Immunologist Dekina Nicolas was one of 575 young scientists who networked with 40 Nobel laureates at the 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureates Conference in Germany in June. Ta. The Lindau Conference is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young researchers.
Inspired by his mother’s battle with type 2 diabetes, Nicholas pursued graduate studies in immunology. After receiving his PhD at Loma Linda University in California, he studied the effects of inflammation and metabolism on reproduction as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).
She credits her postdoctoral program, the National Institutes of Health Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Award (IRACDA), for teaching her great mentorship.
Nicholas is currently at the University of California, Irvine, where he studies how lipid immunology contributes to type 2 diabetes and polycystic ovary syndrome, with the goal of developing immunotherapies.Nicholas sat with me. Nature The Lindau conference will discuss how confronting racism in science head-on and, in some cases, burning bridges can be an act of self-preservation.
What made you want to become a scientist?
My parents are immigrants. My mother is from Jamaica and my father is from Dominica. Their goal for me was to follow the American dream and become a doctor or a lawyer. But I’ve always loved science: science fairs, the scientific process, and questions and answers.
During my honors chemistry project at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee, I was dehydrating alcohol with acids. I thought it was the most boring thing ever, but I enjoyed the autonomy of independent lab work. At that time, I had no idea what I was going to do after getting my degree.
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However, my mother’s friend’s brother was a professor at Loma Linda University. While talking with him, he learned that research could be a career. Until then, I had never met a black professor.
What challenges did you face during your graduate studies?
There’s a lot of intersectionality for me. I am the first generation. I am black. I’m a woman. People often underestimated how much I was capable of.
One thing is important. I had no idea how to move on to the next step in my career. But I have been very blessed. People saw me struggling and went out of their way to help me. The first person to do so was Hansel Fletcher, a microbiologist at Loma Linda University, who encouraged me to apply for funding for a graduate program. I thought it was great to get paid to study.
When I finally joined the lab, rumors were circulating around campus that Black women were not good scientists. Several graduate students told me that to my face. That hurt a lot.
There are many ways to receive such messages. It can leave you depressed and devastated. I decided to prove them wrong. I worked very hard. My goal has always been to change attitudes and change perspectives. Being angry won’t get you anywhere.
Has it gotten easier as a postdoc?
At first it wasn’t. After completing my PhD, I tried to get a postdoctoral position. I bombed some interviews. I have been rejected twice for IRACDA fellowships. I wasn’t a bad scientist. I didn’t know how to network or leverage my social capital. I ended up getting a job at Boston University in Massachusetts through a mentor.
My first year in Boston was tough. It felt like a very toxic environment to me. In my opinion, women in the lab were treated very differently than men. I wasn’t happy. I was depressed and far away from my family in Florida. After a lot of soul searching, I quit.
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Burning that bridge and protecting myself was one of the best decisions I ever made. Over the next year, I was more productive than ever. I learned to be confident and value myself and my expertise. I’m glad I was able to know my worth.
Ultimately, I earned an IRACDA fellowship at UCSD. Interacting with other postdocs there (a diverse group with great mentoring and training opportunities and a healthy lab environment) was magical.
This program has provided us with tools, community, and a network. After that, I got a better understanding of how to write application documents, conduct interviews, create resumes, network, self-promote, coach, and mentor. When I founded my lab in 2021, I really started working on it.
What do you think are the barriers in scientific academia for first-generation students?
A secret game is going on behind the curtain. We want everyone to know how the system works so everyone has a fair chance.
My big dream is to start a non-profit organization that uncovers all the little things hidden in academic programs. For example, undergraduate students can receive compensation to apply for college credit or gain research assistantship experience, and personal and research statements are more important than grades and opportunities in graduate school applications. Things, etc.
I want all first-year college students, no matter what their background, to have the tools to think about what questions to ask because you don’t know what you don’t know.
You’ve been vocal on X (formerly Twitter) about the challenges of motherhood in academia.
yes. Everything changed because she was pregnant while she was interviewing for a teaching job. UC Irvine has made it very clear that it supports women and families. Before I accepted the job offer, I asked for a childcare center.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I took my baby to work because childcare centers were closed. A colleague said: “I’m so glad your baby is here. Why don’t the other PIs bring their kids to work?” I laughed and said, “They have wives.” Told. It was like a light bulb went on.
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Balancing work and family life is difficult. I intentionally try to put my kids first. Remember that your child is only small for a short period of time and enjoy my cuddles and cuddles. There are days when I pick them up from daycare early and take them to work. she’s so much fun
What steps in your career path could serve as a lesson for others?
I wrote my first grant proposal in graduate school. My mentors said: “You don’t need to write a grant application. You don’t need to write a grant application.” We have money for you. ” I replied, “I’m not writing grants for the money. It’s good for my career.”
I paid for many conferences out of my own pocket, something a graduate student should never do. I was so broken. But it was worth it because the conference helped me learn and grow. There I learned to pitch my ideas and withstand the criticism I received from other conference attendees.
What do you think about the fact that no black woman has ever won a Nobel Prize in Science?
I don’t think we should have a negative view of things because of how things were in history. We need to have perspective on where we are going.
Returning to Lindau as an award winner is one of my biggest dreams. That’s something I can aspire to. This is top level science. When more women and minorities start winning the Nobel Prize (more than half of all Nobel laureates have been women since 2000), we will realize, “Oh, I can do this.” .