Leila Abtahi
Career Development Subcommittee
University of British Columbia

Research interest

I am a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia, where I study synapse maturation at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction. My research focuses on BMP-regulated Ly6 genes and how presynaptic mechanisms influence postsynaptic structure and function. More broadly, I am interested in how communication between the two sides of the synapse coordinates its development and maturation.

In parallel, I contribute to a side project where I generate transgenic Drosophila lines to study how MAPT (tau) protein contributes to neurotoxicity, a process relevant to Alzheimer’s disease, and how specific tau mutations influence this effect.

One aspect I really value about working with Drosophila is the ability to bridge fundamental biology and disease-relevant questions within the same system. This has allowed me to investigate basic questions like how synapse forms while I can implement this knowledge into disease contexts and using fly as a model organism to study disease mechanisms. 

I think my interest in research began during my undergraduate studies at Shiraz University, where I actively sought out opportunities to engage in research, from basic data collection to working with model organisms. So, I joined a molecular genetics lab as a volunteer and later continued there as an MSc student. Early in my master’s, the lab initiated a collaboration with a Drosophila group working on Alzheimer’s disease. Since the collaboration was just starting and the lab had limited expertise working with flies at the time, I got the chance to set up experiments and protocols from scratch. I developed my MSc project using flies to examine how tau expression affects expression of mitochondrial dynamics genes. As I continued working on the project, I gained more experience troubleshooting experiments and mentoring others, which helped me become more confident in my research abilities, and that was when I started to see myself as a scientist.

I had the opportunity to interact with patients and their families, which made the impact of neurodegenerative diseases more tangible and gave me motivations to pursue this field, particularly to better understand neuronal communication and degeneration

These experiences, combined with strong mentorship, the versatility of fly genetics, and a personal drive to understand neuronal communication and ultimately help people, shaped my path from Iran to Canada. They continue to guide the questions I choose to pursue today.

As a PhD-trained scientist, you have many career options. What interests you the most? 

As a PhD-trained scientist and an Iranian woman in STEM, I feel a strong sense of responsibility, both toward my own growth and toward supporting others, helping them feel valued and see that they belong in this field.

When I first thought about my future, I mainly saw myself as a researcher in academia, maybe running my own lab and discovering new things. But over time, that vision has expanded. I still see myself mainly as a scientist, but now I also want to combine teaching and building new initiatives with my research.

I am interested in a career that brings together research, teaching, and building platforms or communities for education and mentorship, not only for students but also for the public. 

Teaching is a big part of this vision. As a graduate teaching assistant and a former teacher, I have seen how mentorship can spark students’ curiosity and motivate them to pursue science. I enjoy working closely with students, answering their questions, and helping them understand concepts in a way that makes sense to them. So, I want to continue mentoring and supporting others as they build confidence in their own path.

At this stage, I know this path can be challenging, especially coming from a very different cultural and educational background. Because of that, I started getting involved in science outreach programs like the Geneskool (Genome BC) and Let’s Talk Science, which focus on engaging younger students. These experiences helped me become more comfortable communicating science and connecting with different audiences.

So, I do not see my career as one fixed role. Instead, I imagine a hybrid path as a scientist, educator, and mentor, linking academic research with teaching and outreach.

In addition to your research, how do you want to advance the scientific enterprise?In addition to my research, I want to contribute to making science more understandable and accessible to a broader audience. Over the past years, I have had the opportunity to interact with different groups, including students, patients, graduate students and scientists. These experiences have shaped how I think about the role of scientists beyond the lab.

One common theme I have noticed is that people engage much more with science when it is communicated clearly. Patients, for example, are often interested in understanding how research may eventually impact their lives. Students become genuinely curious and appreciative of biological complexity when concepts are explained in a way that is approachable. Even within the lab, clear communication makes collaboration more effective.

Through these interactions, I have realized that I enjoy explaining scientific ideas in a way that others can understand, and I want to continue developing this skill.

Moving forward, I want to make sure that the work I, as a scientist, do in labs does not remain limited to a small scientific community. I aim to contribute by mentoring students, teaching, and engaging in outreach activities that connect research with the public. For me, advancing the scientific enterprise means not only generating knowledge but also making that knowledge accessible, meaningful, and useful to others.

As a leader within the Genetics Society of America, what do you hope to accomplish? 

As a leader in GSA, I aim to make it easier for early career scientists to understand their career options and feel more confident in their decisions. Many young scientists, including myself, find it difficult to connect their lab training with future career paths. We often feel that we have very few options after graduation. In reality, there are many roles within academia and industry that we aren’t aware of  or understand.

I have had conversations with students who are close to graduating. I’ve seen that some choose to stay in academia because it feels like the safer or more familiar option, even if they are not interested in a research setting. At the same time, many hesitate to explore alternatives because they don’t know what those options actually look like or how to prepare themselves for them.

This is one of the reasons I joined the Career Development Subcommittee. I wanted not only to explore these options for myself, but also to help others recognize that there are more possibilities beyond these traditional paths.

In this subcommittee, we are creating opportunities for people to connect, share their experiences, and learn from one another. From there, we can make different career paths more visible and easier to navigate.

We are already working on initiatives such as the Career Development Toolkit and Workshop Wednesday, which give early career scientists practical opportunities to explore different roles and understand the skills required for them.

I also value the international nature of GSA. Being part of a group with members from different countries allows us not to be limited to a specific region but to know about opportunities all around the world, and be accessible to a broader community. This is especially important to me because it helps ensure that students who may not have access to the same resources or opportunities can still benefit and move forward in their careers.

Through this role, I hope to contribute to a more informed, connected, and inclusive scientific community where early-career researchers feel supported in shaping their own paths.

Previous leadership experience

  • Member, Career Development Subcommittee, Genetics Society of America (GSA)

Contributed to career development initiatives and resources supporting early-career researchers.

  • Graduate Teaching Assistant

Supported undergraduate teaching through lab instruction, student mentoring, grading, and assessment.

  • Councillor, Graduate Council Caucus, UBC

Supported the VP Academic and Affairs in representing graduate student and GSS interests at the Graduate Council of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, and contributed to council-related committee discussions.

  • Executive Member, Cell and Physiological Student Association

Contributed to graduate student-led activities, events, and departmental engagement.

  • Volunteer Mentor and Instructor, GeneSkool Program, Genome BC

Mentored youth through genetics-focused outreach activities and hands-on science learning

  • Workshop Volunteer, Let’s Talk Science

Led youth-focused science workshops and supported STEM outreach activities.

  • Scientific Advisor and Content Strategist, Industry

Provided scientific guidance and developed evidence-informed content for supplement-related communication and product strategy.

  • Lead Instructor and Coordinator, Molecular Biology Workshops, Iran.

Led hands-on molecular biology workshops for undergraduate students, covering PCR, DNA extraction, gel electrophoresis, and primer design, while coordinating groups of instructors.

  • Drosophila Stock Supervisor, Shiraz University, Iran.

Managed and maintained Drosophila stocks for teaching and research purposes.

  • High School Biology Teacher
  • Taught Cambridge IGCSE Biology to Grade 9 and 10 students through classroom instruction, assessment, and student support. 
  • Executive Member, Biology Department Student Association

Supported student association initiatives, academic events, and student representation.

  • Editor, Student Association Journal

Edited student-written content and supported the publication of the student association journal.

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