Steve Stippec

Research Scientist
Department of Pharmacology

First UTSW job: Research Technician II.

What energizes me at work: I love solving problems and helping people. My work here lets me do both.

How co-workers describe me: Calm and relaxed.

Recipe for success: I’m always willing to take on new projects and help others in the lab.

Unusual UTSW memory: Early on, I was tasked with purifying native protein phosphatase 2 from 22 pounds of fresh cow heart tissue. I was terrified I would fail. It took a month of planning and prep, followed by four 16-hour days of work. It gave me the confidence to learn and try new techniques.

Passions: Writing and recording songs. It could be considered experimental music: I make something new by combining established methods with those I create. If it works, I celebrate; if it fails, I troubleshoot and try again. In some ways, it’s a lot like research.

Surprising facts: I’m a foster parent and avid wakesurfer.

Final note: Before I came to UT Southwestern, I worked at a clinical lab, calling doctors’ offices to report abnormal test results. This job has allowed me to do so many things I never would have been able to do if Melanie Cobb, Ph.D., had not hired me and given me the chance to escape that cubicle in 1996.