September 7th, 2026
Decibels with Leinal Sejour
At the intersection of complex data and creative sound, bioinformatician Leinal Sejour (LS) extracts clear signals from massive genetic sequences while staying deeply rooted in community mentorship. Sitting down with Kevin Small Jr. (KSJ), he breaks down the parallels between sequencing code and listening to music, navigating high-level research, and how sound serves as his ultimate creative reset.
KSJ: YOUR DAILY WORK INVOLVES FINDING PATTERNS IN COMPLEX BIOLOGICAL DATA. DOES THAT ANALYTICAL MINDSET CHANGE HOW YOU LISTEN TO MUSIC, OR IS MUSIC WHERE YOU TURN OFF THE ANALYSIS?
LS: Music is usually when I like to turn off the analysis. I need to have quiet to really be effective and productive. When I'm listening to music--especially music that I like or that I'm feeling--it tends to take you to another place. It could take you to a memory; it could invoke a feeling in you, and sometimes that can distract some of the skills. If I'm reading or trying to do something that I need to use another part of my brain, it can be a distraction. But sometimes I need to break from working, so that's when I like to listen to music.
KSJ: FROM MENTORING INTERNS TO LEADING IN STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS YEARS AGO, COMMUNITY HAS BEEN A PART OF YOUR CAREER. HOW DOES MUSIC HELP YOU BUILD CONNECTIONS IN A HIGHLY TECHNICAL FIELD?
LS: I'd say music is helpful in terms of bridging the human gap. Sometimes when you're working in the scientific, or even the academic space, it can sometimes be work, work, work, work all the time, and sometimes you definitely need to take a break. You need to be able to connect with other people, and music can be one of those ways: going to concerts or even just talking to people about different albums. Like, “Hey, have you heard this? Do you like this?” Or “What did you feel when you heard this?” Those things help bridge and connect with people, particularly in the tech space.
KSJ: IN BIOINFORMATICS, YOU'RE CONSTANTLY FILTERING OUT DATA NOISE TO FIND MEANINGFUL SIGNALS. WHAT TRACK OR GENRE SERVES AS YOUR PERSONAL RESET BUTTON AFTER A LONG DAY IN THE OFFICE?
LS: Man, I'm definitely a hip hop fan, but there's some times where I need some R&B to just relax, to maybe ease a stressful moment or just take the edge off, you know what I mean? Or maybe I need something a little bit more upbeat: maybe I'll listen to some Fabolous or some old school hip hop. If I had a frustrating day or I feel like I wasn't super successful, I'll listen to some hip hop--maybe that'll put me in a better space. But yeah, R&B for sure helps to just bring me down.