CRS Scientist Spotlight on Dr. Pamela Monahan
Pamela Monahan, PhD, serves as the CRS Director of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs and is a lecturer in the Master of Science in Reproductive Science and Medicine (MS-RSM) program. Her research (alongside Dr. Lindsey Block and non-thesis track students) has recently been to develop a project that investigates how microplastics affect reproductive cell function.
What brought you to join the CRS community and what is your current position?
I joined CRS as a trainee when I was a postdoc in Dr. Kelly Mayo’s lab. I was then recruited to teach full time for the MS-RSM program during its second year running. Being both a trainee and a faculty member has given me some unique perspectives of how trainees can benefit from CRS and how CRS can benefit from its trainees!
Could you describe your research?
When I joined CRS as a postdoc, I focused on understanding how signaling pathways, specifically Notch and estrogen, regulate ovarian development. I also worked on a project that was aimed at utilizing MRI to visualize the in utero morphological changes in the developing placenta that occur during preeclampsia, using a rodent model. Both avenues of investigation really shaped the projects that I then conducted with my non-thesis MS-RSM students. Most recently, Dr. Lindsey Block, my co-PI in the non-thesis track lab, collaboratively have worked with our students to develop a project that investigates how microplastics affect reproductive cell function, more specifically in mammalian placental cell lines. Some big lessons we’ve learned is that microplastics are pervasive in biomedical research samples and contamination is really hard to prevent and the relative newness of the field has resulted in a lack of standardization of techniques, reagents, and technologies to visualize and test the effects of microplastics in tissues/cells. However, the newness also lends to lots of creative thinking with our trainees and some delightfully insightful discussions.
What aspect(s) of CRS do you find most valuable or look forward to engaging in?
As a trainee and as a faculty member, I have always found the networking opportunities at the many CRS events to be the most important for me in my career growth. At CRS we have the privilege of brushing shoulders with some pretty big names in the field and some fantastically innovative up and coming scientists. Having conversations and discussions about the leading edge of science keeps me excited and to relate to those scientists on a more personal level can at times reshape how I think about my own science and even my approach to my career.
What has been the most valuable aspect to your training as a reproductive scientist?
I’m going to always say networking! I got my postdoc through participating and networking as a trainee committee member for the first Illinois Symposium on Reproductive Science, now the Upper Midwest Summit on Reproductive Science. And I got recruited for my current position, through networking and heavily participating in CRS events and workshops. You never know when the next opportunity to level up is going to happen, so put yourself out there and engage, ask questions, take chances. Scientists are generally excited to talk about their craft, and we are in the business of asking questions, so be inquisitive, approach your peers, mentors, and fellow scientists to gain and spread knowledge.
What would you recommend to junior scientists in order for them to succeed in their scientific careers?
Have many different types of mentors - faculty, peer, collaborator mentors. One good mentor will impart some solid advice and help you advance in your craft. Multiple mentors can show you the diversity of viewpoints, the differences in approach, the breadth of creativity. Why limit yourself?
What do you think will be the next big contribution in the reproductive biology field?
To be cliché, I think that AI and machine learning is going to catapult our science into new heights. Obtaining large data sets have become de rigor and studying complex interactions within cells, amongst molecules, etc was limited by the researchers’ ability to process. Now AI and machine learning can decipher complex interactions or behaviors that have the potential to reveal so much more than previously thought and it can be applied to virtually every field. A great example in repro science is the development of STAR, or Sperm Tracking and Discover. This technology, developed at Columbia University Fertility Centers, uses AI models combined with robotic and microfabrication to help identify and gently isolate sperm cells from low sperm count semen samples, increasing the chances of fertilization. A cool tidbit, this was inspired methods used by astrophysicists to identify new galaxies!
What hobbies do you have outside of the lab?
Outside of the conventional answers of cooking, trying new foods, and traveling to fun places. Several years ago, I started taking boxing classes at my local gym (without the sparring bit). I’ve found it to be a great stress reliever and an immense confidence booster as I find my form and function improving each class.