Class of 16 Louis Joslyn: Pursuing the Science of Healing

Pursuing the Science of Healing

Louis Joslyn’s ’16 life direction suddenly changed after taking an elective class in immunology at Simpson he found “incredibly fascinating.” That class provided a eureka moment, sparking his desire to apply his skills in math and computer science to the field of biology.

Much to his delighted surprise, Joslyn was accepted into the University of Michigan Medical School, where he earned his doctorate in bioinformatics and computational medicine. Today, as a principal scientist, he helps Genentech design clinical trials based on his predictions regarding the efficacious dose for drugs used in oncology, cancer immunotherapy and immunology.

“I’m driven by thinking about the patients who will end up being treated by the drugs I work on,” said Joslyn. “The types of drugs we are developing today were likely considered sci-fi 20 or 30 years ago.”

He anticipates even more amazing advancements in biomedicine.

“The applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning across the landscape of drug development will be very interesting. I’m especially keen to see how AI can be leveraged to predict patient responses [to medications] and recommend personalized therapies in real-time.”

Impressive Honors, Cherished Memories

Joslyn’s groundbreaking work with Genentech has already earned him two prestigious internal awards for “data-driven decision-making” and “scientific innovation.” Considering the numerous academic accolades he achieved at Simpson, such success is not surprising. The two-time Academic All-American soccer player and NCAA Postgraduate Scholar is more than grateful for how well he was prepared to thrive and excel.

“My time at Simpson was pivotal,” said Joslyn. “My work demands that I interact with scientists, clinicians, doctors and businesspeople. Simpson’s emphasis on developing a broadly educated student has enabled me to interact better with people across all walks of life.”

Playing soccer with his brother, Nick Joslyn ’18, is among his many Simpson highlights. “One of my favorite memories is when my brother and I both scored goals to beat Concordia-Moorhead, 2-1, in his first collegiate soccer game.”

Since that day, the brothers have continued to match impressive accomplishments. Nick also earned his doctorate from the University of Michigan — in applied physics. Today, he’s an R&D analyst with Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays.