Your Digital Mentor Podcast

Discussions with seasoned researchers from the TDR global 2020 Career Impact Contest, where they share different aspects of their career trajectories, including support they received via research, education and mentoring opportunities. They also share some challenges they faced, including accessing funding, lack of skills and approaches they took to overcome them. Additionally, they talk about their mentoring relationships as both mentors and mentees, and how they have been able to maintain, build, and pay-it-forward to others, through their critical work in their respective countries and in global health.
Resources
Career Impact Contest: TDR-supported scientists share their inspirational success stories (who.int)
TDR Grants: Grants (who.int)
Guest information
Dr. Rashad Abdul-Ghani, an Associate Professor and researcher at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sana'a University, and the Tropical Disease Research Center, University of Science and Technology, Yemen. His research focuses on parasitic diseases, neglected tropical diseases, vector-borne diseases, and public health. Learn more about Rashad’s work here:‪Rashad Abdul-Ghani‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬

Dr. Nadira Kurunaweera is the Chair Professor of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Visiting Fellow, School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA. As a Medical Parasitologist she has extensive teaching, training and research experience in tropical diseases, especially vector-borne diseases. Her achievements have been recognized through many awards, honors and fellowships. Connect with Nadira on Twitter @medfaccmb. Learn more about her work: Professor Nadira D. Karunaweera – Faculty of Medicine (cmb.ac.lk)

Dr. Avila Montes, who is an Ex-TDR grantee with public health experience in Honduras, El Salvador, Puerto Rico and Guatemala, as an effective manager in program design, management, strategic planning, and health research related to vector borne disease control (Dengue, Zika and Chagas disease), outbreak response, maternal & child health, and HIV/AIDS control. Learn more about Avila and his work here: Gustavo Adolfo Avila Montes Profile | Special Programme for Research & Training in Tropical Diseases (tdr-global.net)

Acknowledgments
Editing by Carl Peck
Research: Emmanuela Oppong & Alice Matimba
Producers: Emmanuela Oppong (Producer), Alice Matimba (Senior Producer), Isabela Malta (Producer), Christine Boinett (Creator and Executive producer), Catherine Holmes (Marketing)
Host: Emmanuela Oppong
Media and Marketing: Catherine Holmes
Music: https://freesound.org/s/477388/

Sponsors
ACSC: https://coursesandconferences.wellcomegenomecampus.org
WSI: https://www.sanger.ac.uk
SESH: https://www.seshglobal.org/

The 2019 finalists of the TDR Global Mentorship Contest for improving research mentorship in low- and middle-income countries joined us to share their experiences implementing their respective projects. We had:

• Dr. Ana Maria Aguilar also discussed the pivotal shift in her community-based mentoring project in Bolivia. Her project initially focused on creating a horizontal style, participatory community mentor program, but shifted to focus on meeting the needs of the community. They began working with a community that had used herbal packages as an approach to bridge the distrust between the health sector and the local community. Connect with Ana Maria on ResearchGate.

Guest information
Prof. Aguilar is a senior pediatrician. Currently a professor in child growth and development research at the Medical College at University Mayor de San Andres in La Paz, Bolivia. She has designed and implemented health and nutrition interventions for children under five years of age for the last thirty years. She also led the conformation of the Food and Nutrition Council in Bolivia and was the First National Coordinator of the Malnutrition Zero Program until 2012. Among many of her work and achievements, she has also authored and co-authored several articles, book chapters on nutrition and child health, description of the nutritional transition in Bolivia.

About TDR Global

TDR Global is a worldwide community of passionate scientists and experts who have been working with TDR on research on infectious diseases of poverty. TDR is the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training and Tropical Diseases, based at the World Health Organization.
Resources

1. Oppong, E., Bao, H., Tang, W., Mejia, M.I.E., Glozah, F., Asanga, N., Boinett, C.J., Aguilar, A.M., Valido, E., Lestari, T. and Tucker, J.D., 2021. A Global Crowdsourcing Open Call to Improve Research Mentorship in Low-and Middle-Income Countries: A Mixed Methods Analysis. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 1(aop).

