Cardiac Stem Cell Researcher – New York
“Combat whatever stereotypes that you come across or whatever restrictions have been put in front of you. Overcome them and show you are capable of doing more.”
Saranya Purushothaman is a junior at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she is majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Art History. Ever since she could remember, she has had an active interest in the medical field. This interest prompted her to become a research assistant at the Cardiovascular Institute of Mt.Sinai School of Medicine. She has been conducting research on adult cardiac stem cells for the past three years. Recently, she helped publish a paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry on the role of cardiac stem cells after myocyte damage, which has now been recognized as the top one percent of papers reviewed in a year in significance. This summer, she traveled to Australia for the International Society for Stem Cell Research conference where she presented her work to principal investigators from across the globe on the topic of the regenerative potential of cardiac stem cells after a myocardial infarction. In the future, Saranya aspires to become a scientist in the field of cardiology in order to further investigate and prevent heart disease, the number one killer in America.
Saranya is also a passionate member of the Columbia Raas Indian dance team, which has participated in several national competitions. Next year, Saranya looks forward to being an Resident Assistant at Barnard College for transfer students like herself. She would like to thank her parents and her mentor, Georgina Ellison, for teaching me everything.
How did you become interested and involved in stem cell research?
I’ve always had an interest in research. Research is different from medicine because it is finding the cause of what is happening and learning to treat it in a hands-on way. Stem cells are special because they are like the first unit of life, really. They can specialize into any cell and it is kind of curious how it can become any cell in the body. If we start from the beginning of the cell growth, we can find out what went wrong in circumstances such as cancer. I was always interested in the heart, and that led me into cardiac stem cells. These are adult stem cells that are already present in the heart. I met my mentor who was very, very passionate and that drew me to learn about it. Her passion grew on me. If you are surrounded by people who love what they do, it is kind of contagious. I started becoming interested and learning about it. I witnessed the potential for the cardiac stem cells to completely regenerate the heart. During my first week in the lab, while looking under the microscope and seeing beating cardiospheres, I realized that this is what I want to do. We saw the isolation of the heart and then the removal of the stem cells. In the research field it is so fresh, and there is the potential to change the world and the future. A lot of time the administration and the competition make people look at science not as a way to cure but as a way to gain fame. It becomes a selfish act, and this takes away this beautiful thing that the research is doing.
What prompted you to become a leader?
A leader is defined as, in my opinion, someone who wants to make a change and see something for the better. In the stem cell field, I wanted to learn more and make a change. The field is dominated by men. The top people in cardiac stem cell research are guys. My mentor was a big inspiration. She is such a strong woman in such a masculine world. There is nothing stopping me because I know that if she can do it, I can too. She inspires me to push myself to the top. What steps did you take to achieve your goals?
I needed perseverance. I saw the goal and never gave up. I often thought, “Oh my God my experiments are not working. I don’t want to do this anymore.” But I had the motivation. I would say that if others want to work in a lab they should go and talk to the head of the lab and ask if there is a project, or ask if they can watch. Keep asking and be persistent. There are so many ways to get in, and most labs are always interested in students. Once you are in the lab you can start showing your potential. Once someone realizes what you can do they will trust you more and give you more projects and more responsibilities. Never think that what you are given is the limit.
What obstacles have you faced in achieving your goals?
Currently, I am working with a supervisor who doesn’t give me enough responsibilities in the lab because I am simply an intern and an undergrad, and is therefore stunting my potential. If I do something that is significant, my colleagues are going to get credit even though I said it. They get competitive, and they send you off to get ice or to clean up a machine. They give you simple labor tasks that make you feel small and you just have to do it.
How have you confronted them?
By not letting it get to me. By not letting things get to my head.
How has your experience been shaped by being a woman?
I have a perfect example from a conference that I just attended in Australia. At this conference, I presented my work and other scientists could ask questions. People who would approach me were only interested in looking at my poster because of my looks. There were a lot of men there. They would come up and ask a few questions and nod their head, but sometimes their questions were more directed to me than my project. I thought “Are you paying attention to what I am saying or what I am wearing?”
What lessons have you learned from your experiences?
Prove yourself. Combat whatever stereotypes that you come across or whatever restrictions have been put in front of you. Overcome them and show you are capable of doing more. Fight for what is right. Keep going.
If you had the chance, would you have done anything differently? If so, what and why?
I would say no because a lot of the things I have learned are from my mistakes. I’ve said the wrong thing at the wrong situation and noticed the unsavory reactions of my colleagues. I don’t think I would have realized how judgmental these people are. I would have had a great perception of them and thought they were absolutely perfect. I’ve learned that the field is male dominated. Even at the conference there was a woman giving a lecture surrounded by men on a panel, and afterward the men had questions on their topic and the woman had questions, too, but she was attacked more. Why were they doing this to her?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I would be finished with my Ph.D. and going into research because it is my passion. I want to change the way that people are so competitive about it. This is a big issue with both men and women who are very narrow minded and only see fame and themselves. I want to go into that field and do my research because I love it. I hope I don’t give up because of all the people fighting for fame, but I would like to be working on something in the research field, maybe in the stem cell field. Hopefully it will be with my mentor, Georgina Ellison!
What advice do you have for young girls who are interested in this?
Never let other people’s words of discouragement get to you. Use those words to make you prove to them that you can do better. People have said to me “You can’t do it, you don’t know what you are doing.” The only way to counter this is to do it and prove it to yourself. Keep persevering.
