Dr. John P. LaCava has given the MassBay biotechnology program reason to be proud. After graduating in 1998 with an associate degree, he went on to receive his bachelor of science in biotechnology from University of California at Berkeley and his Ph.D. in molecular genetics from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
At a crossroads in his life, Dr. LaCava enrolled at MassBay in order to take more responsibility for his future success than at any point previous in his life. What he found waiting for him was a biotechnology program that challenged him to be passionate about his life, his studies and his work.
Like many community college students; Dr. LaCava faced the challenges of having to work full-time while pursuing his studies. He turned that challenge into an opportunity, however, generally working in jobs related to his studies. He has produced two publications, earned a long-term fellowship, taught in several different environments, and conducted numerous research experiments throughout his career. Currently, he is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for Genomic Regulation in Barcelona, Spain.