Acknowledgments
Editing by Cassandra Soo
Research: Emmanuela Oppong & Alice Matimba
Producers: Emmanuela Oppong (Producer), Alice Matimba (Senior Producer), Isabela Malta (Producer), Christine Boinett (Creator and Executive producer).
Host: Emmanuela Oppong
Media and Marketing: Catherine Holmes
Music: https://freesound.org/s/477388/

Sponsors
Wellcome Connecting Science: https://coursesandconferences.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/
Wellcome Sanger Institute: https://www.sanger.ac.uk
SESH: https://www.seshglobal.org/

The 2019 finalists of the TDR Global Mentorship Contest for improving research mentorship in low- and middle-income countries joined us to share their experiences implementing their respective projects. We had:
Dr. Ezra Valido who shared his Getting Research To Work (G.R.O.W) for people project in the Philippines, focused on bringing local-non academic organisations, practitioners, and local experts together to collaborate as a small community of practice that can mentor, support and learn from each other. He highlighted some advantageous steps he took, including working with local societies that had the resources he needed. He also discussed some challenges he faced implementing his project during the COVID pandemic, including difficulties gaining funding to navigate the dynamics of mentoring people within different stages of their career. Connect with Ezra on Linkedin

Guest information
Dr. Ezra Valido is both a biologist and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of the Philippines. He also holds a Master's degree in public management and public health, and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Lucerne and Swiss Paraplegic Research. He is broadly interested in infectious disease and designing, scaling, and implementing public health programs related to them, focusing on health systems and development and in public health concentrating on tropical medicine. He worked previously as a primary care physician and was employed in the medical affairs units of Sanofi and Novo Nordisk in the Philippine affiliate handling endocrine, cardiovascular, and renal therapeutic areas.

About TDR Global
TDR Global is a worldwide community of passionate scientists and experts who have been working with TDR on research on infectious diseases of poverty. TDR is the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training and Tropical Diseases, based at the World Health Organization.

Resources
Oppong, E., Bao, H., Tang, W., Mejia, M.I.E., Glozah, F., Asanga, N., Boinett, C.J., Aguilar, A.M., Valido, E., Lestari, T. and Tucker, J.D., 2021. A Global Crowdsourcing Open Call to Improve Research Mentorship in Low-and Middle-Income Countries: A Mixed Methods Analysis. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 1(aop).

Acknowledgments
Editing by Cassandra Soo
Research: Emmanuela Oppong & Alice Matimba
Producers: Emmanuela Oppong (Producer), Alice Matimba (Senior Producer), Isabela Malta (Producer), Christine Boinett (Creator and Executive producer).
Host: Emmanuela Oppong
Media and Marketing: Catherine Holmes
Music: https://freesound.org/s/477388/

Sponsors
Wellcome Connecting Science: https://coursesandconferences.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/
Wellcome Sanger Institute: https://www.sanger.ac.uk
SESH: https://www.seshglobal.org/

If you are looking to start a PhD, you may consider choosing a supervisor based on the type of research that you find most interesting. While this should certainly be a component of your decision, it is also important to look beyond the research. In fact, your supervisor and the culture of their research group will have significantly more impact on your happiness and success in graduate school than the research itself. Here, Jen Heemstra talks us through what should be considered when choosing the right supervisor, and how to spot red flags.

Resources
More than a signature: How advisor choice and advisor behaviour affect doctoral student satisfaction
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03098770701424983

Choosing a Graduate Advisor https://cen.acs.org/careers/graduate-school/Choosing-graduate-adviser/99/i33

Guest information
Jen Heemstra is a Professor of Chemistry at Emory University, where her research group is focused on using biomolecules for applications in biosensing and bioimaging. Jen is actively engaged in science communication and advocacy via her Twitter presence (@jenheemstra), column in Chemical & Engineering News, and professional development seminars.

Acknowledgements
Editing by Mariana Vaz, https://www.marianacpvaz.com/
Research: Jen Heemstra, Isabela Malta
Producers: Isabela Malta (Producer), Alice Matimba (Senior Producer), Christine Boinett (Creator and Executive producer) and Emmanuela Oppong (Producer).
Social media: Catherine Holmes
Host: Isabela Malta
Created by: Christine Boinett
Music: https://freesound.org/s/477388/

Contact us
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @mentor_podcast

Check out another podcast from our friends Decoding Life at the Wellcome Sanger Institute

Support
WCS: https://www.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/
WSI: https://www.sanger.ac.uk

Publishing is a complex world of skewed macro-level challenges including access to high-impact journals, lack of equity within journal publication processes, and monopolization by reputable journals; as well as micro-level barriers such as navigating manuscript production, language, journal selection, and fees. Two editors-in-chief, Seye and Orli, shed some light on these processes, and offer unique perspectives, and advice including pursuing publications with a “healthy dose of disrespect” and endeavoring to reach out to editors with your questions and concerns.

