31-year old biologist soon after being granted the national scholarship Women in Science obtained her doctorate in nanoscience. She researched the mechanisms of membrane vesiculation for use as membrane vesicles in cancer diagnosis and therapy. Presently she is upgrading her expertise as a Post-doctoral Fellow at the University of Geneva, studying regeneration and developmental plasticity in hydra.
She is convinced that it is almost inevitable for a young scientist to gain experience abroad, but she is aware of the consequences, ie. the problems, especially in finding a job, waiting for them once they return home.

You won the scholarship for your research of the membrane vesiculation mechanism for use in cancer diagnosis and therapy. To those less informed the argumentation given at that occasion is rather hard to understand. Could you explain the purpose of your research in layman's terms?
At first I should explain what membrane vesicles are. They are structures released from different types of cells at budding of cell membranes. The cell membrane is turning up and bending, and during the final phase of the process a bud is formed which separates from the cell in the form of a vesicle. Such vesicle can contain several cell components, e.g. proteins and nucleic acids which can enter the bloodstream and play an important role in intracellular communication. We also know that cancerous cells are inclined to vesiculation, e.g. to budding of the cell membranes. These vesicles can transmit oncogenic substances, thus playing an important role in tumour metastasis formation, and the progress of the disease. Tumour vesicles can be also isolated from the bloodstream, and evaluated, which is very promising for early cancer diagnosis.

How can research of membrane vesicles help a cancer patient?
Membrane vesicles as biomarkers could be an additional, or an alternative examination to sometimes very demanding biopsies. Membrane vesicles can be potentially useful not only in diagnostics, but in treatment of cancer as well. There are several possibilities – e.g. removal of tumour vesicles from the system, implementation of membrane vesicles as delivery systems for targeted anti-tumour medications, or usage of membrane vesicles as vaccination.
Could we expect the results soon – also in practical use, i.e. in treatment of patients?
This is one of the fields of biomedicine where the development is the fastest. The methodology and knowledge are advancing year after year, and I am confident that the results of our research, and of those of the other researches, will soon bring help to first patients. We should also mention that membrane vesicles have great potential not only in cancer biology, but in other areas as well. They are promising in cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, regenerative medicine, and in other areas.
You accepted the reward with the following words: "This reward is a great honour for me, and a substantial cash injection, but on the other hand it brings responsibility, along with a wish to show to other young scientists that the situation is not as hopeless as it seems." What kind of hopelessness did you have in mind? The general opinion that nothing can be changed, nothing be achieved in Slovenia?
Yes, something like that.

Do you often notice such opinion among your colleagues?
Yes, and quite often. But I must say I don't agree completely. Obviously the situation is very difficult at the moment, but on the other hand I miss initiative and optimism in young scientists. A lot can be achieved with effort and proper approach, therefore I would like to encourage young scientist, after they finish their study, or doctorate, to step up to the experts from the field they are interested in and to propose cooperation, conceive a project and search for additional (also foreign) sources of financing. I am confident it is a correct approach which would soon bring results. It might be a temporary solution, but I believe it could result into long-term cooperation, even a permanent job.

You are continuing your work as a post-doctoral researcher at the University in Geneva. Is going abroad the only option for an ambitious and talented young scientist?
It is a must at a certain point of your scientific progress, especially in basic science. Not that the science level in Slovenia is too low and we need to escape, it is about gaining experience and knowledge in different work environments. Which would be hard to get in Slovenia where the science field is rather narrow, as we don't have several institutions dealing with similar issues.
If a young scientist is dealing with a certain problem at a certain institute, it usually is the only institute in Slovenia where you can continue your scientific journey after obtaining your doctorate. So either you remain at the same institute, which is in my opinion not the optimal scenario – and is usually hard to realize – or you go abroad.

Where do you see yourself in future - living in Slovenia, or abroad?
The answer to that question is difficult. I believe the quality of life in Slovenia is very high, so it is easy to imagine one’s future here. But living abroad has its charm.

Women are represented in science only by one third, according to surveys. The percent is slowly increasing, but considering the average of female graduates (over 50%) it is still rather low. Why do you think is that so? Or, to rephrase the question: are female scientists hindered by the environment, or are there other reasons?
I don't think the reason is the environment, but their personality traits. I believe that among women, if compared to men, a larger number refuses to make compromises at the expense of their family, e.g. spend evenings and weekends at work instead with their loved ones. On the other hand (in line with that) I think among males more individuals can be found with the lust for power, and status. Unfortunately that can be decisive in gaining high or permanent positions. But I also think that women scientists have a lot of advantages, and that we are all right.