BIO
Dr. Eugene Lai is a clinician-scientist at the Houston Methodist Hospital. Born in China but raised in Hong Kong, he attended the University of Wisconsin for his undergraduate education. Afterwards, he earned his PhD from the University of Washington Seattle and did his fellowship at the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Cell Biology. After reaching the title of assistant professor, he sought a career in clinical care and earned his MD from Baylor College of Medicine, choosing to specialize in Neurology. Dr. Lai focuses on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He currently lives in Houston with his wife and has two children who have fully grown up and live away from home. This interview covers the oral history of Dr. Eugene Lai, detailing the events of his upbringing, immigration, education, career development, personal life, and perspectives/beliefs/values on topics such as the pandemic and the more recent AAPI movement.