question to answer, and for Dr. Fox, it would be inconceivable to not be a part of something so challenging and satisfying. He loves being a geneticist, and the role of chance in the development of his career is particularly remarkable. He has made many scientific accomplishments—both as a researcher and a professor—and the future is sure to bring many more.