Let’s Make the Change! Understanding Diabetes in Women with Dr. Stacey Gorniak

Research suggests that diabetes affects men and women quite differently! But did you know that the current standard treatment for type 2 diabetes is exactly the same for both men and women? Well, today’s guest Dr. Stacey Gorniak is on a mission to change that! Listen in as she dives into the key findings her research group has uncovered surrounding sex-based differences in diabetes. Plus, hear about her journey to becoming an associate professor and catch her best tips for early career researchers and postdocs who are considering a career in academia!

You can connect with Stacey on Twitter @ProfGorniak.

Episode Highlights:

8:23 Dr. Stacey chats about how her internship in the biomechanics lab at a children's hospital led her to fall in love with the field of biomechanics.

9:54 Dr. Stacey dives into the makeup of her current research team and the large collaborative research piece she is a part of that brings a lot of different techniques together to try to understand type 2 diabetes, which she considers to be a non-traditional movement disorder.

12:07 Dr. Stacey explains the sex-based differences associated with the presentation of type 2 diabetes. She explains how women were previously excluded from biomedical studies, which means that more research needs to be done in order to better understand the sex disparities and health outcomes.

15:20 Dr. Stacey discusses the tools such as treadmills and infrared cameras that she uses in her lab to collect data.

20:15 Dr. Stacey uncovers the essential, critical skills that she looks for when she is bringing someone on to her research team.

28:48 Dr. Stacey discusses her love for the academic environment that led her to ultimately decide to pursue a career in academic research.

30:51 Dr. Stacey opens up about her job search process in 2009, which was right after the 2008 crash. She explains how the timing was not ideal because there were not many jobs available in the years following the recession as most institutions had frozen hiring.