‘Learn how to lose’: Dr David Gillespie shares his tips on how to navigate a research career

Dr David Gillespie is Co- director of the Health and Care Research Wales funded Wales Applied Virology Unit (WAVU) and a Principal Research Fellow at the Centre for Trials Research, where he leads the Infection, Inflammation and Immunity Trials Division.

Dr Gillespie delivered a TED-style talk at the Health and Care Research Wales’ tenth annual conference reflecting on his research career and advising his younger self.

Opening with the idea that a research career is as much about resilience as it is about discovery, Dr Gillespie encouraged researchers to “have aspirations” whilst balancing ambition with perspective and purpose. Drawing from his own experiences across clinical and academic research, he shared four key principles guiding his research career:

1. Find your why

Research can be demanding, uncertain and full of rejection. Dr Gillespie reminded the audience that knowing why you’re doing it, whether it’s curiosity, public service or creating a better world for the next generation, anchors you when challenges arise. For him, seeing the potential real-world benefits of his work for his two daughters gives his research deeper meaning.

2. Learn to lose well

Every research career is built on both success and setback. Dr Gillespie urged colleagues to embrace rejection, the grants not funded and the papers not accepted, as part of the process. He said:

“It’s the reflection and resilience that turn each ‘no’ into progress.”

3. Value the process over the outcome

Rather than focusing solely on publications, funding or impact metrics, Dr Gillespie highlighted the importance of enjoying the process, asking questions, collaborating, experimenting and growing. 

4. Choose the people you want to work with

Research is collaborative at its heart. Dr Gillespie emphasised surrounding yourself with people who share your values, challenge you constructively and make the work enjoyable. He said:

“Who you work with matters as much as what you work on.”

Dr Gillespie has previously held a Health Research Fellowship awarded by Health and Care Research Wales to investigate the use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in individuals at-risk of HIV-acquisition living in Wales.

Clinically, his research interests focus on prudent medication use in the field of infectious diseases and his work can be broadly split into these key areas:

• Medication adherence – specifically, ways in which adherence to medication is conceptualised, measured, and modelled
• The development and evaluation of antimicrobial stewardship interventions
• The development and evaluation of public health / prevention interventions

WAVU was launched on 1 April 2025 following the award of £3 million in funding from Health and Care Research Wales. It aims to improve patient and public outcomes by integrating basic and translational virology with viral epidemiology and practice. This will be achieved through interdisciplinary expertise, comprising basic and translational virology, clinical trials, public health epidemiology and implementation science, to generate solutions in the field of viral disease, leading to more efficient research and improved care for patients and the public.

Find out more about his research by watching Dr Gillespie’s TED-style talk delivered at the 2025 Health and Care Research Wales conference.