Did you know that women make up only 28% of the science, engineering, technology, and mathematics (STEM) workforce?
While we have made some progress closing the gender gap in STEM professions in past decades, there is still more work to be done. To support this effort, it’s critically important that we take time to recognize the incredible contributions that women in science are making every day—and all the hard work they’ve done to get there.
This Women’s History Month, Breakthrough T1D is highlighting the accomplishments of Kelsey Voss, Ph.D., a recently appointed Assistant Professor at the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine and a recipient of Breakthrough T1D’s Advanced Postdoctoral Fellowship Award.
Flipping the script
Kelsey’s story begins the same way many other young women’s stories have: she was encouraged to pursue a subject other than science. Maybe something less “hard.”
After a less-than-perfect score on a math exam in high school, Kelsey was pushed toward Liberal Arts and away from courses like Chemistry. Her response? Push back even harder. “…I went all-in on biomedical research after that because that’s what I thought was the most interesting,” she recalled.
From then on, her path became clear. Kelsey majored in Biology at the University of Mary Washington and had her first encounter with the world of biomedical research. The next stop was George Mason University, where Kelsey volunteered in a lab studying host-pathogen interactions. She gained valuable experience in experimental techniques and journal publications, eventually transitioning to and completing a master’s degree there—each day becoming a better scientist.
From trainee to Principal Investigator
All the while, Kelsey knew she wanted to be a Principal Investigator (PI) one day, calling the shots in her own lab. She continued her training and pursued a Ph.D. at the Uniformed Services University, working under Andrew Snow, Ph.D., studying T cells. The lab environment was engaging, fun, and productive. But, research is hard—the graduate program was notoriously difficult, and Kelsey faced unexpected results in her studies. Despite these challenges, Kelsey thrived. “The challenge is to not let failure become tied to your self-worth,” she explained. This is a tough lesson that all scientists eventually come to bear.
She found a mentor in Dr. Snow.
“I saw how it could be possible to have this crazy hard career and still be in love with the science and enjoy it,” Kelsey said. He was a major influence in her decision to continue pursuing her dream of becoming a PI. “I knew from this experience that I wanted to have a lab like [his] one day and be the person who lifts others to their next phase of study, life, and career.”
To finish her training, Kelsey picked up and moved to Nashville, TN, for a postdoctoral fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Working under Jeff Rathmell, Ph.D., she studied how targeting iron metabolism in T cells can change their behavior in autoimmune diseases like lupus. Kelsey herself struggles with autoimmune disease as well as some of her friends, so the work had personal meaning.
Calling the shots
During her fellowship, Kelsey applied for Breakthrough T1D’s Advanced Postdoctoral Fellowship Award—and got it—to translate her research in lupus to type 1 diabetes (T1D).
“This is what I really appreciate about [Breakthrough T1D]…new people and new ideas may be riskier but also have the power to make a big impact,” she fondly recalls of Breakthrough T1D’s willingness to take a gamble on her career. And it certainly paid off: Kelsey went on to start her own lab at UVA.
In her new position, Kelsey is building on her postdoctoral work and using both mouse models and human samples to better understand how T cell metabolism is dysregulated in autoimmunity—“a puzzle that never ends.”
Kelsey finds her work rewarding in many ways: she loves being creative and solving problems. “…one of the best feelings in the world is being the first person to see an experimental result in real time. For those moments, you are the only person alive who knows that information,” she explained.
Kelsey’s dream job includes leading the next generation of scientists—including the young women who were told that they should pursue something else but followed their hearts instead.
“Let them know their voices are valued.”
As much of life goes, Kelsey’s personal experiences as a woman in science “had its ups and downs.” A major motivator was seeing other strong women in science flourishing. One such scientist, Polly Matzinger, Ph.D., unapologetically offered a new paradigm of immunology (the “danger theory”) that was in direct contrast to the currently accepted view. To Kelsey, she is an inspiration—someone who can stand up for what she believes in and fight for it.
For women, this is easier said than done. Even in friendly and casual environments, it can be difficult for women in STEM and other fields to speak up and offer their points of view.
“What stands out to me…as a woman in science is how a lot of young women need time to develop the confidence to voice their opinions. They tend to withhold their questions or comments at conferences, journal clubs, or class discussions more often compared to men,” Kelsey explained. “I would encourage the community to allow space for girls to speak up in group settings and let them know their voices are valued.”
“I think we should change the way we think about research, specifically, as more of a creative pursuit that fits well with imaginative personalities. The next step would be to normalize and destigmatize the idea of ‘failure’ when young women start to experiment in these fields.”
Kelsey Voss, Ph.D.
