#323 – Following the Why: Building a Career at the Intersection of Science and Care

In this episode of At the Bench, Drs. Misty Good and Betsy Crouch welcome Dr. Amélie Collins, an R01-funded neonatologist and associate professor at Cincinnati Children’s. A classically trained immunologist turned hematopoietic stem cell biologist, Dr. Collins shares her journey from philosophy major at the University of Chicago to leading a research program focused on fetal myelopoiesis in the context of maternal inflammation.

She discusses her training path through MD/PhD at NYU, her formative time in the labs of Dan Littman and Emmanuelle Passegué, and the critical mentorship moments that shaped her career. Dr. Collins offers an honest look at the challenges and joys of long training, pivoting research directions, and starting an independent lab. She reflects on the intersection of science and clinical care, grant writing as a creative exercise, and the importance of celebrating effort and submission, not just success.

We also dive into her Cell paper on the extrinsic regulation of emergency myelopoiesis in the fetus, the role of maternal IL-10, and how her lab is exploring how hematopoietic stem cells mature and retain memory of early-life exposures.
Dr. Collins leaves listeners with powerful advice: “Do it because you love it. This career demands a lot, including your time, energy, and weekends. But if you love it, it’s worth it.”

As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.

Enjoy!