Tom’s great-great grandfather and his brother were the authors of The McGuffey Readers, a renowned series of schoolbooks that significantly influenced the American educational system from the 1830s onward. His 3-great grandfather, Dr. Daniel Drake, was known as the Pioneer Physician of the West (Ohio and Kentucky). Drake authored over a dozen books on medicine, science, the environment, and society. He was also recognized as the first American born in the West to become a trained physician.

Tom’s academic background includes undergraduate studies in Computer Science, with minors in math business, classical civilizations and literature. He did graduate study in management at Rice University’s Jones School of Business Administration. Later, he received diplomas from the University of Cambridge in English Literature and Literary Criticism.

Tom’s professional journey involved working in IT as an executive or consultant for several notable companies, including AT&T Bell Laboratories, Cap Gemini, Waste Management, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and the fast-growing Quanta Services.

Tom’s interest in genomics and cell biology stems from his  experience as a stage IV cancer patient. His curiosity led him to explore the science of cancer more deeply and in turn, seek to make a difference in medical education, as done by his famous ancestors.