CBU Lab Instructor Inspires Students with Story of Perseverance

 

One of CBU’s greatest assets is its faculty, which is a common sentiment from students past and present. Whether you study science, business, nursing, social work or history, you will find amazing teachers with a genuine interest in your success. Dr. Stacey D’Mello, a new faculty member at CBU, is no exception.

Dr. D’Mello joined CBU’s biology department this past September as a lab instructor in anatomy and physiology, primarily teaching nursing students. The small class sizes, supportive network of colleagues and diverse student population provided a welcoming environment and a sense of belonging for Dr. D’Mello. She approached her new role with a goal of inspiring students on their academic journeys not just as a scientist and an educator, but also by sharing her own story of challenge, determination and joy. As an immigrant woman of colour, a mother of a young child and a person with a disability, Dr. D’Mello says she identifies with many people who are working to overcome barriers in their educational pursuits. She is eager to be a role model for those who face similar challenges.

Born with a visual impairment, Dr. D’Mello recounts the grim outlook that doctors in India, where she was born, shared with her parents when she was a child. “Doctors suggested my prospects for learning and employment were none at all, advising my parents to start a trust fund because I would never work,” says Dr. D’Mello. Not willing to accept such outcomes, Dr. D’Mello’s mother became her greatest champion, filling in the gaps where resources were lacking.

“My mother would come to school and copy notes from the board for me,” recalls Dr. D’Mello. “Her unwavering love and support allowed me to not just keep up, but to excel in school.”

The family left India when Dr. D’Mello was 12 years old, relocating to New Zealand. It was in New Zealand that Dr. D’Mello says her confidence emerged and her determination prevailed. After completing graduate studies, she began working on a PhD in molecular medicine, while also serving as a lab instructor for undergraduate programs. The research component of her studies focused on melanoma.

“New Zealand has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world so I was excited to conduct research with the potential to advance medical discovery around the disease,” she explains. “Once you are immersed in research that can have an impact on so many people, it’s incredibly motivating to know you are making a difference.”

Following her interest in contributing to melanoma research, Dr. D’Mello accepted a post doctoral fellowship in at the University of Bergen in Norway. “Norway has the second highest rate of melanoma in the world so it was a wonderful opportunity to continue my research there,” she adds.

While the move introduced new challenges around language, it wasn’t a deterrent for Dr. D’Mello. “I remember feeling a little intimidated with navigating around a new city. But it wasn’t the most difficult challenge I ever had,” she explains. “I connected with a wonderful team of colleagues and forged ahead with learning the Norwegian language.”

As part of her fellowship, Dr. D’Mello had the opportunity to mentor graduate students, as well as those working on their doctoral studies. It was then that she realized how much she missed teaching and working with students.

“Teaching was part of a personal discovery for me. While research had been my singular focus for years, I knew that teaching was very rewarding and that I wanted it to be at least a facet of my career,” Dr. D’Mello shares.

However, it wasn’t time to step away from her role as a scientist just yet. As she continued with the cancer data collection and analysis related to her research at the University of Bergen, she had the opportunity to connect with a collaborator from the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston. Dr. Doug Lauffenburger, founder of the MIT Department of Biological Engineering, offered the opportunity to train in his lab, where she would gain data analysis skills to support her work in Norway. She accepted the opportunity to work at MIT as a visiting postdoctoral scholar.

“It was a great honour to train under Dr. Lauffenburger and his team,” says Dr. D’Mello. “It was something I never imagined but suddenly I was working with the world’s leading scientists.” This included Dr. Linda Griffith, internationally acclaimed in the field of biomedical engineering and recognized for her 1996 research collaboration on the Vacanti mouse, the laboratory mouse that had, what looked like, a human ear grown on its back. Dr. Griffith, who is now director of the Center for Gynepathology Research at the prestigious MIT, was conducting cutting-edge research on women’s health and in particular, endometriosis.

“To put this offer in perspective, Dr. Griffith has since been named by Time magazine as one of the most influential people in health in 2024,” Dr. D’Mello explains. “There was some overlap in my studies on cancer immune evasion and her work in the crosstalk between immune cells and those in the endometrium of women who have endometriosis, so it was a privilege to work with her.”

Upon conclusion of the one-year term as a visiting scholar at MIT, Dr. D’Mello considered new opportunities that were presented, including a one-year position with MIT, as well as an offer for another fellowship back in Norway. By this time, she had a young child, with family roots in Canada.

“With some new considerations guiding me, I wanted to have something that offered a consistent schedule, allowing a balance between career and family,” she explains.

Dr. D’Mello decided to follow a teaching track, finding herself venturing on a path toward Nova Scotia to join the faculty at Cape Breton University. She continues to inspire her students as a lab instructor, while connecting in-community to support local causes like the Every Women’s Centre.

CBU is thrilled to welcome Dr. Stacey D’Mello to Cape Breton and to the CBU community!