Research Staff Spotlight: Sirikorn Boonsawat

Sirikorn Boonsawat’s work at CHLA began with the digital equivalent of a cold call. “Something in my head was saying, ‘’Why don’t you go on LinkedIn and connect with somebody new?’” she explains. On the website, she saw a posting for a job opportunity at CHLA, so she messaged the individual linked with the posting – Rohit Kohli, MBBS, MS, Chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and Associate Director of The Saban Research Institute.

Sirikorn, who goes by Siri, originally planned to attend pharmacy school, but felt this wasn’t the right fit. She later explored a career in law before trying out a volunteer medical research position and eventually becoming an experienced research coordinator. Through her conversations with Dr. Kohli and interactions with other CHLA faculty and staff, she realized that CHLA was where she wanted to be.

She now works as a Clinical Research Coordinator with Dr. Kohli, focusing on research into treatments for babies with a liver disease called biliary atresia. One of the treatments is an operation called the Kasai procedure, in which a baby's liver is connected to the small intestine to bypass blocked bile ducts.

“I get to witness babies who are now able to hit growth milestones through their first few years of life,” Siri says. “I didn’t know I could love a job this much. And the connection that I have with the people at CHLA, from Dr. Kohli to the nurses and everyone else – they're the best people I’ve ever met.”

Beyond her work, Siri enjoys reading and visiting parks around L.A. with her dog. “I like to sit under a tree with my smoothie and my book while my dog looks for squirrels!”