Faculty of Medicine celebrates International Day of Women and Girls in Science

From passionate teachers to Marie Curie, Faculty of Medicine staff share what inspired them to become scientists.

To mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Saturday 11 February, we asked some of our staff across the Faculty of Medicine who or what inspired them to become a scientist and how has this had an impact on where they are today.

Dr Alexis Barr

Advanced Research Fellow leading the LMS Cell Cycle Control Group - MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences

“I didn’t realise that I could “be” a scientist until I went to university. People told me I should be an accountant because I was good at maths. Or work for the council because it was a stable job. All good reasons. But then I did a summer studentship at the MRC-LMB with Andrew Leslie in 2003 and I realised that I loved doing experiments and working in a lab. 

After that summer I knew that this was the career I wanted. Then the first time I looked at cells going through cell division under a microscope, I was fascinated by how beautifully co-ordinated this process was. Now I’ve managed to combine my love of microscopy and the cell cycle into a career to try and improve our understanding of cancer to treat patients better.”

Dr Folake Orafidiya

Research Scientist - Institute Of Infection

“As a child I visited the hospital often and I was always intrigued as to how people recover from illnesses after taking a medication. As time went by, I found out that I loved biology and chemistry. So I thought which profession best suit these subjects. With the guidance of my parents, my father a medical doctor and my mum a pharmacist, I decided to study Pharmacy as my undergrad degree. Whilst in Pharmacy school, I developed a passion for drug discovery and development and then went on to do a Masters degree and PhD in biomedical sciences.

I currently work as an oncology drug development scientist at the Tate group, here in Imperial in collaboration with Myricx pharma. My work entails researching into new medicines to treat cancer giving patients with this recalcitrant disease a chance at survival and a better quality of life.”

Dr Fatemeh Geranmayeh

Clinicial Scientist Fellow - Department of Brain Sciences

“I set my eyes on neuroscience relatively early on in my medical degree. Having not done biology at school (I was a late convertor to medicine), I was awestruck, in my first neuroanatomy class, by the structure of a neuron capable of conducting electricity. I knew then I wanted to be a neurologist. I had the fortune to meet some inspiring clinicians and neuroscientists early who really shaped my career later on.  

I left medical school just as the NIHR Integrated Academic Training pathway was created following the Walport Report. This was very helpful in facilitating my progression up the academic clinical ladder, into a doctoral and post-doctoral fellowship. Having said that, everyone’s route to academia is very unique and there is no single right/easy way. The necessary ingredients are curiosity, persistence and a supportive environment."

Dr Scarlet Nazarian

Clinical Research Fellow and General Surgery Specialist Registrar - Institute of Global Health Innovation

“I am a general surgical registrar pursuing a PhD. I absolutely love what I do. I am currently doing research into cancer margin assessment, and I hope that the work has an impact on improving cancer care for patients in the future.

The lack of women in surgery and academia motivates me every day to want to break the stereotypes and gender gaps that exist in the scientific world. I hope to inspire the next generation of medical students and scientists and show that anything is possible with hard work and focus. I also attempt to inspire and educate through my social media channel.”

Prof Clare Lloyd

Vice-Dean (Institutional Affairs) - Faculty of Medicine

“I was inspired to be a scientist from a Ladybird book on Marie Curie that I was given when quite young. I  remember thinking her story was particularly interesting – she ignored the prejudices of the time, and didn’t give up on her goals . Her perseverance and tenacity to achieve her ambitions are still those qualities that one needs today, I believe. She also believed in supporting others – I think that’s an incredibly important part of being a scientist and one of the most rewarding parts of the job.”

Dr Alice Denton

Non-Clinical Lecturer - Department of Immunology and Inflammation

“I’m going to be Australian-level honest with you here: there was no “thing” that inspired me to become a scientist I kinda just ended up here. I have broad interests – at one point I thought about becoming a sculptor. Instead I studied biomedical science – partly because my parents were medically trained (a surgeon and nurse) and thought I might follow that. I enjoyed learning about biology, how things work – especially infections and immunity – and really loved the practicals.

So I kept doing it – completing my Bachelor and Honours degrees in Melbourne. I wanted to travel and try a real job, so I ended up working as a biomedical scientist in the NHS as your typical Australian travelling about Europe (but not working in a bar for a change!). I disliked the routine and repetitiveness. In hindsight I loved the creativity of research science and really missed that – asking questions and designing experiments to answer those questions.  I returned to Aussie to do my PhD, and came back to the UK for a postdoc and just never left… (my mum’s not super impressed about that!)”

Lamia Sabry Aboelnasr 

PhD student - Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction

“As an aspiring researcher, I was always on the lookout for role models who could inspire and guide me in my career. That's when I met Prof Asmaa Gaber Abdou, a professor in pathology from Egypt. From the moment I met her, I knew that she was going to have a profound impact on my life. Her passion for pathology and science was contagious, and I found myself drawn to her teaching style, her approach to research, and her unwavering commitment to her students.” 

Dr Rachel Phillips

Senior Lecturer in Medical Statistics and Clinical Trials - School of Public Health

“I have to thank a series of (primarily female) teachers for nurturing and supporting my love of maths. From primary school where I was encouraged to challenge myself with tricky maths problems. Thank you Mrs Woodland and Mr Lewis for all that extra maths homework (really!). To Ms Gabe the secondary school teacher (who I remain in touch with to this day) who encouraged me to pursue a maths degree when I was unsure of what to study. Who also opened my eyes to the possibility of a career as a medical statistician when I was left uninspired after completing a graduate banking internship. Without their encouragement, guidance and cheerleading I would not have had the confidence to pursue a maths degree, let alone a MSc and PhD, and I certainly would not have thought about a career as a medical statistician. Thank you!”

Nagina Manga

PhD Student - Department of Surgery & Cancer 

“From the age of five, I was always drawn to science, in particular astrophysics and quantum physics which became my first scientific passions. Naturally this drew me to Albert Einstein who until today is a huge role model for me. I also vividly remember learning about Rosalind Franklin and Marie Curie at school, and their pioneering scientific achievements inspired me to pursue an academic science career.   

As I approach the end of my PhD and begin on a post-doctoral journey soon which will hopefully lead me to becoming an independent researcher one day, I keep in mind all the strong, female scientific leaders that are inspirational to me. I hope that one day I can also inspire the next generation of female STEM leaders.”