Today we have the great pleasure of speaking with Dominka, an excepcional RBP-ReguNet researcher who is currently completing her PhD at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona, under Professor Fátima Gebauer.
Where are you from? Since these are mobility grants, are you missing your place? Family, friends, city…
That’s a bit of a tricky question! The thing is that I’m originally from Warsaw, capital of Poland, but I’ve spent some years abroad living and working in Montpellier, France. As I’ve built a nice community of friends there, in consequence I consider both of these cities my home! I’m trying to go back to them as often as possible. Montpellier is relatively close to Barcelona, as such, it makes it easier to go there even for a short weekend break. Regarding Warsaw, I’m trying to go there for important events, such as Christmas or Easter, but also family celebrations. I’m lucky to be able to see my beloved ones quite often, even if of course, I miss them a bit anyway.
And what about your new place? What are you liking the most/the least?
Barcelona is a very lively and dynamic city! You can never get bored here as there is always something happening, I love it! As a techno lover, I’m happy that Barcelona has an amazing techno stage with a lot of clubs and big festivals such as Sonar or Brunch Electronic. Unfortunately, from last year, both of these events are co-organized by KKR group – a group which has ties with Israeli weapons manufacturers and is investing in illegal settlements on occupied Palestinian land. As such, I’ve resigned from joining any of these events and I’m finding alternatives to them.
Regarding Barcelona itself, I also love its architecture with a lot of small, cute streets in different neighbourhoods where you can sit in the local cafeteria with your book or laptop. On the other hand, I really miss green spaces within the city such as big parks for chilling or playing with your friends – we have a lot of them in Warsaw and I noticed this difference only after moving out from my city. However, this lack is compensated by the fact that it’s very easy to escape Barcelona for a 1-2 days trip to the mountains with amazing trails and landscapes!
Can you tell us a bit about your academic and professional background?
Of course, thank you for asking! I’ve first completed my bachelor degree in Biotechnology at the University of Warsaw, Poland, to then specialize in Medical Biotechnology during 2 years of Master degree at the same University. During my studying years I also had an opportunity to perform international exchanges and internships thanks to the different programs available at the University. As such, I could work in Geneva, Nice and Montpellier which provided me with an amazing experience! Shortly after my graduation, I’ve joined Maud Borensztein’s group in the Institute of Molecular Genetics in Montpellier as a Research Assistant. I worked there for more than 2 years on a project aiming to unravel the complex mechanism of X chromosome reactivation during embryonic development. And well, I think you know the rest: during the last months of my work I’ve applied to the MSCA-DN program to be able to start my PhD shortly after my contract ends. Overall, I would describe my background as quite diverse, but with strong interest in molecular biology, human genetics and cancer mechanisms.
What motivated you to join this MSCA-DN project?
Hm, great question! Well, since the beginning of my studies I knew I would like to continue my academic journey by completing a PhD. I was very lucky to find an offer from the MSCA-DN program which was perfectly corresponding to my scientific interest! Fatima’s Gebauer group is very well recognized in the RNA and RNA-binding proteins field, and since a few years they developed strong interest in the involvement of this group of proteins in melanoma mechanisms and progression. As such, I found this topic a perfect fit for my personal interest and decided to apply.
What specific research or training are you focusing on within this project?
Hm, it’s very difficult to specify one particular training which I’m focusing on, as my project is very diverse! We are aiming to answer the question of how some particular RNA-binding proteins are involved in melanoma progression, but the techniques we use vary a lot. For sure, till now, I already had an amazing opportunity to deepen my knowledge regarding imaging as I’m performing a lot of microscope experiments, mostly confocal. I also use a lot of molecular biology techniques such as RIP-RTqPCR and cloning. I handle a lot of RNA samples, due to the specificity of the protein of my interest, so, I’ve learnt how to deal with very gentle material. We also performed some high throughput RNA sequencing experiments, but for the moment this part of the data is analysed by my colleague, Neus, the bioinformatician from our group. However, I hope to learn how to analyse the RNA-seq data in the future.
How do you think this project will contribute to your career development?
