From Sibling Experiments to Virtual Cells: Tiffany Callahan’s Quest for Knowledge | fAQ podcast S3 E2

In this episode of the fAQ podcast, Tai-Danae explores the emotional and intellectual rigor required to solve impossible problems in Deep Tech with Tiffany Callahan, who was a Machine Learning Research Scientist at SandboxAQ before starting her current role at Manas AI as a Principal Machine Learning Engineer. Tiffany is a computational biologist with a fascinatingly unconventional background. From testing the melting point of Tupperware in her family's fireplace, to conducting behavioral experiments on her triplet siblings, her unquenchable curiosity has driven her since childhood.Tiffany walks us through her journey of completing a 752-page dissertation at the University of Colorado Anschutz, inspired by her grandfather’s wisdom that “knowledge is the one thing that no one can take away from you”. We dive deep into her work at SandboxAQ, where she led a team building causal virtual cell models from first principles to understand gene expression dynamics.Because Deep Tech demands that we operate in uncharted territory, Tiffany opens up about the immense pressure of the work. She shares the brilliant concept of “Rubber Duck Science” and explains why true Deep Tech leadership requires radical vulnerability. Tiffany recounts a recent moment where she cried in front of her team out of frustration, admitted she didn't know the answer, and watched as that raw honesty empowered her team to solve a two-week coding problem in just two hours. Finally, she shares her deeply personal ultimate dream: to use biology, AI, and digital patterns to proactively solve mental health crises before people even know they are struggling.Links:Follow her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callahantiffCheck out her AQtive Minds episode here: “From fMRI to AI: A Scientist's Journey to Building Virtual Cells | Tiffany Callahan's AQtive Mind” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9j6EHsBvfg About this podcastThis podcast is hosted by Tai-Danae Bradley and features the stories of amazing people working in science and technology at SandboxAQ and beyond. All curious humans are invited to join!Want to get in touch? Write us at faq-podcast@sandboxaq.comFor previous episodes, check out https://www.youtube.com/@sandboxaq