Positivity in the Face of Setbacks: My Developing Journey in Science

Saumya Menon, M.Sc.

‘Scientific research is one of the most exciting and rewarding of occupations’- Frederick Sanger. And rightly said so.

For the longest time, I wanted to be an engineer. Why? Well, my father is one. But as I got further into my studies, I realized, that – more than numbers and equations – it was the development of cellular functions that really fascinated me. Specifically, the topic that really caught my attention in my school days was the evolution of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. 

Saumya Menon

I got really intrigued by the field of biotechnology which was an upcoming field at the time when I was about to graduate. I wanted to pursue my studies in the same field, but due to lack of space in the college of my choice, I had to opt for another subject. As such, I took up zoology instead. It was my first-hand experience with dissecting small animals. Slowly, I started to realize the beautiful and marvellous complexity and diversity of organisms in nature. The one experiment which I vividly remember was the twitching of a brain dead frog nerve in response to an external stimuli. Through such experiences, I got introduced to the intriguing biology of cells, embryology and so much more. I can honestly say that my perspective dramatically shifted not only about science, but also on life in general.

Finally, my dream of pursuing biotechnology as a major turned into reality after graduating. I was fascinated with recombinant DNA technology and molecular cloning and it limitless possibilities. For my master’s dissertation work, I got the opportunity to work at the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology at Thiruvananthapuram. It was my first experience working and interacting in a formal research environment. I worked in the Plant Molecular Biology laboratory.

It was inspiring. I was doing what I loved: science. So, what did I specifically work on? Well, the main focus of the scientists in that lab was to create vectors harbouring useful genes from plants and transfer the novel characteristics of that gene to other plants. It is important to note that the research scholars in the lab were very supportive and motivating. I was given the mini project of constructing a binary vector. The target gene to be inserted was the chsgene isolated from ginger. Chalcone synthase (CHS) is a key enzyme in the phenyl propanoid pathway in the plant cell which catalyses the step leading to flavonoid biosynthesis. Flavonoids are compounds that provide pigmentation to flowers, fruits seeds, and leaves. They also have key roles in defence as antimicrobial agents, providing ultraviolet protection, and also possess anti-cancer and antioxidant activities.

However, things didn’t go as planned.

I was motivated by the fact that it would be immensely beneficial if this chsgene could be transferred to a plant and confer that plant with the novel characteristics of chsgene. The gene was excised from the cloning vector pGEMT and ligated to expression vector pRT101. I worked to excise the gene cassette and ligate to the binary vector pCAMBIA. This was used to transform E.coliJM109 cells. And finally, a method known as triparental mating was used to introduce the pCAMBIA plasmid into Agrobacterium strain LBA4404. These cells were preserved in media which could then be further used for transfer of the gene to the plant of choice. Again, I was doing what I loved: science.

By the grace of God, I completed the whole project within the stipulated timeframe. I got a sense of achievement on completing this small project and made up my mind that I wanted to pursue a PhD degree and ultimately become a researcher.

However, things didn’t go as planned. After completing my post grad, I took the national level exam to become a Junior Research Fellow. Unfortunately, I was not successful. Although I was discouraged, I was not deterred. I summoned the strength to look for jobs instead. I was elated when I got my first job as a research co-ordinator at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre at Kochi. It is a tertiary care hospital with focus on research.

Working at AIMS (as it is fondly called) was a life changing experience for me. Though I couldn’t do any wet lab experiments for research purposes, it opened my eyes to the field of clinical research. I worked as the clinic and research coordinator of the pancreas clinic. My boss was a pioneer in the field of pancreatic research and one of the most respected gastroenterologists in India who unfortunately passed away recently.

Our area of research was pancreatitis and its etiology. There was a type of this disease called tropical calcific pancreatitis which was native to the tropics with unknown etiology. My job had two main aspects: co-ordinating both clinic and research activities.

There were a lot of research questions that needed to be answered. We would come up with questions, develop hypotheses, and ultimately design experiments to test them. It was really exciting and rewarding especially when working in groups to think through complex problems together. That is when I realized that research was something I wanted to really pursue as a career. I was finally putting to practice some of the theory in research methodology I had learned before.

We worked on varied topics like studying the spectrum of pancreatitis in children and adolescents, relation between metabolic syndrome and pancreatitis and the clinical profile of idiopathic chronic pancreatitis. With hard work and perseverance, I published 4 papers in reputed journals, including a review article on the history of pancreas and relation between pancreas and diabetes mellitus.^{[1] [2 ][3] [4]}

With my interest in biotechnology, I had a research proposal in mind to further study the genetics of chronic pancreatitis. However, once again, I couldn’t move ahead in that direction. Due to personal commitments, I had to resign from my job. I ultimately got married and moved to Qatar. As a very progressive Middle Eastern country, Qatar puts lots of importance in healthcare and research. There are many institutions here having state-of-the-art research facilities.

I had my first child and I am now a full time mother. However, my research ambitions remain and it has been a struggle navigating being both a mother and a researcher-in-waiting. Motherhood is a full time job. My family is my priority but I continue to yearn for the day when I will get the opportunity to continue my journey pursuing a career in research. I am confident that when the opportunity does present itself, I will be able to smoothly pursue both motherhood and a career as a researcher. I am inspired by all the mothers out there that are able to juggle both motherhood and research or any other career.

I have had a few interviews at some prestigious research institutions here in Qatar. However things haven’t worked out yet. For all those facing obstacles in your pursuits for careers in research; remember Fredrick Sanger’s words and those of Andy Dufresne from the very famous movie- The Shawshank Redemption, “Hope is a good thing.”

References

1. Menon S, Rajesh G, Balakrishnan V. Pancreas and Diabetes Mellitus: The Relationship between the Organ and the Disease. J Assoc Physicians India. 2015 Oct;63(10):51-8. Review. PubMed PMID: 27608692.
2. Rajesh G, Veena AB, Menon S, Balakrishnan V. Clinical profile of early-onset and late-onset idiopathic chronic pancreatitis in South India. Indian J Gastroenterol. 2014 May;33(3):231-6. doi: 10.1007/s12664-013-0421-3. Epub 2013 Nov 14. PubMed PMID: 24222373.
3. Geetha M, Saumya M, Balakrishnan V. Spectrum of pancreatitis in children and adolescents. Indian J Gastroenterol. 2012 Jul;31(4):175-8. Epub 2012 Aug 25. PubMed PMID: 22923276.
4. Rajesh G, Kumar H, Menon S, Balakrishnan V. Pancreatitis in the setting of the metabolic syndrome. Indian J Gastroenterol. 2012 Apr;31(2):79-82. doi: 10.1007/s12664-012-0172-6. Epub 2012 Mar 16. PubMed PMID: 22422323.

Cover Image by Dana Tentis from Pixabay.