Guest information
Prof. Seye Abimbola is a senior lecturer at the University of Sydney, where he studies health system governance and epistemic justice in global health. He is also the current Prince Claus Chair in Equity and Development at Utrecht University and the editor in chief of BMJ Global Health. Connect with Seye on Twitter @seyeabimbola, and to learn more about his work, visit: https://www.sydney.edu.au/medicine-health/about/our-people/academic-staff/seye-abimbola.html

Dr. Orli G. Bahcall, Editor-in-Chief of Cell Genomics, has over 17 years of editorial experience, previously serving as genetics and genomics editor at Nature and Nature Genetics and Chief Editor of Nature Reviews Genetics. Orli brings with her to Cell Genomics a love of science, a passion for collaborative research, and a commitment to openness and transparency in research, as well as in the editorial and review processes. Orli received her Ph.D. in epidemiology and mathematical modeling from Imperial College, London, her MS from Oxford University as a Marshall Scholar, and her BS from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Connect with Orli on Twitter @obahcall. To learn more about her work, visit:https://www.cell.com/cell-genomics/home or her LinkedIn page: www.linkedin.com/in/orli-bahcall-6b81b11a3

Resources
Scholary Kitchen blog (https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2021/01/28/open-access-and-global-south-it-is-more-than-a-matter-of-inclusion/ )
Support open access in global south (https://www.research4life.org/news/open-access-inclusive-as-it-wants-to-be/)
Challenges in open access (https://www.enago.com/academy/challenges-in-growth-of-open-access-publishing/)
BMJ benefits of open access(https://www.bmj.com/company/openaccess/open-access-faq/)
Is the staggeringly profitable business of scientific publishing bad for science? (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/jun/27/profitable-business-scientific-publishing-bad-for-science)
Big publishers, bigger profits (https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/304667847.pdf)
Barriers to publishing (https://bmcmedresmethodol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12874-017-0371-z)
Language barriers (https://pubrica.com/academy/journal-selection/english-language-as-a-barrier-to-publish-in-high-impact-factor-journals-quick-tips-to-overcome/)
Global inclusivity report 2020 (https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/global-2020-inclusivity-report)

Acknowledgments
Editing by Mariana Vaz, https://www.marianacpvaz.com/
Research: Nagehan Ramazanoglu; Alice Matimba
Producers: Christine Boinett (Creator and Executive producer), Alice Matimba (Senior Producer), Isabela Malta (Producer and Research Lead), Emmanuela Oppong (Producer), Nagehan Ramazanoglu (Producer), Catherine Holmes (Marketing Lead).
Host: Alice Matimba & Emmanuela Oppong
Media and Marketing: Catherine Holmes
Music: https://freesound.org/s/477388/

Contact us
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @mentor_podcast

Support
WCS: https://www.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/
WSI: https://www.sanger.ac.uk
SESH: https://www.seshglobal.org/

Researchers are moving to other countries for different reasons, such as building a career, lack of funding, lack of mentoring. However, many face a dilemma between returning home, transferring knowledge and skills to local research, or staying. So when is the right time to return home? And when you get home, how do you prepare for the challenges around settling down?

We asked our guests Daniela and Brighton their own experiences; how they decided to go back and what motivated them to overcome challenges and strengthen the research in their home...

Guests Information: 

Dr. Daniela Robles-Espinoza is an assistant professor at the International Laboratory for Human Genome Research (LIIGH), National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and an international fellow at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK. She studied a BSc in genome sciences at UNAM and a PhD in cancer genetics at the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on using large-scale sequencing data for investigating the driver alterations, risk factors and potential therapeutic targets of types of cancer important in Mexico and Latin America, such as acral lentiginous melanoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. https://liigh.unam.mx/drobles/ @daniela_oaks

Dr. Brighton Samatanga is founder & CEO of The Biotech Institute (Zimbabwe). He is a molecular biophysicist with general interest in genome regulation and control. He did his PhD at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and was Professor for Physics for Soft and Biological Matter in Germany.https://twitter.com/drsamatanga https://www.biotechinst.com

Resources

1. Fangmeng, T. (2016). Brain circulation, diaspora and scientific progress: A study of the international migration of Chinese scientists, 1998–2006. Asian and Pacific migration journal : APMJ, 25(3), pp.296–319.
2. Mwampamba, T.H. et al. (2021). Challenges encountered when doing research back home: Perspectives from African conservation scientists in the diaspora. Conservation science and practice.

  Acknowledgments

Editing by Mariana Vaz, https://www.marianacpvaz.com/

Research: Alice Matimba

Producers: Christine Boinett (Creator and Executive producer), Alice Matimba (Senior Producer), Isabela Malta (Producer and Research Lead), Emmanuela Oppong (Producer), Nagehan Ramazanoglu (Producer), Catherine Holmes (Marketing Lead).

