Where Are They Now: Dr. Tara Adamovich Huston

Dr. Tara Adamovich Huston worked on a project in high school, Identification and Characterization of a Novel Receptor That Binds to the Globular Heads of C1q, that won her a semi-finalist prize in the Westinghouse/Intel contest in the early 1990s.

In layman’s terms it was a study of how the C1q “molecule functions early in the immune pathway, allowing our bodies to fight infection. Its characterization has helped to explain part of the puzzle as to how our intricate immune system functions,” Huston said.

Huston had Dr. Berhane Ghebrehiwet as her research advisor at SUNY Stony Brook, in the Division of Allergy and Immunology. “His mentorship over the past 20 years has been invaluable to my development as a physician and a professional,” she said.

What motivated Huston in school to become a doctor and scientist? “I have no physicians in my family, but as early as kindergarten I would tell people I was going to be a doctor when I grew up,”  she explained. 

Paul Kelly, the science teacher at Homestead and Stratford Schools back then, inspired Huston: “He always made class something to look forward to and encouraged us to participate in the yearly Science Fair. Once I entered high school, there was Dr. Bergman and her ability to promote and nurture her students. She was out of this world! She made science research exciting and fun.  She made us feel that our work, even as teenagers, was important…My time with her was one of my highlights at Garden City. It motivated me to continue to keep research as part of my career.”

While in Garden City High School she worked at the Cold Spring Harbor Lab in the Partners for the Future Program where she was able to meet and work with the famous and controversial James Watson, co-discoverer of the DNA double helix.

A lot has happened with Huston since graduation in 1993. She did her undergraduate work at Harvard and graduated with a degree cum laude in biochemical sciences in 1997.

Afterward, she headed back to SUNY Stony Brook’s School of Medicine where she attained her MD with Distinction in research in 2001. A general surgery residency followed at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Weill Cornell Medical Center, completed in 2008, and a residency at NYPH-Cornell/Columbia for Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, which she finished in 2011 with an emphasis on breast reconstruction. To add to her impressive list of degrees are innumerable awards, published research and professional presentations. 

 “I feel fortunate to be very fulfilled by what I do. As for the research, I feel that it’s what propels the medical field forward. To me, teaching students and conducting research are integral parts of being a good physician,” says Huston.

“Over the years I have enjoyed talking to students from Garden City High School with similar academic interests to mine and helping them navigate the very complex pathway of medical training. It helps me give back to the school system, which provided me with such a strong foundation for future successes.”

Huston’s advice to students? “Identify and then pursue what interests you. Find mentors, as their guidance is invaluable.”

If you like the medical field, she adds, “volunteer in hospitals and laboratories to see if you are comfortable in the environment. This will also help you make connections, which may help later.”

Huston married Jared Huston M.D. in 2003 and now has three children.