Celebrating MDR's Women - Dr Roberta Migale

To mark Women at Imperial Week, we interviewed three of MDR's outstanding female staff. In our final interview, we spoke to Dr Roberta Migale.

"People in senior positions act as role models, showing us that ‘it can be done’. It is important that they actively mentor women, especially I would say at early career stage" Dr Roberta Migale

Supporting women throughout their career journey is essential for fostering gender equality in the workplace. To gain insight into the challenges, opportunities, and support systems that shape women's professional experiences, we spoke with three MDR staff members from different areas of the Department about their career paths and the lessons they've learned along the way.

Dr Roberta Migale - Lecturer in Embryology and Gamete Biology

Tell us a bit about your career, background, and current role

I did a BSc in molecular biology at the University of Padua, in Italy. My dissertation was an in-depth analysis of a single paper which had just been published by a lab at the Italian National Institute of Health in Rome. The study was about the role of a specific cluster of micro-RNAs as tumour suppressors in prostate cancer. I fell in love with the concept of gene regulation and with the methods they were using. So as I embarked on my MSc studies, I sent an email to the first author and asked to join her lab asa  trainee for my research project. I had zero experience in the lab at this point, but what I lacked in experience I had in motivation. Amazingly, she said yes and so I moved to Rome and spent the next 9 months in the lab. Whilst I was very much enjoying the lifestyle in Rome, I knew I needed another challenge. I booked a one-way ticket, and I started to look for a PhD in the UK. I eventually found an opportunity right here, at Imperial. I spent the next 4 years studying the mechanisms regulating activation of contractions in the uterus in term and preterm labour, supervised by Professors Bennett and MacIntyre in what was then the Department of Surgery and Cancer (now MDR). My PhD cemented my commitment to research devoted to improving reproductive health.

For my postdoc, I switched field, and I joined the lab of Professor Lovell-Badge at the Francis Crick Institute, where I worked on the genetic regulation of sex determination, with a focus on ovarian development. I was then promoted to senior laboratory research scientist, funded by MRC, investigating the molecular signatures that characterise human granulosa cells, which form the follicles, fluid-filled sacs found in the ovaries where the egg grows.

I am very excited to start my group at Imperial, at the IRDB, which I joined only two months ago as Lecturer in Embryology and Gamete Biology, supported by the Genesis Research Trust. I am extremely grateful for the support which will allow my team to make fundamental discoveries in reproductive and developmental biology to advance reproductive health outcomes.

Can you share a time when you felt supported in your career journey by a colleague or mentor?

During my last years as postdoc, when I was on the job market, there were several mentors who supported me, from colleagues who had moved onto independent positions recently, to my supervisor, to colleagues at the Crick or from other universities in more senior positions who offered their time to share their insights. I feel like I have been supported by a “collective” of colleagues who cared about lifting others up, and I am very lucky to have them in my network. More recently since I was appointed at Imperial, I’ve been particularly supported by Dr Véronique Azuara, head of the Section of Gonadal and Developmental Biology, and by Prof Aylin Hanyaloglu, IRDB Division Director, two inspirational female scientists. Their support is having a really positive impact on how I am settling in at Imperial

What has been the proudest achievement of your career so far?

I am super proud to have managed to secure an independent position at Imperial, a top-ranking university, having come from abroad. Thinking back, I am also proud to have successfully completed my main postdoctoral project on ovarian development, which was heavily impacted by COVID.

Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome or self-doubt in your career? How did you overcome it, and what support did you find helpful?

"I think as scientists, we may be wired to doubt everything and everyone! But a turning point for me has been learning how to live with these feelings as they come and go." Dr Roberta Migale

I definitely have experienced feelings of self-doubt, I still do and I think I will always do at times. I think as scientists, we may be wired to doubt everything and everyone! But a turning point for me has been learning how to live with these feelings as they come and go. I try very hard not to let them sabotage me! At the end of the day, if I had stopped at the first thoughts of self-doubt, I’d never be where I am now. And, even if you are not where you want to be yet, it should not be yourself that stops you from getting where you want to be. That’s a principle I decided to live by. Sometimes it can be difficult for me to remember this, so I find it helpful to speak to people that know me well and that can help me get out of the tunnel, as I like to call it.

In your opinion, what role can people in senior positions play in supporting and advocating for women's career advancement and equality in the workplace?

People in senior positions act as role models, showing us that ‘it can be done’. It is important that they actively mentor women, especially I would say at early career stage, and provide tangible support for example by providing opportunities for us to have leadership roles.

What advice would you give to women who are just starting their careers, based on your own experiences?

Be proactive with your education and career. Seek opportunities in different contexts. Build a network of people who can support your growth in different ways, each mentor can offer specific insights, and you would need to have as many as you can. Finally, try to pursue what you are truly passionate about, playing to your strengths.