Host: Alice Matimba

Media and Marketing: Catherine Holme

Music: https://freesound.org/s/477388/

Contact us

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @mentor_podcast

Support

WCS: https://www.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/

WSI: https://www.sanger.ac.uk

SESH: https://www.seshglobal.org/

OR for simplecast

Support:

Wellcome Connecting Sciences

Wellcome Sanger Institute

Social Entrepreneurship to Spur Health

The pressure to win a grant and chasing the next funding source is stressful for all researchers. Besides, finding success in funding often requires sacrificing private time and overcoming the frustrations about being rejected. 

In this episode, we asked our guests, Dr. Nicki Tiffin and Dr. Jennifer Gardy, what key skills to have and develop to apply for grant funding. Join us and listen to our guests’ experiences of how funding opportunities impacted their careers, how they took the step to launch their research independently and how they stayed motivated to achieve it.

Guest information

Dr Nicki Tiffin is a Zimbabwean, living in South Africa, with a Ph D in molecular genetics and a Masters in Public Health (epidemiology). I have worked in South Africa, the UK and the USA,  in lab science and as a bioinformaticist in human health genomics research, as well as in health informatics in the public health sector. Connect with Nicki on LinkedIn 

Dr Jennifer Gardy is the Deputy Director for Surveillance, Data, & Epidemiology on the Gates Foundation's Malaria team, where she oversees work related to routine malaria surveillance, parasite and vector genomic epidemiology, and geospatial and mathematical modeling. Connect with Jennifer on Twitter @jennifergardy. More about Jennifer’s work https://www.gatesfoundation.org/our-work/programs/global-health/malaria

Acknowledgements

Editing by Mariana Vaz, https://www.marianacpvaz.com/

Research: Alice Matimba

Producers: Christine Boinett (Creator and Executive producer), Alice Matimba (Senior Producer), Isabela Malta (Producer and Research Lead), Emmanuela Oppong (Producer), Nagehan Ramazanoglu (Producer), Catherine Holmes (Marketing Lead).

Host: Alice Matimba

Media and Marketing: Catherine Holme

Music: https://freesound.org/s/477388/

Contact us

Email: [email protected] 

Twitter: @mentor_podcast 

Support

WCS: https://www.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/

WSI: https://www.sanger.ac.uk

SESH: https://www.seshglobal.org/

OR for simplecast

Support:

Wellcome Connecting Sciences

Wellcome Sanger Institute

Social Entrepreneurship to Spur Health

Our guests talk about the pros and cons of careers in industry and academia, and mention some of the traits that might be beneficial to have to be successful in each environment. 

Resources

• Research culture, changing expectations. Darren Logan for the Royal Society: https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/research-culture/changing-expectations/dr-darren-logan/
• 10 Simple Rules for Choosing Between Industry and Academia: https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1000388

Guest information

Prof. Soranzo is a human geneticist working in the field of human complex trait genetics. She graduated in biological sciences at the University of Milano, Italy, obtained a PhD in genetics from the University of Dundee, and undertook post-doctoral training at University College London. Between 2005-2007 she worked for Johnson & Johnson in the USA, before returning to academia. Presently, she is a Senior group leader at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Professor of Human Genetics at the School of Clinical Medicine of the University of Cambridge, and Head of the Genomics Research Centre at Human Technopole in Italy.

@nicolesoranzo

After an academic career in genetics leading to the Wellcome Sanger Institute faculty, Darren Logan joined for the Waltham Petcare Science Institute – the global research centre for Mars Petcare. There he leads a multidisciplinary team of over 90 scientists that strive to improve the health and wellbeing of pets worldwide. @darrenlogan

Acknowledgements

Editing by Mariana Vaz, https://www.marianacpvaz.com/

Research: Isabela Malta

Producers: Christine Boinett (Creator and Executive producer), Alice Matimba (Senior Producer), Isabela Malta (Producer and Research Lead), Emmanuela Oppong (Producer), Catherine Holmes (Marketing Lead).

Host: Isabela Malta

Media and Marketing: Catherine Holme

Music: https://freesound.org/s/477388/

Contact us

Email: [email protected] 

Twitter: @mentor_podcast 

Support

WCS: https://www.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/

WSI: https://www.sanger.ac.uk

SESH: https://www.seshglobal.org/

Sometimes publishing a paper that has the potential to impact might not be enough. You are driven to change: “potential” to “is” (Simon Travers). Scientists and researchers can create living products/businesses that have value and address key needs in the lives of others. We learn from Jenny, Simon, and Douglas about the how of this process.

They share their experiences initiating, supporting, and leading different companies, businesses, and projects, across the globe. They discuss how they navigate the murky waters of leading start-up companies, navigating politics around patents, seeking support, guidance, and resources, and challenges associated with the different aspects of being scientists and entrepreneurs.

