Welcome to Cultivated Curiosity! My name is Kelly Jamieson Thomas. As an engineer, scientist, spiritual being, and mother of two young children, my passion for wellness is not only driven by my desire to prevent disease so that I may live a long, vibrant life, but also by my passion to inspire others to do the same.
My love for engineering, science, and wellness began as a preschooler hunting in the yard for insects to dissect, cooking delicious meals with my parents, and dedicating many years to the sports of swimming and tennis. This passion continued while studying biomedical engineering at Columbia University, where I also worked in a tissue engineering laboratory on campus. As a student in NYC, I found yoga on the Upper West Side and was immediately fascinated with how strong and calm both my body and mind felt not only during asanas, but all day.
After graduating, I began as a clinical research scientist at Mt. Sinai Hospital, utilizing cytogenetics and tissue analysis to diagnose patients with leukemia and solid tumors. I recognized my passion for studying how we may understand, prevent, and treat cancer, not only diagnose it. This led me to pursue my PhD in oncology, with a structural biology focus, at NYU. I continued to practice yoga regularly, began to explore meditation, and ran the NYC marathon. While I was never a diehard runner, I was curious to know if I could actually run 26.2 miles. It was an incredibly rewarding mental and physical challenge.
Following my PhD, I joined Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee at Columbia University as a postdoctoral researcher investigating the stem cell niche of acute myeloid leukemia. When our first child was born, I focused on teaching and raising our children, but continued to pursue other endeavors that combined my medical background and interest in wellness. My exploration of meditation continues as a daily practice, which not only benefits me, but everyone around me, especially my children.
My passion for wellness, science, fitness, cooking, and crafting projects with my children has inspired me to create this space where I can share my experiences and inspire curiosity to live healthfully and mindfully. Let’s be curious about how we can improve our mental and physical wellness in an effort to prevent disease.