I think that joining this project, particularly within CRG, was one of the best career choices I’ve made so far! I’m very happy about the working environment providing employees with a wide variety of high-quality facilities. The services are very accessible for the users, which makes your daily life in the lab much easier! Having these facilities in close proximity also provides me with a range of different expertise, enabling fluent exchange of information and diverse discussions with the technicians working at the facility platforms. Moreover, the CRG environment is very lively scientifically speaking, with a lot of seminars and symposiums which are the perfect occasion for the interesting interactions and networking. Also, the amazing opportunity to interact with so many different researchers who are part of the RBP-ReguNET, is busting my scientific curiosity. As such, I think that the work on this project will contribute to my overall significant improvement, in regard to both scientific and soft skills, and I’m sure that this expertise will be highly useful for the next steps of my scientific career.
What have been some of the most rewarding experiences in your research so far?
Hm, that’s a very difficult question to be fair! Let me think a bit… hm, well, I’d say that in general I appreciate the moments in which I succeed to overcome some limitations in my daily lab life. For instance, applying a new protocol, overcoming some issues with the protocol which doesn’t work for some reasons or coming up with new ideas for some experiments… Yeah, I think the moment just after, when you made things work, is a very rewarding feeling.
Can you describe any challenges you have faced during your time in the project and how you overcame them?
Hm, I would say that challenges in our field are a never ending story! No matter if it is about troubleshooting some existing protocol or applying a completely new technique in the lab, there is always something to be solved. Sometimes things are working fine, till the moment they suddenly stop… for no known reason. And it leaves you with a lot of frustration, but also, with a new problem to be solved: you have to tackle your biological question with a different approach. It takes time, and energy. So, I’d say that understanding this process and accepting the time limitations of the biological field, were the biggest challenges I had to face.
What skills or knowledge do you hope to gain by the end of this fellowship?
Due to the specificity of this fellowship, I think I will be able to acquire interdisciplinary skills: our network reunites scientists whose main interest are RNA-binding proteins, but the way they tackle the biological questions is very different. We have people working on liver diseases, virology and chemical synthesis of biological compounds, among others! I hope to deepen my knowledge in various domains of RNA and RNA-binding proteins research. Also, by interacting with people working on slightly different things, I hope to develop my general biology knowledge together with critical thinking and scientific maturity. Regarding my project itself, I see already that it’s very diverse and I love it! I’ve already learnt plenty of biochemistry, molecular biology and microscopy techniques, and as mentioned just before, I hope to gain some bioinformatics skills in RNA-seq data analysis.
How do you see the impact of your research on the wider community or field?
Hm, in a very long perspective, I hope that my research will contribute to better understanding of melanoma progression mechanisms and will open the possibility to a new generation of cancer treatment. For the moment I’m focusing on a more fundamental part of the project, although I believe this part will be essential for the further exploration of patient-specific therapies. In a shorter term, I hope that my research will answer some of the crucial questions about the biology of RNA-binding proteins and their mode of action. It may seem surprising, but even after years of research, the complexity of RNA-binding proteins is still puzzling and seems to be far from complete understanding.
Can you share a memorable moment or achievement from your work in this project?
Maybe let’s focus on a memorable moment! I think one of those would be the 2nd mid-term meeting of our consortium. We have presented our projects’ progress since our last meeting, and I remember I was very nervous while presenting. I’ve got some nice questions and suggestions, although I was unsure about my answers. And then, once the discussion was over, my supervisor Fatima approached me and said something like: “Well done Domi, you handled the questions very well!”. It was a very reassuring and rewarding feeling! Also, it made me realize that sometimes our personal feelings about our own work… are only a very subjective impression!
What advice would you give to future fellows or researchers entering this field?
My advice would be very general, but I believe it truly applies to our field: do proper bibliography work before starting working on your project! It’s very important to know the context of your work and see what is published in the field. However, once you start, don’t discard your results just because they don’t fit a current pattern. Discovering new things requires open mindedness and it takes time to understand the mechanisms behind biological processes.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of your research work?
