The Truth and Beauty of Science: Guiding Students and Advancing Discovery
By: Katherine Hollen
Dr. Richard Gomer didn’t always envision himself as a biologist. “The story of my life is that when I was little, I wanted to be an astronomer or physicist,” he recalls. As an inquisitive high school student, Dr. Gomer began teaching himself electronics. Eventually, he got so skilled that he elected to study physics in college and even started building an astronomy detector as an undergraduate. However, it wasn’t until his senior year, while working in a biology research lab, that Gomer found himself captivated by a new scientific path.
Initially, biology was the last subject Dr. Gomer wanted to pursue. He vividly remembers his high school biology class and the frustration of memorizing seemingly endless facts. But his curiosity sparked when he began actually talking with the researchers in the lab. “I started asking them, ‘What are you doing with those test tubes?’ And they said, ‘Well, kid, you ever wonder how you get five fingers? Not four, not six, but five?’ I asked, ‘Well, how does it work?’ And they replied, ‘We have no idea.'” That moment ignited something in Dr. Gomer. He wanted to know: How does it all work? Biology allowed him to explore fundamental, foundational questions. “I became a biologist to study the truth and beauty questions,” he says. “Truth and beauty.” Questions like: How do cells decide what they want to do? How does my body know to grow only five fingers? Why are these cells liver cells and these others heart cells? These inquiries propelled Dr. Gomer to graduate school at Caltech, where he pursued a Ph.D. in biology, dedicating himself to exploring the “truth and beauty” questions, as he calls them.
Dr. Gomer’s current research focuses on fibrosing diseases, which occur when scar tissue builds up in organs, impairing their normal function. He is studying a human protein called Serum Amyloid P (SAP), which plays a critical role in scar tissue formation in diseases like pulmonary fibrosis, where excess scarring prevents oxygen intake in the lungs. Dr. Gomer and his team have discovered that SAP can inhibit, and sometimes even reverse, fibrosis in patients, and they are working toward developing new treatments that could significantly improve outcomes for individuals suffering from conditions like pulmonary fibrosis. In addition to his work on fibrosis, Dr. Gomer is studying Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening condition in which the immune system’s neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, damage the lungs. He and his team have found that certain proteins can redirect these neutrophils away from areas they could harm, potentially minimizing the damage they cause. His research could lead to new therapies for ARDS and other diseases where neutrophils are a primary cause of damage.
Both of these research projects came about by Dr. Gomer and his team simply exploring, looking around for something new or weird, and wanting to know why what was happening was happening. And because of that curiosity, they are addressing diseases that currently lack effective treatments, and they hope to develop therapies that could dramatically improve patient outcomes. “There’s really nothing you can do for many of these diseases,” explains Dr. Gomer. “The hope is in the future, however many years down the line, that this is an effective treatment and that it can actually help these people. That’s what keeps us marching.”
Dr. Gomer’s impact extends well beyond the realm of research. As a professor at Texas A&M University, he’s gained a reputation not only for his expertise in biology but also for his dedication to instilling essential life skills in his students. One standout feature of his teaching is his approach to ethics and personal development. While ethics training is required for graduate students conducting research at A&M, Dr. Gomer goes further by weaving in practical lessons, including tactics he refers to as “Jedi mind tricks.” Reflecting on his own experiences, Dr. Gomer asked himself, “What are all the things that nobody ever taught me when I was 20 years old and starting graduate school?” He recognized the challenges graduate students face go beyond research, so he designed his course to help students navigate tough situations, communicate more effectively, and manage the stress that often comes with the territory. These “Jedi skills” include techniques like mirroring, cognitive therapy, negotiation strategies, and management skills—tools that go far beyond the laboratory and into everyday life.
As someone who personally took Dr. Gomer’s ethics class, I can attest to the power of these “Jedi mind tricks.” Mirroring, for instance, teaches students to listen actively to who they are talking to, separate facts from feelings, and repeat the speaker’s words back to them to ensure clarity—a skill I continue to use as a journalist to ensure accurate understanding when I conduct interviews. The true lifesaver, however, was cognitive therapy. When feeling overwhelmed, Dr. Gomer encourages his students to write down the facts of a situation alongside their emotional responses—helping them recognize when they’re jumping to conclusions, thinking in absolutes, overgeneralizing, or assuming the worst. This simple exercise has been a game-changer for managing stress and reframing anxiety. Now, whenever I feel myself spiraling mentally, I take out a piece of paper, practice cognitive therapy, and start to feel better. I know I’m not alone in experiencing the lasting benefits of these “Jedi tricks.”
“I’ve had students years later tell me how the skills I taught them helped in their personal lives and careers,” Dr. Gomer reflects. He recalls a student who used negotiation techniques to reduce his apartment rent and another who credited Dr. Gomer’s advice on improving his communication and handling difficult conversations with saving his marriage. These skills come into play even in Dr. Gomer’s own lab. Graduate students use negotiation tactics to secure better prices for lab supplies while managing their roles in overseeing undergraduates. Senior undergrads also supervise new lab members, fostering leadership skills. Cognitive therapy techniques help students stay focused and keep going even when faced with setbacks, and mirroring ensures clear communication, especially when giving instructions. When everyone in the lab utilizes these tools, it creates a dynamic and collaborative environment where curiosity thrives and all students contribute meaningfully to research. These moments underscore the far-reaching impact of his guidance because, for Dr. Richard Gomer, teaching and mentoring are just as important as conducting groundbreaking research. Dr. Gomer inspires the next generation of researchers, thinkers, and leaders by blending scientific inquiry with essential life skills. He ensures that students not only make discoveries in biology but also learn to navigate the complexities of life—one “Jedi skill” at a time.
Dr. Richard Gomer wants to thank Thomas Powell for his generosity, which has allowed him to pursue exploratory projects that would not have been possible with conventional grant money, his amazing lab team of hardworking graduate and undergraduate students, and the current department chair and dean at the Department of Biology for creating such a positive work environment.
