Theresa Oei fell in love with science as a kid. But she was also a talented ballet performer, and could kick up a storm as an Irish step dancer.
Those childhood passions have paid off for her as an adult.
Next week, Oei, a researcher at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, will briefly set aside her lab coat and slip on her dance shoes when she heads to Houston to root for the New England Patriots as one of the team’s newest cheerleaders.
Don’t have a Globe subscription? Boston.com readers get a 2-week free trial.