My career in science began without a plan. I was born in Italy, in a small village in the hills of Tuscany, and moved to Sweden with my family when I was ten. The education I received there changed what I could imagine for myself. At my girls' school in Eskilstuna, the headmistress highlighted the importance of having a profession and being financially independent. I excelled in mathematics while my passion was art. Becoming a scientist was still far from my mind.
After high school, I spent a gap year in Cambridge, England, supporting myself by working as a cleaner at Addenbrooke's Hospital. Meeting university students encouraged me to continue my education. I returned to Sweden to study chemical engineering, graduated, got married, and returned to Cambridge in 1969. While looking for a job, I responded to a local newspaper advertisement for a research assistant position at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB). I was interviewed by Aaron Klug, the 1982 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry.
I knew very little about molecular biology. Aaron asked about my studies and which subjects I had enjoyed. I said physical chemistry, which was probably a good answer to give a physicist. He offered me a position working on the structure of transfer RNA, the molecule that helps translate genetic information into proteins. That encounter opened up a world I scarcely knew existed. I would remain at the LMB for more than forty years.
What mattered about the scientific world was the way people worked together. Technicians attended group meetings alongside senior scientists. We used first names, and asking a question could take you down the corridor to someone with quite different expertise. Aaron assigned me difficult tasks; however, it gave me the opportunity to think for myself. I learned through experiments, reading, and listening to people argue about results. Being surrounded by so many exceptional scientists was inspiring; but being allowed to contribute was what made it an education.
Seeing the electron-density map that revealed the structure of transfer RNA was when I fell in love with science and structural biology. After years of hard work and setbacks, we could begin to see how a molecule's shape explained its function. Later, I became involved in the structure determination of the nucleosome, the building block of eukaryotic chromosomes. Our work on elucidating the structure of the nucleosome earned Karolin Luger, Timothy Richmond and me the 2023 World Laureates Association (WLA) Prize in Life Science or Medicine. These projects taught me that discoveries require patience and time, and showed me how much they depend on the practical skill and imagination of people working together.
I completed my PhD in 1981 and became a tenured group leader at the LMB in 1987. My experience has made me attentive to the opportunities institutions offer people whose careers don't follow a standard sequence. A new mother with considerable research experience should be able to build on that experience. Looking back, the practical support I received mattered enormously. Encouragement helped because it gave me a workable way to continue.
During my later work with the European Molecular Biology Organization, I became aware of the challenges faced by women in science, particularly in how their achievements were assessed and recognized. Stereotypes about how a successful scientist should look or sound like can affect judgments of ability. Institutions need to critically examine their promotion and appointment procedures, and ensure women are active in these decisions. These practical changes benefit everyone and foster true equality. While advice to individual women is valuable, conditions in which they work also need attention.
To a young woman considering a career in science, I would say: find a question that interests you enough to keep thinking about it, even when experiments are difficult. Look carefully at the people and the laboratory you might join. Are junior researchers encouraged to ask questions? Do supervisors genuinely listen to their ideas? Will you have the chance to learn and develop your own research? A supportive and open scientific environment can profoundly shape your career. Surround yourself with colleagues who value your work and are willing to discuss both challenges and successes with honesty.
Continue exploring beyond the boundaries of your current project. My background in chemistry helped me solve problems in biology, while my work on RNA shaped my understanding of DNA. Much of my research on telomeres and G-quadruplexes came from following unexpected leads. You must cultivate both the expertise to recognize intriguing results and the confidence to pursue them. Remain open-minded and ready to adjust your perspective when experiments yield surprising outcomes.
Participating in the World Laureates Forum in Shanghai gave me an opportunity to discuss scientific careers with others and inspire the next generation of researchers. While these meetings are valuable opportunities for exchange, they represent just one aspect of a country's scientific landscape. The conditions I value are the same wherever research takes place: time to think, reliable support, and the freedom to question an explanation and follow the evidence.
There have been many changes since I first stepped foot into a laboratory. Research methods have become extraordinarily powerful, yet a scientific career still depends on the ability to ask worthwhile questions and find ways to answer them. I remain grateful to those who gave me these opportunities and to the students and colleagues who have been a part of this path. My hope is that young women approach science with a sense of possibility, confident that there is room for different personalities and different paths. A life in research can be demanding and absorbing, but it can also be a great pleasure.
Daniela Rhodes is a structural biologist whose work focuses on chromosome structure and function. She shared the 2023 WLA Prize in Life Science or Medicine with Karolin Luger and Timothy J. Richmond for elucidating the nucleosome structure at atomic resolution.
The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of China Focus.