I love sports, so, I enjoy myself by going to the zumba classes after work or by participating in the beach volleyball tournament happening yearly within the CRG and PRBB. During weekends, I love to go hiking to explore Barcelona surroundings and to get some good amount of the fresh air! Last year, I discovered that I enjoy listening to diverse podcasts – luckily, cause with the hours and hours spent on the microscope I would go crazy otherwise! (laughing) I mostly listen to podcasts presenting news and anecdotes from all over the world, together with the political podcasts focusing on polish politics and economics in context of the international movements.
Can you share a fun fact about yourself that people might not know?
Hahah, hm, well, maybe not the one people don’t know about me but something which people normally find quite amusing: for some reasons people get very surprised when I tell them I was completely silent till the age of 3! I was not talking at all before that, not even a single word! And then, I’ve instantly started talking with full phrases, and what can I say? It seems that now I am considered as a very talkative person.
What book, movie, or music album has had a significant impact on you recently?
In my free time I enjoy reading reportages treating about different subjects: from travelling, psychology, mental health to the state of polish society in the XX century. I read mostly in Polish as it’s my way to connect to my mother tongue and Polish culture. I’m trying to discover mostly Polish authors, but I don’t limit myself only to those. I’ve recently finished a book “Peasants” describing Polish female peasants and their duties in the Polish countryside at the turn of XIX and XX centuries. Preserved records and stories from the family diaries included in this book opened my eyes to the reality of the daily life of my grandparents’ childhood. A very important book for understanding the consequences of this historical period in the formation of current Polish society.
Moreover, a few weeks ago, I went to the projection of a documentary movie entitled “To kill the war machine”. This amazing film presents the activists-based organisation “Palestine Action” and its growth from a small volunteers initiative to a well-recognised organisation fighting against crimes committed on Palestinian people. In the movie we could follow the interviews with some of the “Palestine Action” activists, in parallel to the short movies from their targeted actions in the field. I liked how all the process of targeting the military giants providing arms for the IDF was shown and important details of similar initiatives were underlined. The movie was followed by the discussion with the participants which I’ve found very inspirational as well.
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Hm, with the relative ease of travelling these days, it’s just a matter of time when I’ll go to my dream destination, I hope! I would really love to go to South America, especially to Peru, Colombia and Chile. It’s difficult to specify why exactly I’ve chosen these countries, but I think it’s mostly the willingness to discover their amazing landscapes, together with experiencing local culture and traditions.
What do you enjoy most about the city or country you are currently living in?
Hm, I really like Spanish food and tapas culture! All the seafood, tomato bread, patatas bravas and croquetas… Amazing! Also, apparently Spain is the country which has the highest amount of bars per person! It’s visible at every corner of the city – people just hanging out in the afternoons to chat with their friends, a very chilled and relaxed ambiance, I love it!
Who has been the most influential person in your life, and why?
Again a difficult question! It’s hard to say who was the most influential person in my life, but for sure I can say who was the most inspirational. Here I would like to mention my internship supervisor, doctor Aurelien Doucet and my previous boss, doctor Maud Borensztein. I’m very happy that I had an opportunity to meet them on my career path! Their passion for science, kindness and support helped me to grow as a scientist, but also as a person. I’ve learnt so much from them and I remain thankful for the time we could share working together in IRCAN, Nice and IGMM, Montpellier, respectively. They were undeniably important for my professional development and significantly contributed to my career choices.
How do you balance your work and personal life?
I must say that we are very lucky in the CRG: internal administration and community underline very often the importance of a good work-life balance, and any outreach activities outside of your work life are highly appreciated. I think that the fact that I’m a very energetic person by nature, helps a lot as well! Even after a long day in the lab, I usually find energy to do something in the evening or during my weekends. I try to always have at least one day of the weekend dedicated for some outdoor activities like hiking or visits to new places.
What is one thing you have learned about yourself during your fellowship?
I think that thanks to the fellowship I’ve discovered that there are a lot of limitations I can overcome, even if at first I thought I couldn’t! I mean, what I’m trying to say is that there were so many different situations in which at first, I’ve thought “oh dear, there is no way to solve this”, but then, 1-2 days later, with a fresh view, there was always some way to overcome the issue. So, I’ve learnt to give myself a bit more credit about my own abilities, together with some mental space to think the problem through.