Spotlight on LGBTQ Scientists at VP&S
As Pride month comes to an end, we asked a few LGBTQ scientists at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons to talk about their science, what Pride month means to them, and what advice they have for younger LGBTQ+ researchers.
Remi Creusot, Associate Professor of Medical Sciences
What is your research about?
My research interests are immune tolerance and autoimmunity. I have been focusing on autoimmune diabetes for over 20 years, trying to better understand why a subset of immune cells turn against specific tissues, insulin-producing cells in this case, and trying to develop therapeutic approaches that target and block these immune cell subsets specifically.
What does Pride month mean to you?
It has been many years since I did anything to celebrate Pride. Part of me thinks this is no longer needed as Pride started as a means to demand equal rights and major strides have been made to achieve these rights. But part of me also realizes that I have been living in a bubble the whole time. There are many parts in the world, and some parts of the United States still, where living as an open LGBTQ+ person can be very difficult, if not deadly.
Pride month is a good opportunity to increase awareness on what’s going on, because as the Roe v. Wade reversal has shown, rights may not be permanent. I just wish that Pride celebrations were more focused on love, relationships, and family, and that sexual and provocative aspects were toned down. Basically, it should be about celebrating the lifestyle that we share rather the lifestyle that differentiates us. I think it would help make things easier.
What advice would you give other LGBTQ+ researchers starting out?
To me, this should be a non-issue, particularly in NYC and at Columbia. Disclose what you want and when you feel it is the right time, in the most natural way possible. The medical and scientific field is particularly accepting and indifferent. A friend of mine, a doctor, recently transitioned from male to female, and it was very smooth process. Not only colleagues were supportive, but patients too. And that was in Nebraska!
Tony Ferrante, Tilden-Wegner-Bieler Professor of Preventative Medicine
What is your research about?
I study metabolism and am fascinated by how we regulate our feeding behavior and how our bodies change when we gain or lose weight. My laboratory studies two specific questions—what makes us stop eating and how does our fat tissue change and become “unhealthy.”
What does Pride month mean to you?
I have been around for many Pride celebrations and for me its meaning has evolved over time. In the 1980s, when LGBTQ+ people were so much less visible and folks were not well connected, Pride and all the events provided a rare opportunity to gather and meet other people. It was also a very dark time for me, as many of my friends were dying, and so Pride catalyzed celebration and some joy when it was badly needed. Today it is a time for reflection about how far we’ve come and the barriers that still exist, but it is still a time to gather and celebrate.
What advice would you give other LGBTQ+ researchers starting out?
I benefited greatly when I was a graduate student from being surrounded by a group of world-class scientists who were gay and lesbian. They were department chairs, members of the National Academy of Sciences, and a dean. It was a very unusual environment—perhaps unique—and these LGBTQ+ people encouraged me both overtly and by example to strive for excellence in basic research. My advice to junior scientists and those in training is to be driven by your curiosity and not be limited by other people’s, or your own, unstated perceptions of where you fit in or belong.
Emily Mace, Associate Professor of Pediatric Immunology
What is your research about?
My lab uses cell biological approaches, particularly specialized imaging and microscopy, to learn about how human immune cells migrate, differentiate, and proliferate in tissues and other microenvironments.
What does Pride month mean to you?
Pride month to me represents the joy and resistance of the LGBTQ+ community. I never forget that we celebrate Pride in June out of recognition for the defiance and anger that some of the most vulnerable members of our community exhibited at Stonewall. We have come so far and have so much to celebrate together but still have so many things to fight for.
What advice would you give other LGBTQ+ researchers starting out?
I think that whenever it is safe and possible that visibility matters. By bringing our whole selves to work, we expand the definition of what many people think that scientists look like.