Steven Millership is a Research Fellow at Imperial College London, whose postdoctoral work investigated the function of imprinted genes, particularly in the insulin-secreting β cells of the pancreas. Steven is also Early Career Editor of two Society for Endocrinology journals: Journal of Endocrinology and Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. We caught up with him to learn about his career to date, as well as his role in the new series of Virtual Coffee Chats from the Society.
Please tell us about your research and current projects
Predominantly, my work investigates β cell function and heterogeneity, with a focus on the epigenetic pathways that control them. I have always been fascinated by secretory/hormone systems and their effect on whole body metabolism. This work comes with important ramifications for human metabolic disease (obesity, type 2 diabetes). The potential to have a positive impact on these conditions is ultimately what drives us to do the research.
Who inspires you most in your field of research?
My PhD supervisor, Professor Vladimir Buchman, was a huge influence on me when I started working in the lab; our group was like a family. Professor Buchman taught me multiple cell biology and biochemical assays and was never too busy to discuss something. We celebrated successes, such as publications and grants, with champagne and a gathering, which made the whole process so much more rewarding. Recently, I have been inspired by scientists including Professor Claes Wollheim, who I met at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2023 Annual Meeting. At the age of 80, he took the time to warmly encourage the work of even the earliest career scientists, and asked important and interesting questions. He is truly inspiring to the next generation.
What is involved in your role as Early Career Editor for the journals?
I oversee the peer review of assigned papers and select and invite reviewers for peer review, as well as promoting the journals to the endocrine community and providing feedback on their strategic development. Shining a light on important new research is crucial and I feel it is critical in the early stage of your career to be exposed to multiple research topics, angles and methods to enhance and streamline your productivity and effectiveness in your own field.
'We hope this series will help increase the visibility of early career researchers, fostering their professional development and helping build a strong, supportive scientific community.'
Too often in academia there is a temptation to have ‘tunnel vision’ and stick to your own group’s established interests and techniques which, in my opinion, does not lead to a successful career in scientific research. I wanted to support the publishing community by facilitating high quality peer review and publishing processes, while also casting the net wider on my own research understanding and exposure. I have done this by immersing myself in multiple aspects of the latest endocrine-related research outside of my own specialty.
What are the plans for Virtual Coffee Chats?
The Society is launching a new series of Virtual Coffee Chats, offering authors of recently published papers an opportunity to connect with its scientific community. These online sessions aim to bring together individuals with complementary skills, knowledge and research interests to discuss the latest research. We hope this series will help increase the visibility of early career researchers, fostering their professional development and helping build a strong, supportive scientific community.
We’ll be announcing the date and details of the next Virtual Coffee Chat session soon, so keep an eye out on your member emails and Society social media.
DO YOU KNOW A RISING STAR?
The Rising Stars 2024 Special Collection will highlight the breadth and depth of research undertaken across basic endocrinology by early and mid-career researchers, published across Journal of Endocrinology and Journal of Molecular Endocrinology.
The collection is now open for submissions. Led by Senior Editor Professor Massimiliano Caprio, ‘the collection will combine novel themes, challenging projects and the enthusiasm of young authors from around the world.’
For more information, or to submit an article, email [email protected].
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