Malachia Hoover, PhD

What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned?

The value of active listening. It builds trust, fosters problem-solving, and enhances decision-making by ensuring everyone feels heard and valued.

What do you consider to be your most important career achievement or milestone?

Completing my PhD in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine from Stanford University is my most significant career milestone. It is particularly remarkable because I was the first African American to graduate from this program, highlighting the importance of representation in the biomedical sciences.

What do you aspire to accomplish in your career and why? What obstacles will you overcome?

I aspire to advance the biomedical field, focusing on novel musculoskeletal therapies. This work has the potential to greatly improve lives. Challenges include securing research funding, navigating regulations, and overcoming technical hurdles, but I am committed to making a meaningful impact.

Describe an amazing opportunity in your STEM career.

Becoming a postdoctoral fellow at BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. has allowed me to conduct basic biology research to understand the mechanisms of their therapeutics. Additionally, it has introduced me to the translational aspect of designing novel therapies to treat patients.

How was AWIS helped you professionally and/or personally?

AWIS has provided me with a sense of community, allowing me to connect and learn from other women scientists across a broad range of STEM careers.

What is your favorite word? (only one word)

Passion.

How do you define it?

A strong desire for or devotion to.

How has this word influenced or inspired your career?

Passion is a crucial aspect of my success. Working in a field where scientific breakthroughs can save and improve patients’ lives is both remarkable and challenging. This passion for biomedical sciences fuels my perseverance, even when faced with difficulties.

How does AWIS impact your career journey?

AWIS has had a significant impact on my career journey. Hearing the success stories of other women scientists and learning how they have overcome the hurdles that women and minorities face in this field has been incredibly inspiring.

What are you currently reading or listening to?

The “GNX” album from Kendrick Lamar.

What do you consider the best professional or personal advice you’ve ever received?

The late Maya Angelou’s poem, “Still I Rise,” has always motivated me to rise and overcome, no matter the obstacles that try to hold us back.

Malachia Hoover, PhD, earned her bachelor’s degree in cell and molecular biology and master’s degree in biology from Cal State University Northridge. She then completed her PhD in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at Stanford University, where she investigated the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing the skeletal stem cell niche within the intervertebral disc. Currently, she is a postdoctoral fellow in Research and Early Development at BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc, focusing on musculoskeletal research. Malachia hopes to inspire other minorities to pursue careers in the biomedical sciences.