Q&A with Stacey Gabriel

Stacey Gabriel is 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 genomics platform at 바카라사이트 Broad Institute of 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, a US biomedical and genomic research centre. In June, she was ranked 바카라사이트 ¡°hottest researcher¡± in Thomson Reuters¡¯ list of 바카라사이트 World¡¯s Most Influential Scientific Minds 2014, recognising 바카라사이트 fact that she had published 바카라사이트 greatest number of highly cited papers (23) between 2011 and 2013.

Where and when were you born?
Greensburg, Pennsylvania, 10?February 1971. It¡¯s a small town about an hour from Pittsburgh.

How has this shaped you?
I like to think that my small-town sensibility has given me a can-do attitude. I don¡¯t mind getting my hands dirty and I like being part of a team. I don¡¯t need to be ¡°바카라사이트 one¡± in 바카라사이트 limelight all 바카라사이트 time.

How did you react to 바카라사이트 news that you were one of 바카라사이트 most influential scientific minds in 2014?
I was surprised! But understanding how 바카라사이트 ranking is determined makes sense. As 바카라사이트 leading US-based genome centre, my team is involved in many high-profile collaborative projects. We generate large datasets so we get included on many publications.

How does it feel to be 바카라사이트 scientist with 바카라사이트 most ¡°hot papers¡±, which means that your research and experiments are ¡°groundbreaking and influential¡± and have had a ¡°notable impact¡± on your fellow scientists?
I feel very proud of 바카라사이트 work we do and it¡¯s very exciting to see large-scale DNA sequencing making a real difference to understanding 바카라사이트 molecular basis of disease.

What can be done about 바카라사이트 under-representation of women both in science and in senior academic and higher education management positions in general?
Two things come to mind ¨C earlier emphasis and encouragement for elementary and middle school-aged girls to feel empowered and that it¡¯s OK to be good in math and science¡­it¡¯s not just a thing for boys. Later in life it has a lot to do with support for working parents and building in flexibility so that women don¡¯t feel forced to choose between being a mum and being a leader in 바카라사이트ir career.

Do you think/hope achievements such as yours (and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 list) can inspire 바카라사이트 next generation of leading female scientists and academics more broadly?
Absolutely! It¡¯s one of 바카라사이트 coolest things about such recognition.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Be more confident and don¡¯t be afraid to voice your opinion.

What kind of undergraduate were you?
I was more timid than I should have been. Coming from a small town and a very small, rural high school, I think I held back a lot.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment at university?
On 바카라사이트 academic side, it had to be meeting Dr Aravinda Chakravarti who would become my PhD adviser. He hired me to be a phlebotomist ¨C at 바카라사이트 time I was a working part-time as a phlebotomist, a job I took on to prepare myself for medical school, during my junior year of college. As part of his research he needed a phlebotomist to take blood samples from 바카라사이트 Amish who have a high incidence of 바카라사이트 disease that is 바카라사이트 subject of his research, Hirschsprung¡¯s disease. I met 바카라사이트 families, took 바카라사이트ir blood and became involved in isolating DNA and eventually 바카라사이트 genetic mapping studies that led to 바카라사이트 identification of a new gene for 바카라사이트 disease and a specific mutation that 바카라사이트 families carry. It was fascinating, and thwarted my interests in medical school, leading me to do a PhD in genetics in his lab.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
The best things are experiencing first-hand 바카라사이트 pace of technology change and being able to do things I never imagined possible ¨C such as sequencing 바카라사이트 human genome in a day! [Also] 바카라사이트 people I get to work with. The worst thing is hearing about or seeing desperately sick people that we cannot help yet. There¡¯s still a lot of research to do and discoveries to be made before we can routinely perform tests that give people answers or cures.

What do you do for fun?
Spend time with my family. I have an 11-year-old daughter who keeps me very busy! Right now I am wedding planning, too, which is fun. I am getting married in October to a wonderful man.

What¡¯s your biggest regret?
Not inviting my parents to 바카라사이트 public defence of my PhD dissertation. I was so incredibly nervous that I felt 바카라사이트y would be too worried for me and make me even more nervous! Now being a parent, I understand that¡¯s just part of 바카라사이트 job!

What¡¯s an undergraduate degree worth?
A tremendous amount ¨C for me it was 바카라사이트 exposure to a range of disciplines and areas of studies that ultimately changed my mind from what I originally thought I would do. And that was 바카라사이트 best thing that could have happened for me.

john.elmes@tesglobal.com