Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellow
Rachel Edens
Rachel Edens is a graduate student at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Describe your interest in participating in the program.
Edens: Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers of the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a framework for reform of the National Institutes of Health. This reform proposal comes four years after the start of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic, mirroring the 2006 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Reform Act that followed the SARS-CoV1 outbreak in 2002. This reform proposal notably aims to pair down the NIH's 27 institutes to only 15. If this proposal were to pass as-is, it would mean an extreme culture shift for federally funded research. Luckily, the proposal remains open to stakeholder input and will likely see significant changes to better reflect the needs of federally funded researchers. This proposal and input process highlight the importance of scientific expertise and advocacy in policymaking, a topic I have grown passionate about as a graduate student. Science experts are needed in legislature to ensure that science-related policies are fully informed and sound in their creation. However, to advise policymakers, these experts must also be well-versed in science communication, a skill not often taught in higher education. This discrepancy has led to a significant gap in scientific research and the policy that funds and structures it. I hope to help close this gap as a scientist and communicator in the legislative space by participating in FASEB's Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellowship.
The Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellowship perfectly aligns with both my science advocacy goals and science policy career aspirations. Despite my interest and engagement thus far with science policy and advocacy, I have not yet had the opportunity to experience in-depth formal training in the space. I am excited to enhance my policy knowledge and acumen through the case studies and additional training material the Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellowship offers. As a science communications intern at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), I have already begun building a scientific communications portfolio. My published articles thus far have featured lay-friendly summaries of emerging science. Until recently, I have held myself back from writing on science policy due to hesitation in sharing my views and feelings on sensitive topics. However, the proposed NIH reform has helped me realize my passion for opening communication lines between scientific stakeholders and elected officials. I am preparing a blog post for MUSC's College of Graduate Studies Speaks blog that will allow me to educate my scientific community on how to give input on policy that directly affects them. While this is a great first step in finding my footing in science advocacy, training through the Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellowship and participation in FASEB's Science Policy Symposium and Capitol Hill Day will further develop my skillset and confidence in promoting collaboration between scientists and policymakers.
Furthermore, this fellowship will serve as the perfect springboard to a career in science policy through networking opportunities with peers and legislators and valuable exposure to science policy processes.
How do you plan to use the knowledge and experience gained through your participation in the Howard Garrison Advocacy Program?
Edens: During my graduate training at MUSC, I have become increasingly involved in science advocacy and interested in science policy careers. Yet, it has been a challenge to feed my interest because of my state's limited science advocacy and policy opportunities. South Carolina's life science industry is the fastest growing in the state, yet life science policy efforts at the state level remain underdeveloped. Through this fellowship, I aim to gain hands-on experience in science advocacy at the federal level that will equip me with the expertise and connections needed to unify a grass-roots science advocacy effort in South Carolina and pursue a science policy career.
While this may be a lofty goal, my involvement in the South Carolina Policy, Engagement, Advocacy, and Research Group (SC-PEAR), MUSC's science advocacy club, provides the perfect foundation of engagement and support from my local community. However, SC-PEAR is still in its infancy. The current directors founded the club only a few years ago and have made great strides as the only higher education science advocacy group in the state, but there is still room to grow. With the experience I will gain from the Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellowship, I will seek leadership in SC-PEAR. I am confident that the professional and leadership training from the fellowship will prepare me to expand the reach of SC-PEAR across the state to other institutions and form meaningful connections and collaborations with local and state legislators.
Using no more than 250 words, describe your research as you would to a non-scientist.
Edens: Each part of your body that comes into contact with the outside world is protected by a physical barrier. Your gut tissue is no exception; it is covered by a thick mucus layer that separates the intestine from everything you eat. The gut mucus layer is produced by a specialized cell type called goblet cells. Goblet cells are responsible for the complicated process of creating mucus internally and releasing it externally. The complexity of mucus creation and release makes goblet cells especially sensitive to stress. Goblet cell stress can slow or completely halt mucus creation and release, weakening the mucus layer and a sensitive gut. However, what causes goblet cell stress remains a mystery.
Unsurprisingly, patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) often have a weakened mucus layer along with typical inflammation of the intestine. Recent studies have found that IBD patients also have lower amounts of the motor protein Myosin-Vb (MYO5B). In the gut, MYO5B is responsible for moving cargo to the top of cells so they can interact with the contents of the intestine, allowing cells to do their job by responding to what you consume. Without MYO5B, your cells become stressed because they can’t do their job. My research focuses on a very specific question: does less MYO5B cause goblet cell stress that leads to a weakened mucus layer in IBD patients? While this question is specific, it’s important to understand what causes a weakened mucus layer since it is a common factor in intestinal diseases.
Briefly describe any past or present participation in additional career exploration activities, experiences, and/or programs.
Edens: I was first introduced to science advocacy and careers in science policy through MUSC’s Accelerate to Industry career workshop. I was completely naïve about the role of researchers and experts in policy development until a presentation on the general roles of science policy analysts and advisors. I was fascinated with the field and began researching possible career paths and available graduate training programs. Shortly after, I attended the American Physiological Society (APS) annual summit in Long Beach, California, and attended a science advocacy session where I met with the current director of SC-PEAR. We further connected, and I began fully participating in SC-PEAR with the encouragement of the director to take on leadership in the club eventually. Since then, I have completed the APS How to Advocate for Science online introductory course, assisted with the SC-PEAR annual Lab to Leaders symposium, and initiated the nationally affiliating SC-PEAR with the National Science Policy Network.
Additionally, I have participated in an APS science advocacy letter-writing workshop and continued to develop my science communication skills as a science communications intern at MUSC. I look forward to enhancing my science policy and advocacy experience through the Howard Garrison Advocacy Fellowship.
Rachel Edens is a member of American Physiological Society, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and American Society for Investigative Pathology, FASEB member societies.