Collaborative Scientists within the Division of Clinical Trials and Biostatistics at Mayo Clinic provide scientific expertise and leadership in a defined area as part of a team, often spanning multiple research programs. As key contributors to these multidisciplinary teams, we provide statistical consultation on a variety of research projects. The statistical reasoning and tools applied in these collaborations vary considerably and often require an iterative approach over the course of the project. In this talk, I will highlight three ongoing and impactful projects in cancer research as illustrative examples of research as a scientific journey. The first collaborative project relates to mechanisms of drug resistance and sensitivity, while the second and third collaborative projects relate to drug development and retention of participants in clinical trials, respectively. Each of these will provide a lens into the working life of a collaborative statistician in biomedical research.