Resources

Gathering for Open Science Hardware 

https://openhardware.science/about/

Hyrax Biosciences

https://hyraxbio.co.za/

The Key to successful entrepreneurship in the life sciences

https://wyss.harvard.edu/news/the-key-to-successful-entrepreneurship-in-the-life-sciences/

Science and entrepreneurship: Different careers, common ground 

http://blog.cdnsciencepub.com/science-and-entrepreneurship-different-careers-common-ground/

Guest information

Douglas Sanyahumbi is an innovation management professional with over 15 years of experience facilitating the commercialisation of research outputs. Currently based in Malawi, Doug is actively involved in supporting entrepreneurship and innovation activities with aspiring entrepreneurs and at research institutions in Malawi and several other African countries through different projects. LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougsanyas/

Jenny Molloy is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge where she builds open source tools for distributed manufacturing of enzymes for biological research. She also co-founded three social enterprises and communities, working with collaborators in Africa, Latin America, and beyond to build an open, sustainable and equitable global bioeconomy. Twitter: jenny_molloy

Simon Travers is CEO of Hyrax Biosciences.  He is a "reformed academic" who established a research programme in Ireland and subsequently in South Africa studying the molecular evolution of viruses.  Hyrax Biosciences spun out of his research group in South Africa and was established to enable widespread access to DNA sequencing-based diagnostics.  Hyrax Biosciences works with biotechnology companies and pathology labs providing them with software to easily analyse and interpret data and, where relevant, provide clinically actionable insights for patients. Twitter: @simon_trav

Acknowledgments

Editing by Mariana Vaz, https://www.marianacpvaz.com/

Research: Emmanuela Oppong & Alice Matimba

 Producers: Emmanuela Oppong (Producer), Alice Matimba (Senior Producer), Isabela Malta (Producer), Christine Boinett (Creator and Executive producer).

Host: Alice Matimba

Media and Marketing: Catherine Holmes

Music:  https://freesound.org/s/477388/

Sponsors

ACSC: https://coursesandconferences.wellcomegenomecampus.org

WSI: https://www.sanger.ac.uk

SESH: https://www.seshglobal.org/

Researchers and scientists are doing great and impactful work that can change lives. But are people really aware or understand their work? How can we engage with people outside our field and community?

In this week's episode we discuss how researchers and scientists can go about creating spaces of engagement, via different avenues including blogging or in-person activities—at a party or in a local community. Researchers can work together in person as they would, for example, do on a research paper as co-authors. This can help eliminate challenges connected with interacting and presenting ideas to others. 

Join in and listen to the innovative ways Dr. Apron and Monica have been able to learn, experience as well as communicate their work in science. Whether it's through “beer and science” or through a future flash mob…

Resources

Beer and Science

https://stories.wellcomeconnectingscience.org/beer-and-science/index.html

Public engagement is key for the future of science research

https://www.nature.com/articles/npjscilearn201610

AAAS Communication Toolkit

https://www.aaas.org/resources/communication-toolkit

10 ideas to spread word about your science

https://medium.com/sparrho/10-ideas-to-get-people-talk-about-your-science-fc3d411da59a

Crowdsourcing in Health and Health Research: A Practical Guide

https://www.who.int/tdr/publications/year/2018/crowdsourcing-practical-guide/en/

Guest information

Dr. Arporn  Wangwiwatsin grew up in Thailand, spent a good ten years in the UK. She is now a lecturer at Khon Kaen University. Her scientific endeavour is primarily on parasitic diseases, bile duct cancer, and catching up with the new genomics development. Public engagement is an outlet for her artistic side. Twitter: @akoiwang

Dr. Monica Abrudan, Training Development Lead in the Centre for Genomic Pathogen Surveillance (CGPS), at the University of Oxford, where she develops courses in pathogen genomics and bioinformatics. She became interested in science communication during her PhD in Microbial Ecology and Evolution at the University of Manchester. Twitter: @MonicaAbrudan

Acknowledgements

Editing by Mariana Vaz, https://www.marianacpvaz.com/

Research: Emmanuela Oppong & Alice Matimba

Producers: Alice Matimba (Senior Producer), Isabela Malta (Producer), Christine Boinett (Creator and Executive producer), Emmanuela Oppong (Producer)

Host: Emmanuela Oppong

Media and Marketing: Catherine Holmes

Music:  https://freesound.org/s/477388/

Sponsors

ACSC: https://coursesandconferences.wellcomegenomecampus.org

WSI: https://www.sanger.ac.uk

SESH:

 https://www.seshglobal.org/