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. Serena Farrell is an author on ‘ Voltage-gated ion channels are expressed in the Malpighian tubules and anal papillae of yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti and may regulate ion transport during salt and water imbalance’, published in JEB. Serena conducted the research described in this article while a undergraduate student in Dennis Kolosov's lab at California State University San Marcos, USA. She is now a PhD student in the lab of Spencer Behmer at Texas A&M University, USA, investigating the molecular physiology of insects and how they interact with their environment.
Serena Farrell
How did you become interested in biology?
I became interested in biology through an anatomy class I took in my senior year of high school. I was always asking questions about processes happening in the body and found a great interest in the lab work we did during the class, such as dissections. This led me to go into college as a general biology major wanting to pursue a career in the medical field. This all changed when I was in a genetics lab and found a love for bench work.
Describe your scientific journey and your current research focus
My scientific journey began when I was given the opportunity to perform research under the guidance of Dennis Kolosov at Cal State University San Marcos during the third year of my bachelor's degree. I was not sure where I was headed in my scientific career, starting out with the goal of going into medical school, and quickly found that bench work and research was something that I greatly enjoyed doing, especially when the questions revolved around insects and animals. The project I was put on was looking at how salinity affected the voltage-gated ion channels in larval Aedes aegypti osmoregulatory tissues. This project gave me the opportunity, as an undergraduate student, to be in charge of my own project, learn at my own pace, as well as mentor many other undergraduate students who would be placed on this project with me.
How would you explain the main findings/message of your paper to a member of the public?
Aedes aeqypti mosquitoes, more commonly known as yellow fever mosquitoes, are known worldwide for being vectors of infectious diseases. These mosquitoes spread yellow fever, West Nile virus, malaria and others. These mosquitoes are spreading at a very high rate to high salinity areas, but how are they able to survive these high salinities during their larval period? Within the osmoregulatory tissues, the Malpighian tubules and the anal papillae, we found the presence of voltage-gated ion channels that are used to move ions throughout the tissues to maintain salt and water balance. This allows the larval mosquito to maintain homeostasis when put into different salinities.
Why did you choose JEB to publish your paper?
JEB has been a major part of my literary journey when trying to find gaps in the knowledge and also see what data is out there. This journal allowed me to develop a large knowledge of the subject due to the vast papers that are published in this journal. You can find a little bit of everything in this journal, which also makes it super fun to look for papers because you may find something that you did not know you would need for your research or maybe even a new interest.
Conducting gel electrophoresis to check for the presence of voltage-gated ion channels. Photo credit: Bradi Zapata.
What do you enjoy most about research, and why?
My favorite part about conducting research is being able to ask questions. That's what makes research – being able to take one thing and ask so many questions and try to solve it. Even when you feel stagnant in the process, there are always more questions to be asked and answers to be found. It makes the process that much more exciting, trying to solve a puzzle with what you have and the information provided. The excitement that comes with solving a piece of the puzzle is always accomplishing.
What is the hardest challenge you have faced in the course of your research and how did you overcome it?
I think the hardest challenge I had to learn to overcome is failure during research. Experiments fail, writing won't come naturally, receiving back drafts covered in red, all of these were things that I had to learn to add to my research process. These are not avoidable in research and it allows for growth. Learning to be okay with failure during research was a steep learning curve and still something that I work on to this day. It does not go away – you learn to deal with the waves and move on to the next part.
What is the most important lesson that you have learned from your career so far?
The most important lesson I have learned is that a support system, both academic and personal, is so important. Being independent and being able to work on your own is a good skill but can come at a fault as well. You will need people to rant with when things in research fail, when you have accomplishments, when you just need someone to talk to, these are the parts of research you will remember. A support system is so important, and it does not matter where they come from, whether it be your lab mates, your PI, your hometown friends, your family, or your chosen family, these will be the people to celebrate you and lift you up when you need it.
Do you have a top tip for others just starting out at your career stage?
One tip I would give is come in with an open mind. Many think they know exactly what they want to do and what they want to achieve which can possibly bottleneck opportunities. There may be things out of your comfort zone that you will be scared to try; always do it. It will help you grow, network, and open up your view on topics, people, and the way you conduct your research even. Take everything in your stride and maintain a positive attitude even when it seems hard. You are at this stage in your career and life for a reason.
Serena Farrell's contact details: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
E-mail: [email protected]
