Step outside of your comfort zone because that is how you grow!

Women in Science - Aysecan’s story

This interview was born from an initiative within our own community: Our PhD candidates Irene and Anna reached out to their peer Aysecan and made this conversation happen. On International Women's Day, we are proud to share the story of Aysecan, who is about to defend her dissertation.

 

What inspired you to choose your particular research topic within the Matter to Life program?

I have long been fascinated by how our bodies can move and perform so many activities so effectively over such long periods of time. During my undergraduate years, mostly as a hobby, I received some anatomy training through a yoga teacher training program, and got to learn in a broad sense how different parts of our bodies respond to movement and exercise. Later in my graduate studies in the Matter to Life program, I got into running thanks to my dear classmates Justine and András during the time we were living together at the Max Planck Guesthouse. Running was a completely different force on my body compared to Yoga. Initially it was the most difficult and painful thing in the world, and then, it turned to be the most enjoyable activity of my day. As such, I got more and more curious about how our bodies can endure such repeated high forces over an entire lifetime while my hair ties wear out after a month with such small forces and I constantly need to buy new packs of hair ties.

Around the same time, a lab rotation in the Matter to Life program by MtL Fellow Prof. Frauke Gräter offered the opportunity to study collagen fibrils under force using Molecular Dynamics simulations. Collagen fibrils are the main structural components of connective tissues such as tendons, which we use heavily not only in yoga and running but also simply everytime we walk. While working on my lab rotation project using existing models of collagen fibrils, I realized that there were still many ambiguities in our understanding of the collagen fibril structure. Therefore, when Prof. Gräter offered me the opportunity to investigate the structure of collagen fibrils using state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscopy to improve on the current models of collagen fibrils, I was super excited and immediately on board to get into it. Looking back, I am very happy that I did.

Can you briefly summarise your PhD research — what problem were you trying to solve, how, and why does it matter in the broader scientific context?

Fibrillar collagens are the main structural components of connective tissues such as tendons, bones, and skin, and they are present in almost all vital organs, including the lungs, heart, and brain. Despite their abundance and biological importance, there remains many unknowns and ambiguities when it comes to their 3D structure. The 3D structure of a protein is closely linked to its function, and changes in structure often, if not always, lead to malfunction. To understand how collagen performs so remarkably under force, to design biomaterials inspired by it, and to better target collagen-related diseases, we need a clear picture of its 3D structure.
Recent advances in hardware and software have made cryo-electron microscopy one of the most powerful tools in structural biology, allowing direct visualization of many proteins and reconstruction of their 3D structure with high resolution.

In my PhD, I use cryo-electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography to investigate the structure of collagen fibrils and resolve their 3D organization. By doing so, we hope to substantially improve our understanding on the organization of the connective tissue and how they achieve their remarkable mechanical properties.

What were the most surprising/exciting results in your research journey?

The question of the structure of collagen fibrils is actually not a new one. As a community, us researchers have been trying to resolve the structure of collagen fibrils for almost a century now, using a variety of techniques including electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Therefore, we already have some models that have been long established and widely accepted by the collagen research community.

In my work, however, we observed structural features that suggest alternative 3D structures and organizations compared to what has long been considered the ground truth. Discovering this was both exciting and surprising.

There is a very special feeling in science when you see something for the first time, the joy of discovery, so to say. At the same time, besides the joy, this also brings many questions. You spend a long time questioning your own interpretations before slowly realizing that you are contributing to a century-long scientific endevour by adding new knowledge or challenging structural models that have been accepted for decades. That is both incredibly exciting and, in a way, a little intimidating.
Fortunately and unfortunately at the same time, this research still has many open questions. I am equally excited to follow the updates and see what the next generation of PhD students working on this topic will discover.

As a woman in a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary science program, what unique challenges have you faced — if any — during your PhD journey?

