ECR Spotlight is a series of interviews with early-career authors from a selection of papers published in Journal of Experimental Biology and aims to promote not only the diversity of early-career researchers (ECRs) working in experimental biology but also the huge variety of animals and physiological systems that are essential for the ‘comparative’ approach. Sara Wilmsen is an author on ‘ Chronic changes in developmental oxygen have little effect on mitochondria and tracheal density in the endothermic moth Manduca sexta’, published in JEB. Sara is a Research Scientist in the lab of Dr Micheal Purdy at Snyder Translational Research, USA, investigating the unique respiratory systems of invertebrates; specifically, insects and spiders.
Sara Wilmsen
How did you become interested in biology?
From a young age, I was always interested in the creatures that lived around me. From the crayfish in the creek and tadpoles in ephemeral pools to the monarchs that fed on milkweed, and garter snakes that I found in the yard. In high school, I wanted to be a vet or a park ranger, but in college I was drawn to the idea of pursuing academia through undergraduate research that I was able to conduct with one of my professors. I have always been curious and unafraid of asking questions, and the idea that I could answer some of those questions through my work was really exciting to me.
Describe your scientific journey and your current research focus
I studied biology at a small university in Arkansas. I had a professor that helped me pursue independent undergraduate research. This research became my first publication. In undergrad, I was extremely interested in venom ecology and thought I would pursue my graduate degree in that field. However, it was impressed upon me that I should be careful who I chose as a PI because that can make or break your career. One of my professors introduced me to her daughter's PI, Ed Dzialowski, at the University of North Texas, USA, and I went there, even though it was a comparative physiology program focused on metabolic physiology. I originally planned to get a master's and then move on to a lab that was in my area for my PhD, but Ed was a very compatible and flexible PI and I decided to switch from master's to PhD and choose my own project focused on the respiratory and metabolic physiology of endothermic insects. I found that I could easily adapt to new and interesting topics. I graduated with my PhD and got a post-doc at Virginia Tech, USA, with Jake Socha looking at two insect projects. I enjoyed my time there but realized that what I loved most about research was not in the job description of a university professor and I knew that I would not be happy doing that. I want to ask my own questions, but it is more important to me to be involved in the research and data. So, at the end of my post-doc I applied to other post-doc positions, but also to technician jobs working with imaging that I had come to love and had some experience in through my PhD and post-doc. This is how I got my current job at the University of Virginia, USA, at an electron microscopy core. In my role, I am involved in countless research projects, and I get to see interesting things every day. I help other researchers perform a complicated technique that will help further their research and provide expertise and troubleshooting for them.
How would you explain the main findings of your paper to a member of the public?
This paper is one of two companion papers in JEB exploring the effects of oxygen levels on the metabolic physiology of moths. In these papers, we exposed our moths to three levels of oxygen (low, normal and high) throughout their development. We were able to show that while these moths did have some differences in whole-animal respiration and mitochondrial respiration, those changes were not seen on the subcellular level. So, there are only limited changes that occur when these moths are exposed to different oxygen levels.
TEM image of moth flight muscle. Taken at ×3000 magnification, you can see trachea with clearly defined teanidia in amongst the myofibrils and mitochondria. Tracheae are tubes that bring oxygen to the tissue of most insects and are part of a unique respiratory system that is not found in other animals.
TEM image of moth flight muscle. Taken at ×3000 magnification, you can see trachea with clearly defined teanidia in amongst the myofibrils and mitochondria. Tracheae are tubes that bring oxygen to the tissue of most insects and are part of a unique respiratory system that is not found in other animals.
What do you enjoy most about research, and why?
I am very curious by nature and enjoy asking and answering hard questions. The part of research that I enjoy the most is forming hypotheses, coming up with clever ways to test those hypotheses, and then executing that and collecting data. Collecting data is my favorite part of research and specifically I love working with various imaging techniques. In my PhD (and in this paper) I used transmission electron microscopy to image moth muscles and was able to visualize mitochondria and myofibrils. In my post-doc at Virginia Tech, I was able to use synchrotron micro-CT (SR-UCT) and transmission X-ray microscopy to look at the respiratory system in beetles and the feeding system in mosquitos. Using microscopy is so exciting to me because you are able to visualize things that are too small to see with the naked eye and I think that is a unique opportunity that I have been really lucky to have done and continue to do so much!
What is the most important piece of equipment for your research, what does it do and what question did it help you address?
Currently I am working in a core facility at the University of Virginia, where I help other researchers prepare their samples for imaging in one of our transmission electron microscopes (TEMs). The TEM is probably the most important piece of equipment for me in that way. It is a very powerful microscope that uses a beam of electrons rather than light. Due to this feature, it can visualize subcellular organelles (like mitochondria) and even can be used to elucidate protein structures!
Do you have a top tip for others just starting out at your career stage?
My top tip for people in grad school is to think about what you really enjoy and pay attention to the things that you really do not enjoy. In academia, there is sometimes a thought that being a professor is the end goal and must be where we are all going, but there are a very limited number of professor jobs available, and the work itself is incredibly demanding and not a good fit for many people. It is difficult to know where one fits in an institution that promises much but struggles to meet expectations. There are alternative jobs out there though. Three or four of my fellow graduate students ended up working for the government in the EPA, USGS or Forest Service. I never thought I would be working in a medical school. But by focusing on the things I loved most (troubleshooting research and performing experiments) and avoiding the things that I did not like (writing papers and grants), I was able to find a position that I am happy with. Look into different options while you are still in grad school and do a post-doc! I loved my time as a post-doc and it is really what grad school prepares you for the best.
What do you like to do in your free time?
My free time is very important to me, and I love to spend it with my partner and our dog. We like to go hiking and exploring. Some of my fondest memories are of exploring a creek in Texas during the pandemic with my partner. We are also huge fans of road trips and camping. We have made several cross-country road trips and seen over 10 national parks along the way. Now that we have a canoe, we will be getting into canoeing the rivers of Virginia. Additionally, we love trying new restaurants and craft breweries!
Sara Wilmsen's contact details: Snyder Translational Research, Building 480 Ray C. Hunt Dr., Charlottesville VA 22903, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
