One year abroad as building block on a career path

Choosing a research group for a year abroad is a pivotal decision that can significantly shape one’s academic career. I personally feel that such a period can fasten or delay academic growth. In order to help make this decision, I visited three laboratories in the United States in 2022. One visit was to the lab of Dr. Diane Bielenberg, VBP Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School (HMS), Boston. Dr. Bielenberg’s lab has been studying the role of neuropilins (a cell surface receptor mainly expressed by neuronal, endothelial and immune cells) and its ligands in neovascularization, lymphatic drainage, smooth muscle tone, inflammation, and carcinogenesis. I had previously interacted with Diane at the INTPART meeting in Iceland, 2018 and knew her team and research focus. During my visit to her lab, I discussed with her my personal ambition and career path. Her insight and willingness to mentor me in my early career stage encouraged me to choose her lab. Moreover, I knew Boston, being a biotech-hub, would offer a unique opportunity for me to expand my research horizons, build international collaborations, and gain exposure to new methodologies and perspectives. Furthermore, the city itself is the ‘most European’ city among those I visited, with functioning public transport. I was sure that the research group’s focus aligned with my interests, and the experience of living in Boston would be rewarding and productive not only to me but also to my young family. 

The Vascular Biology Program (VBP): my ‘new’ scientific home

The VBP at Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) and HMS do not need introduction to CCBIO, as they are tightly connected in their INTPART collaboration. Already from before that, Professor Lars A. Akslen has profound connections with almost all the PIs at the VBP, and I was made aware of this every day by passing the famous whiteboard of Dr. Judah Folkman.  Here, Dr. Folkman put up research questions for everyone working at the VBP and the general scientific public years ago, and they are still very relevant today. 

Diane’s group is working with answering one of the questions relating to biomarkers associated with lymphangiogenesis and what dictates the angiogenic switch. More recently, her lab discovered that CD4+ T cells express neuropilin-2 (NRP2) and that the semaphorin-3F (SEMA3F) ligand of NRP2 acts as an immune suppressor. The NRP2/SEM3F pathway acts similarly to the well-known immune checkpoint PD1/PDL1 except that the ligand (SEMA3F) is secreted and can therefore mediate immune suppression over a greater tissue area. Since joining her laboratory, I have led the tumor immunology project in her group independently. I am now managing the large animal colony that includes Nrp2- and Sema3F-floxed and knockout mice as well as various Cre-driver strains of mice. Currently, I am investigating the role of NRP2 in tumor immunity and testing the effect of targeting the SEMA3F/NRP2 axis to stimulate anti-tumor immune responses in vivo.  

This tumor immunology project is complementary to my previous research on tumor-stroma interactions and complements well with the recent acknowledgement of the essential role of tumor stroma in progression and response to treatment of various mucosal squamous cell carcinomas such as head and neck, vulva and penile carcinomas. Overall, my research focus and expertise on epithelial-mesenchymal interactions is as attractive to Diane’s group as their research is to me. Each Wednesday, the VBP hosts a WIP (Work in Progress) seminar wherein postdocs/trainees from each participating lab present their work and gets solicitated advice from all the PIs. The topics presented range from life threatening conditions arising from short bowel syndrome in premature infants, to infantile hemangiomas, to urinary markers of neoplasia to metastatic cancer, all related to the adaptations of the vascular system. I had the pleasure of presenting at one such WIP recently and received outstanding feedback.  

Moreover, the research environment around the VBP boasts of numerous outstanding research institutes and hospitals, including the Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Joslin diabetes research center, Beth Isreal Deaconess center and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I feel the environment is designed to support researchers at every stage of their careers, making it a premier destination for scientific discovery and innovation not only in the US but also worldwide. 

Beyond the lab: exploring history

The work culture is intensive as you would expect at any premier institute, but despite this, postdocs and other academics find time to enjoy life and nature. The Harvard Medical School Postdoc Association organizes meet-and-greet sessions, quiz sessions, trips to museums and various sightseeing tours. I have been to several of those, and they are truly a guide to the local city life. In my opinion, Boston is a city steeped in history. I have walked the Freedom Trail, a 4-kilometer route that takes you to 16 historical sites, including Paul Revere's House and the Old North Church. In addition, I have been to the numerous museums the city has to offer, such as the Museum of Fine Arts, the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum and the Harvard Natural History Museum. 

I have had the pleasure of experiencing the beauty of all four seasons in Boston, with the vibrant fall foliage, snowy and freezing cold winters to blooming springs, and warm summers ideal for outdoor activities. About the food, the city's culinary landscape is enriched by its diverse immigrant communities. You'll find authentic Italian cuisine, from handmade pasta to cannoli, to a variety of Asian cuisines, including dim sum and Peking duck in the Chinatown, while other areas feature flavors from around the world, including Middle Eastern, Indian, Latin American, and African dishes.

From meters to feet (or inches): embracing the chaos

I like being challenged by new situations, learning new skills, meeting new people and cultures. This is evidenced by my journey from India to Norway to the US. However, I was not ready for the bureaucracy of the US system. Most services including opening a bank account, making a transportation ID card and making a library card requires a valid ID (read: passport for foreigners). To my surprise, even having a beer at a bar or buying one at a shop requires a valid ID (read: passport). The first weeks were exhausting just because of all these logistics. To add to this chaos, the housing scene in Boston is crazy, with very high demand and steep prices.  

Although travelling with a young family is an adventure, it also has some extra worries attached. We had to be very picky buying fresh produce and groceries as we felt most of the things were ‘processed’, at least when compared to Norway. The quality of each and every product varies a lot, and we had to read all the ingredients before making any decision, mostly adding to the expenses. Talking about expenses, the daycare prices are insane, almost equivalent to half my salary (and no, there are no government subsidies). Although it was challenging in the beginning, I am glad that my family could also travel and experience the vibrant Boston culture.

Closing reflections

I am extremely glad that I took the chance to have a stay abroad at such a prestigious institution. Although hectic, I quite enjoy the academic life, running PCRs, westerns, cell culture, mouse breeding, mouse corneal angiogenesis assays to name a few. I am also continuing the tradition of mentoring students and have mentored a summer student from Boston University. Although it does not directly affect me now, the current funding freeze at the NIH has created ripples across the academic community across the US. I hope this situation resolves quickly and the US maintains its position as a global leader in science. 

I am indeed thankful to the University of Bergen for allowing me to take this stay abroad and supporting my research stay here, to my family for embarking on this adventure with me, to my mentor Dana Costea who is covering my administrative duties towards my PhD students and to Diane and her amazing host research group.