Dr Samantha Jumbe is a Sanger Excellence Fellow who is investigating the role of somatic mutations in autoimmune conditions, such as lupus and immune-mediated liver disease. She is trained as a clinical scientist in the NHS and is interested in real-world applications of research. We spoke about her work, her goals, and those who have helped guide her career so far.
Can you tell us about your work?
I am interested in the role that somatic mutations play in autoimmune conditions. Somatic mutations are random mutations in any of the cells in the body apart from the egg or sperm. The term autoimmune conditions is also a big umbrella term, covering conditions such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. The hallmark of autoimmune disease is the immune attack against the body’s own cells.
The ones I am focused on are a systemic autoimmune condition, called Sjögren's syndrome or SS, but individuals with this condition can also develop other autoimmune diseases that affect the liver and other organs. SS also increases your risk of developing B cell lymphoma.
I’m trying to understand more about the role that somatic mutations play in the origins and development of these conditions, so we can better understand how to prevent or treat them. This is an ambitious project; part of what attracted me to the Sanger Institute is that it has the power and the resources to put behind large-scale projects such as this one. If we’re going to try and do something like this, I think Sanger’s a great place to do it.
What do you hope to achieve?
As I straddle that space between clinical scientist and research scientist, and I do have an interest in translating research into clinical impact. One of the reasons I was keen to work in Peter Campbell's group is that I used to apply the research that came from his team to my work as a clinical scientist.
So what I am hoping to do is discover something that can be clinically informative. It would be great to watch that be translated into the clinic and see people use the things that we find in practice to help diagnosis, management, or even treatment.
One of my favourite things about research is this feeling of possibility that comes with it – that you continue to push open doors and investigate new avenues in the hope that you can discover something that can benefit people in the future. Take WiFi for example, we know the initial technology that paved the way for its development was discovered way back, by Hedy Lamarr in the early 1940s¹. Now it’s used everywhere. You never know what impact your work might have.
Why did you become a research scientist?
I’ve always been interested in human biology, mainly spurred by my own experience of being in hospital for long stints during my childhood. I was curious about the science of disease, and understanding what was going on in my own body. Because of this, I initially thought about studying medicine, but instead, I did biomedical sciences with a year in the NHS. During this, a mentor suggested academia and encouraged me to look into it. Before that point, I hadn’t thought about the different ways to apply science. I’m glad that I did the NHS placement and pursued academia – I think it’s amazing how the things that we do in the lab and the basic research informs and influences the medical world.
Is there anyone that has had a big impact on your career?
There are multiple people throughout my life so far who have helped guide and inspire me.
I did my third year undergraduate project and a summer research placement with Dr Ruth Morse², an incredible scientist who embraces her femininity and breaks some of the stereotypes I held about researchers. She taught me that you can be who you are, be different, and do great science. She was a very important mentor to me, and that experience in her lab helped me understand more about research and what it feels like to be engrossed in your project.
There was also my PhD supervisor, Professor Mike Ladomery³, who was incredibly supportive and encouraging of me. When I told him I was going into the NHS, he told me to “keep thinking the way you think, always look for new ways to apply science.” Mike taught me a lot about being agile in how you develop your career and how to look for funding.
Both of them taught me different things and were important in teaching me what a good scientist is.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I have three main hobbies: crafting, cooking, and swimming. For crafting, I enjoy sewing, knitting, and painting. When it comes to cooking, I love to experiment with food and cook new things. I love cooking Asian food, from all over the continent, from a classic Rogan Josh, a Japanese ramen or a Chinese stir-fry.
Do you have any advice for someone interested in applying to the Sanger Excellence Fellowship?
My main advice is to apply. When I first saw the advert, I thought “this sounds amazing, but would they really take someone like me?”, and I wonder how many people say that about themselves. So, my first piece of advice is to ignore that voice and apply.
Other than that, I would recommend using this opportunity to share a narrative CV to really tell people your story. At times we can take for granted the things that we have been able to overcome to get to where we are, whether that be personal or professional. Be your own cheerleader, but also find someone else to be your cheerleader, because they will see things in you that you don’t.
If you could go anywhere in time and space, where would it be?
History is one of my interests outside of science, and there are two time periods that I would love to have experienced first-hand. One of these is the Roman Empire, specifically at the birth of the Empire during the rule of Emperor Augustus. Secondly, I would choose the rise of science and medicine in Arabic history. A lot of what was discovered in European history was known in Arabic history long before. I don’t think I could choose a specific era, but any of the great Institutes of learning within that. I would love to learn there, and I wonder if it’s comparable to how we do things now.
