Entrevista a Dra. Laila Pamela Partida Martínez
Cell Press
Laila was first trained as a (Bio)Chemical Engineer at the Tec de Monterrey in Mexico and the University of Birmingham in the UK. She finished her PhD in Natural Products Chemistry and Microbiology in 2007 at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany, where she worked at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infections Biology Hans Knöll Institute. She started her research group at Cinvestav-Irapuato in Mexico in 2010, and since 2022 she has been its director.
What turned you on to biology in the first place? My path to biology was anything but direct. Indeed, my first dream was to become a ballet dancer. I started training in this direction in my early childhood (five years old). I planned to complete eight years of professional training at the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico City. However, I always kept in mind the desire and goal to study for another career, as life as an artist is uncertain, highly competitive, and complex. Then at university I enrolled in the chemical engineering school to mix science (chemistry, which I have loved since high school) with solving real problems (engineering). At that time I saw biology only as a descriptive science (with no math and predictions!). After my bachelor’s degree I worked as a consultant for three years in several different industries. During this enriching time I realized that I wanted to do science. I returned to university, first pursuing my master’s at the University of Birmingham in England and then my PhD in Jena, Germany. These experiences changed my life completely!