From Chords to Code
A Path from Classical Guitar to Computational Biology
In a life shaped by transitions, the journey of Simon Forsberg to become a senior bioinformatician reveals the power of curiosity and adaptability. Once a classically trained guitarist, he spent years dedicated to music before realizing his calling was within the intricate world of science.
Written by Rodrigo Arcoverde Cerveira Da Silva, PhD student at Karolinska Institutet and participant of the course “Career Skills for Scientists” during the spring term 2024
After years of teaching guitar and performing, he made the bold decision to shift careers, enrolling in a five-year biotechnology program at Uppsala University in 2008.
“I’ve always been interested in science, but I didn’t have a science background from high school, so I had to start from scratch,” he explains.
As Simon’s master studies progressed, his fascination with biology merged with a newfound passion for programming and mathematics, leading him to specialize in bioinformatics. His journey included prestigious internships at Warsaw University and Oxford University, ultimately culminating in a PhD in statistical genetics completed in 2017. He worked on gene-environment interactions across humans, dogs, and model organisms, developing computational tools and statistical models.
“I didn’t want to do ‘green biology’. I wanted something more ‘hard science’, therefore bioinformatics felt like a cool combination.”
However, despite his success, academia came with its own pressures. The growing stress of academic life pushed him to consider a new path.
“Academia is a weird place in many ways. I really like doing science… but I was fed up with the whole academic system.”
A spontaneous job application led him to Olink Proteomics in 2021, a biotech company, where he now works as a senior data scientist. In this role, he applies his statistical and bioinformatics expertise to support scientists with data analysis and research. His work spans customer-facing projects, study design, and internal research and development (R&D). While he misses the freedom to pursue purely curiosity-driven projects, the transition has given him a new perspective.
“I still do science, but I’m not as free to do it as I was in academia. I miss pursuing a research question just out of curiosity. In industry, the science has to lead to something tangible, something profitable.”
Though the shift to industry has required adjustments, the benefits are clear. He no longer faces the constant pressure of academic life.
“I have 1 percent of the stress and anxiety that I used to have. I have time for my family and a secure position. It’s a weird world, I work less and earn more.”
Looking forward, he hopes to move further into R&D, blending his love for science with practical applications. Despite his varied career, his identity remains firmly rooted in his scientific pursuits.
“I’m still a scientist at heart. I want to work on long research projects, preferably the ones I choose.”
From a life of music to the world of computational biology, his journey from chords to code is a testament to following one’s passion and embracing change when new opportunities arise. Yet, even as he shifted careers, the music still echoes. A guitar rests quietly in the background during the interview—proof that while his hands may now shape data, the melodies remain a part of him.
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