Gabriela da Silva Xavier is an Associate Professor in Cellular Metabolism at the University of Birmingham, and a team member in the Women’s Metabolism Health Theme at the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre. We caught up with her to learn about her career in endocrinology, her roles in the Society for Endocrinology and her new position as Co-Editor-in-Chief of two Society journals: Journal of Endocrinology and Journal of Molecular Endocrinology.

Tell us about the focus of your current research

My research for the past 20+ years has mainly been on pancreatic islet function, trying to elucidate how variations in the genome impact upon the function of the endocrine pancreas and, therefore, the risk of developing diabetes. The genomic variations were identified via genome-wide association studies in humans, and frequently also impact upon the function of other tissues that are important in metabolic regulation. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, the work led me to take a more systemic lens to diabetes research, moving beyond the pancreas and looking at the impact upon or of other tissues, e.g. adipose tissue.

Since moving to the University of Birmingham, I have become more involved in research on rare metabolic conditions in which diabetes and obesity are part of the pathology. This is due to our close links with the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, where some of these conditions are managed. I am a member of the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre’s Women’s Metabolic Health Theme. Gestational diabetes is one of the areas in which we are currently developing work packages, together with our patient and public involvement and engagement groups. As a result of these connections, my work has taken on a more translational slant.

What inspired you to choose a career in endocrinology?

I chose to work on diabetes because it is a condition that was common amongst people I know, so I was aware of it from an early age. I have always been interested in science, because I enjoy finding out how things work. So, it seemed logical to marry the love for science and the desire to do something that could be helpful to people I know.

Once I started, I very quickly became hooked. The endocrine system is a very beautiful thing. For example, the control mechanisms within, and exerted by, the islets of Langerhans are so very clever and elegant. Then there are the additional layers of control exercised by tissue cross-talk to achieve some sort of best-possible balance within the system. This makes for a really complex control module that constantly adjusts with input from multiple sources, but which, at its most basic, is essentially just made up of bags of chemicals.

Things do go wrong but, considering how much work is done, I find it a wonder that things don’t (noticeably) go wrong a lot more. There is much to learn from studying such a system. Work is a lot of fun (usually), also because I have the good fortune to work with really lovely, engaging people. This is a good career choice and I would recommend anyone with an enquiring mind to explore it as an option.

Have you found any recent advancements in your field particularly exciting?

The ability to generate islet cells from stem cells is a very exciting development. The implications for treatment – increasing the availability of islet cells for transplantation – is huge. However, there is also substantial potential to use such stem cell-derived cells/organoids for research purposes. For example, this could include drug testing and to help us gain a better understanding of how human pancreatic endocrine cell development could be impacted by different factors during fetal development, and what that may mean for the long term metabolic health of the offspring.

How has the Society played a part in your career?

As a researcher, the annual conference and the journals run by the Society for Endocrinology have been really helpful in acquiring and exchange of knowledge. I have had the opportunity to take on different roles within the Society, through which I have learnt a lot, met a lot of interesting people, and had the space to develop my leadership skills.

Up until very recently, I was a member of the Science Committee. As part of the committee, I had the privilege of working within interest groups to look at how the Society could support and develop education in endocrinology, or a career framework for research scientists in endocrinology. Being involved in such work gave me a better understanding of what the community needs, what tools/levers are already there and what is missing, and how we can work together to meet those needs.

That gave me the impetus to apply for the role of Deputy Chair of the Society’s newly formed Grants Committee, because I believe that helping to set up an effective grant award system would enable us to meet some of those needs. I get a real sense of support and community within the Society for Endocrinology, and this positive culture helps to drive research.

What motivated you to become Co-Editor-in-Chief of two Society journals?

The exchange of ideas and information is key to scientific research and progress. Scientists need safe spaces in which to communicate their ideas and to obtain information, and Journal of Endocrinology and Journal of Molecular Endocrinology have provided this. We currently face many (new) challenges in publishing – which makes the job interesting – and I wanted to be involved in helping to meet these challenges. I would also like to see young scientists more involved in scientific discourse; I see being involved with these journals as a potential means to this.

What advice can you give early-career researchers looking to publish their work in a journal?

The best piece of advice I got was to put figures together as the work develops. It may involve moving figure panels around over the course of weeks, months and years – and some might question if that is the best use of time. However, I found that doing that allowed the narrative to evolve in a visual manner as the data came in. It helped me spot holes in the logic/story, which I could then try to address with experiments. It also helped with the writing, as the narrative is developed over time with the experimental work and the figures.

I think it is important to start writing early on in one’s career, to develop writing skills, with support from mentors and colleagues. Journal reviews are exchanges of ideas and opinions. Thus, the review–revision process is a learning opportunity (especially for early-career researchers), provided by the wider research community beyond the immediate laboratory team and collaborators, if it is conducted in an open and fair manner. Thus, a good learning experience is more likely when publishing in journals with a robust and supportive editorial process, such as Journal of Endocrinology and Journal of Molecular Endocrinology.