Asim Ahmed has three passions: the detection and workings of infectious diseases, sports (especially his hometown St. Louis teams), and music, and in this wide-ranging conversation, he shows how each one has shaped his life.

We talk about his one-of-a-kind custom jerseys (clever mashups of teams, players, and music references), his journey from pediatric infectious disease (ID) in academic medicine to metagenomic diagnostics in biotech, and the “detective work” mindset that drew him to ID in the first place.

We also close with something deeply personal: Asim reflects on the reality of caring for aging parents, including how complex the system can be, and why he’s willing to help others who find themselves learning it on the fly.

Highlights include:

• The art (and satire) of his custom sports jerseys
• Why he was drawn to infectious disease
• The promise of “liquid biopsy”–style diagnostics for infections
• The live shows and venues that he’ll never forget
• The Amherst classmate he wants me to interview next

For those not familiar with “Seven Nations Army” by the White Stripes, you can listen to it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2QdDbelmY.

You can email Asim at atothe3@gmail.com. Big thanks to JC Leveque for nominating him.