From Libretti to the Lab

Torn between two callings: In 1986, Catherine Bollard performed the role of Aphrodite in the world premier of "The Birds" by John Drummond at the University of Otago.

Singing was once Dr. Catherine Bollard's creative outlet. Now, it's developing new treatments for children with cancer.

An assistant professor of pediatrics at BCM, she always wanted to be a doctor, but along the way took a detour—to the opera house. Bollard has always found solace in music. Raised in a musical family, she studied piano and flute at an early age, and at 16, began singing competitively.

"I guess it came naturally to me, and with my teachers pushing me, I surprisingly began winning," she said.

After high school, Bollard was offered a voice scholarship to go to Australia. In her native New Zealand, however, students can begin medical training at age 18. She chose medical school, receiving her degree from Otago University in New Zealand at age 24.

She juggled music and medicine when she completed a medical internship in pediatric hematology and oncology at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London while competing and studying under Rudolf Piernay, the renowned voice teacher from London's Guildhall School of Music.

Today she pursues new treatments for children with cancer and has no doubt she chose the right career path.

It was at "St. Bart's" that she committed fully to a medical career, although she doesn't feel as if she chose science over music. For Bollard, it was a win-win since she was passionate about both. She maintains that she chose the "easier" of the two, believing that studying libretti, or musical lyrics, for a living, can be, in many ways, even more demanding than medicine.

She and her jazz musician husband moved back to New Zealand to continue her training in pediatric hematology and oncology. There, she learned of the work of Drs. Malcolm Brenner, Cliona Rooney and Helen Heslop in BCM's department of pediatrics – hematology and oncology.

When she arrived at Baylor in 2001, she was given a project related to T-cell therapy for Hodgkin's disease. T-cell therapy is meant to target the tumor cells, whereas chemotherapy kills all cells in the body. Her work since has all stemmed from that original study. Her most recent paper, which looked at using T-cells to prevent viral infections after transplants, recently appeared in Nature Medicine.

"I don't prefer one over the other. I need to be in the clinic because it gives me a sense of purpose to what I am doing in the lab. Working with kids with cancer is emotional and being in the lab gives me the hope that treatments will be developed," Bollard said.

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Volume 3, Issue 1, Spring 2007


	From Libretti to the Lab by Kimberlee Barbour Torn between two callings: In 1986, Catherine Bollard performed the role of Aphrodite in the world premier of "The Birds" by John Drummond at the University of Otago. Singing was once Dr. Catherine Bollard's creative outlet. Now, it's developing new treatments for children with cancer. An assistant professor of pediatrics at BCM, she always wanted to be a doctor, but along the way took a detour—to the opera house. Bollard has always found solace in music. Raised in a musical family, she studied piano and flute at an early age, and at 16, began singing competitively. "I guess it came naturally to me, and with my teachers pushing me, I surprisingly began winning," she said. After high school, Bollard was offered a voice scholarship to go to Australia. In her native New Zealand, however, students can begin medical training at age 18. She chose medical school, receiving her degree from Otago University in New Zealand at age 24. She juggled music and medicine when she completed a medical internship in pediatric hematology and oncology at St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London while competing and studying under Rudolf Piernay, the renowned voice teacher from London's Guildhall School of Music. Today she pursues new treatments for children with cancer and has no doubt she chose the right career path. It was at "St. Bart's" that she committed fully to a medical career, although she doesn't feel as if she chose science over music. For Bollard, it was a win-win since she was passionate about both. She maintains that she chose the "easier" of the two, believing that studying libretti, or musical lyrics, for a living, can be, in many ways, even more demanding than medicine. She and her jazz musician husband moved back to New Zealand to continue her training in pediatric hematology and oncology. There, she learned of the work of Drs. Malcolm Brenner, Cliona Rooney and Helen Heslop in BCM's department of pediatrics – hematology and oncology. When she arrived at Baylor in 2001, she was given a project related to T-cell therapy for Hodgkin's disease. T-cell therapy is meant to target the tumor cells, whereas chemotherapy kills all cells in the body. Her work since has all stemmed from that original study. Her most recent paper, which looked at using T-cells to prevent viral infections after transplants, recently appeared in Nature Medicine. In music or science, Bollard said you get what you put in. "I don't prefer one over the other. I need to be in the clinic because it gives me a sense of purpose to what I am doing in the lab. Working with kids with cancer is emotional and being in the lab gives me the hope that treatments will be developed," Bollard said.		Search all issues: Patient Care Putting the Pieces Together: Megan's Story When Baby Heart Patients Grow Up Perfect Fit A Half Century of Love Saying Goodnight to Sleeping Pills Research A Cellular Passion From a Sister's Illness... A Cancer Crusade From Libretti to the Lab Education Leaping the Language Barrier Online Science Community Service Altruistic Art When the MVP is a Dr. A Neighborhood Need Alumni & Development BRASS Connections Help Students Soar If Walls Could Talk The Highest Honor The Ambassadors College News Physician Hall of Fame: College Receives One-of-a-Kind Signature Collection People Working Together to Achieve Greatness

	Volume 3, Issue 1, Spring 2007



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