Dr. Dylan McCreedy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology. His lab investigates inflammation and neural circuit damage after spinal cord injury. Dr. McCreedy received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis in 2013 and joined the Department of Biology at Texas A&M University in 2019.
What is on your bookshelf?
Many cookbooks including Cookish, Plenty, and Run Fast Cook Fast Eat Slow.
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I have survived spinal meningitis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). As a result, I am partially deaf (from the spinal meningitis) and have had a collapsed lung (from the ARDS). Both diseases shaped my career path and sparked my interest in the neuroimmune response.
What is your favorite word?
Focus – from microscopy to life in general, focus has always been a guiding principle.
What do you think are your greatest strengths as an instructor?
My primary goal as an instructor is to provide multiple complementary avenues of learning to account for individual student preferences.
What characteristics do you prize most in a colleague?
Intellectual curiosity, responsibility, and compassion. Science is fun and incredibly challenging. Having colleagues that enjoy researching and teaching in STEM fields, while also showing accountability and forgiveness, makes the experience all the more worthwhile.
What advice would you give to a new graduate student? New professor?
Find your passion and a community that enables your pursuit of it.
What is the broader significance of your research?
Our goal is to understand the mechanisms underlying inflammation-associated tissue damage after spinal cord injury. With this knowledge, we aim to develop the next generation of neuroprotective treatments to reduce paralysis and improve long-term recovery.