Romance In Science

Mauricio Torres, PhD Research Investigator, Molecular & Integrative Physiology Neha Shrestha, PhD Research Investigator, Molecular & Integrative Physiology

Speaking of science and scientific careers, one often neglected aspect could be addressed by this question—is there romance in science? The short answer is Absolutely Yes. I have always been inspired by the love stories of couples like Drs. Pierre and Marie Curie (the 1903 Nobel Prize winners for Physics), Drs. Irene Joliot-Curie and Frederic Joliot-Curie (the 1935 Nobel Prize winners for chemistry) and Drs. May-Britt and Edvard Moser (the 2014 Nobel Prize winners in Physiology). Then one question started to emerge in my mind: could marriage in science potentially be an unconventional secret to success? In our department, we also have married couples who greatly endeavor to influence physiology and medicine.

Dr. Mauricio Torres and Dr. Neha Shrestha are research investigators in the Ling Qi Lab at the University of Michigan, Molecular & Integrative Physiology. Dr. Torres obtained his Ph.D. in Biomedical Science from the University of Chile (Universidad de Chile) in 2011. Dr. Shrestha was originally from Nepal. She received her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the National University of Singapore in 2015. Two biochemists, from the opposite side of the world, after decades of education, destiny finally made them join the Qi Lab at the same time, in September 2016.

After moving to Michigan, many challenges appeared, as they do for every other international scholar: complex paperwork, inconvenient grocery shopping, being far from one’s support network and familiar environment, coping with culture shock and homesickness. They quickly became friends and supported each other while overcoming these difficulties. They started to spend time during lunch breaks sharing their thoughts and feelings. That was the initial move towards their later romance.

Dr. Torres aims to uncover the role of endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation (ERAD) in mechanisms associated with neurodegeneration and the pathogenesis as well as the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Shrestha is interested in investigating the role of endoplasmic reticulum protein quality control in pancreatic beta cells. Although their research interests do not seamlessly overlap, they help each other on various occasions, such as interpreting results from complex experiments, sharpening public speaking skills, mapping out future directions, and recovering from failures in experiments and unscored grant applications. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenge of making progress in their projects and the constant concern of catching the virus has put on additional stress, but they remain optimistic that the love for each other will take them through any harsh moments in life. At all times, they feel supported, encouraged and empowered in the personal relationship and at the workplace. They are each other’s safety nets, rain or shine.

Is there romance in science? “We think there is definitely romance in science. Sometimes it is difficult to find the time to surprise your partner when you are working in the same place or after a very busy day, but it is more about the small details to express our love for each other on a day-to-day basis that makes the difference. It’s only a fellow research partner who understands the frustrations and the passion for continuing research. Throughout the research career, both of us had our highs and lows, and we rode along these waves together lifting each other when needed. Only another scientist understands you have to go to the lab during the weekend and spend any spare time reading new research articles.“ said Drs. Torres and Shrestha. They clearly described Romance from a different perspective. They share the same goals and engage each other to accomplish everything they can in their professional life. Similarly, their relationship builds on careers; they enjoy the love and company of a person who truly understands the other personally and professionally. Such a tight connection makes their relationship get stronger and stronger every day.

As young scientists, they have made significant progress in their career paths, publishing scientific findings in high-impact journals like Science, The Journal of Clinical Investigation and Nature Communications. I envision them continuing to stand behind each other in times of need and making greater success in science and a more significant impact on society in the future. When that day comes, we hope they will again share with us the secret to success and the driving force behind endeavors.