I studied chemistry during my bachelor’s and chose the Matter to Life program precisely because I wanted to expand my expertise beyond chemistry and work at the interface with biology and physics. The interdisciplinarity was the dream for me, but I also quickly realized how much effort it requires. You have to constantly keep learning and stepping outside your comfort zone.

One surprisingly funny aspect was realizing that we were often using the same words but meaning completely different things. For example, the word “ligand” means something different to me as a chemist than it does to my biologist colleagues. So, I sometimes had to learn a new scientific vocabulary to communicate with my colleages.
Overall, though, I see this as one of the greatest strengths of interdisciplinary research. It pushes you to think differently, ask new kinds of questions, and learn from people with very different perspectives.

 
What advice would you give to young women considering doing a PhD in an interdisciplinary program?

First of all: absolutely go for it! If you are curious and excited about research, a PhD can be an incredibly rewarding experience.

My second piece of advice would be resilience. Research often means trying things that have never been done before, and that also means that many things will not work the first time. I would say this is especially true in the life sciences, particularly in biological systems, although my materials scientist colleagues would probably argue that it is the same in their field as well. When you work on new questions, there are often no established methods to follow and no clear results to guide you. Sometimes you might even find results that contradict what has long been accepted.

I think self-doubt can be very real and also completely normal. In those moments, it is important to remind yourself to believe in your abilities, trust the work you are doing, and keep going with resilience.

 
Are there specific changes you’d like to see in the scientific community to better support women researchers at early stages of their careers?

I might be very fortunate to be part of a scientific community that is incredibly supportive of women in science. I do not recall facing challenges in my immediate scientific environment because of my gender. However, I do think that unconscious biases exist in society more broadly. From a young age, we often learn to associate positions of power and authority, such as CEOs or presidents, more often with men. I think similar assumptions can sometimes influence how people imagine scientists as well.

I find Simone de Beauvoir’s thoughts on this to be highly relevant in this context. In The Second Sex, she famously argued that people are not simply born into fixed roles, but rather shaped by the expectations of society. If from an early age certain roles are implicitly associated with men and others with women, these assumptions can subtly influence how people see their own possibilities.

I believe that the most important changes need to begin as early as possible. Encouraging curiosity, confidence, and equal opportunities for all children without attaching expectations based on gender can help reduce these unconscious biases in the long run.

Looking back, what would you tell your younger self at the start of this program?

“Everything will be okay. It is wonderful to step outside of your comfort zone and to struggle because that is how you grow.”

Similar to what I would advise the young scientists starting their PhD now: resilience is key, continue moving forward when things do not work, especially, when self-doubt starts to creep in. Do not give up and do not lose hope. Negative results are results too. I think the quote from my fellow Matter to Life colleague, Shreya Pramanik, captures this thought very well: “If an experiment doesn’t go as expected, it doesn’t necessarily mean you did something wrong.” (Here you can read the article “How I turned seemingly ‘failed’ experiments into a successful Ph.D.” by Shreya published in Science Careers)

The Matter to Life program has been one of the fullest experiences of my life with many ups and downs. I am very glad that I took this journey. I have learned a great deal and grown so much, both scientifically and personally.

What’s one thing about pursuing a PhD that you wish more people understood, especially from underrepresented groups?

To be clear from the beginning, I do not mean that doing a PhD is easy. However, I also do not think it is as difficult or unattainable as some people might fear. If you are curious and genuinely interested in a topic, do not be afraid to try. Apply to the programs you are interested in and pursue the PhD you want to do.

Last year, I had the opportunity to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings for Chemistry, where I met PhD students and postdocs from all around the world. It was incredibly inspiring to be part of such a vibrant and diverse scientific community. Experiences like this remind me that science is not a competition but a collective effort. We have so much to learn from one another, and supporting each other is an essential part of the journey.

 

The MtL community is rooting for Aysecan – and we have a feeling her story is just getting started.
Curious where it all began? Read her earlier testimonial!