Genetics and Health

Genetics Interview #7: Gloria Gamat of Cancer Commentary

by Hsien Hsien Lei, PhD on July 13th, 2006

Having lived in a number of countries (and not yet settled down), I am keenly aware that not everyone has a global frame of mind. Science and genetics, however, can’t afford to be anything but. While in grad school, my professors and classmates came from all over the world and I think the differences in culture and ways of thinking enriched us personally along with our research.

This week’s interview features Gloria Gamat who’s a chemist based in the Philippines. She recently shifted gears and began a professional blogging career writing Cancer Commentary here at b5media, Straightfromthedoc, and The Pharm Voice. Gloria is warmhearted with a desire to empower patients by sharing news on science and health using language we can understand. And that’s something we all need no matter where we are on this big blue marble.

1. What is it like to be a scientist in the Philippines?

Tough question! Let me see…of course you are looked up to with authority and respected in your particular field of expertise. It puts you into the upper bracket of society even if you aren’t earning well. ;-)

2. How well do you think people in the Philippines understand genetics and the implications of the genome revolution?

Not much maybe, if you consider the general mass of the population that only has meager education. But starting with the working middle class and upwards, I think they understand pretty well. I said this not to discriminate but to state a fact that not all of use here are well educated. Education in the Philippines is not a right like in developed countries, here education is a privilege. Some people do not have the opportunity and the resources to pursue higher education. But that’s not the point of discussion here. :-)

3. Some scientists claim that the media often discriminates against Asian or women scientists, often choosing to quote white male scientists instead. As an Asian woman scientist, have you ever experienced or observed this type of discrimination? What do you think the general scientific atmosphere outside of the U.S. and Europe?

I really cannot say, considering that my career as a scientist haven’t really taken off yet to the point that I have the authority to be quoted side by side or compared with a white man for example. I was only at that point that I was working for a white or black guy as my superior. Not because I am discriminated but because they have the higher education (MS and PhD) and expertise that I still didn’t have.

Having said that, I always believe that working as a scientist anywhere in the world is depending on your achievement and experience academically and research-wise.

Though I haven’t worked outside of the Philippines, I still think that one scientist (or any profession for that matter) should not be weighed based on his race and color but on his expertise and achievements.

4. For several years, you conducted research on rice. How did genetics fit into your work and the other projects in your lab?

Genetics played (and still plays) a big role in rice research, other research aspects on rice may be stopped or removed but the genetics part will stay on definitely. Actually rice genetics research is very upfront these days. To feed the rice eating world, rice scientists need a “super rice” that will grow in any ecosystem, that will fend off any pest and disease and perhaps one that has built in nutrients that it won’t even need fertilizer but high yielding.

When I left rice research, I was with a group that is already into fine-mapping of the gene that is responsible for Phosphorus uptake. Phosphorus, being an important nutrient in rice (plant) growth, needs to be cloned and inserted in varieties that don’t have that gene.

Not just Phosphorus, but rice geneticists (and physiologists) are working on drought, salinity and submergence genes of rice as well.

So you see, genetics indeed play a BIG role in this aspect.

5. Like me, you’ve decided to take a hiatus from research to try your hand at science writing. What characteristics do you think make a good science writer and/or blogger?

A good science blogger should not only have that strong science background and expertise but also the creativity (and the passion) to be able to write science articles in layman’s term or at least into a form that the general public will appreciate and read up to the bottom of the paragraph, but not to the point of moving away from the hard scientific facts.

Having been used to technical (scientific) writing most of my life, I strive each day to be creative in my blog entries. It’s not an easy task but I try to do my very best each time I write my entries and work on maintaining that balance between hard facts and creativity.

Thanks, Gloria! Here’s hoping science blogging is going to sustain us for the long term.

Technorati Tags: filipina, filipino, philippines, science, genetics, health, problogging, disease, genes, dna, interviews, gloria gamat

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