Helen Mentor spotlight: Kimberly Stegmaier, MD
Kimberly Stegmaier, MD, a Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, a Principal Investigator in Pediatric Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, along with a host of other impressive roles, didn’t always think this would be her future career. Also trained professionally as a ballet dancer, Dr. Stegmaier didn’t initially see a physician-scientist as a viable career path for herself, a common occurrence for a lot of women interested in this space. Without a proper amount of representation, women become deterred from pursuing these roles that need them.
“I am a pediatric oncologist and physician-scientist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I run a laboratory focused on the identification of new therapeutic targets in pediatric cancers using functional and chemical genomics approaches while also providing clinical care for children with cancer at Dana-Farber and Boston Children’s Hospital. Over the years, I have taken on new leadership roles such as the Vice Chair of Pediatric Oncology Research and the Co-Director of the Pediatric Hematologic Malignancies Program. I am leading several large-scale scientific projects such as the Pediatric Cancer Dependency Map Accelerator, a National Institutes of Health-funded U54 Center for Therapeutic Targeting of EWS-oncoproteins, and a Stand Up to Cancer Pediatric Catalyst Team. The fact that two of my trainees are now running their own laboratories at Dana-Farber makes me wildly proud.”
Dr. Stegmaier describes the Helen Gurley Brown Presidential Initiative as “brilliant,” particularly since the program was designed and created out of necessity to support the advancement and growth of early career women in science.
“I do not know of another program quite like it – one that provides funding support to early career women in science mentored by women faculty members…while simultaneously building a larger community to support women in science. Tremendous progress has been made in leveling the playing field for women in science, but we still face many challenges.”
Securing funding as a young investigator and researcher can be extremely challenging due to a host of barriers and obstacles. Many women who have found success really value and credit the relationships they have fostered over the years, particularly a strong relationship with their mentors. This is precisely why mentorship is at the heart of the HGB Initiative. Dr. Stegmaier further shared, “I would not be where I am today were it not for my fantastic mentors. To me, mentoring is one of the greatest joys of this career path. There is something wonderful about sharing the excitement of a mentee’s first successful grant application or their first manuscript.”
The most enriching mentor relationships are the ones that are mutually beneficial for both participants. When reflecting on what she has learned from her Helen Fellows she’s collaborated with over the years, Dr. Stegmaier reminisces, “‘If you love something, set it free….’ It can be tempting to project your own biases and vision for the path a trainee should pursue. However, it is critical to be impartial, to the best of one’s ability, and to support what the mentee believes is the best path to their happiness.”
Jana Ellegast, MD was a Helen Fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Stegmaier and an active member of the 2020-2022 HGB Presidential Initiative cohort. Dr. Ellegast received her Doctor of Medicine from Technical University and Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany where she also completed a research doctorate in immunology. She then pursued medical residency training in internal medicine at the University Hospital Ulm (Germany), followed by a medical oncology fellowship at the University Hospital Zurich (Switzerland).
Throughout her time as a Helen Fellow, Dr. Ellegast identified cell-intrinsic hyper-inflammation as a novel vulnerability in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This has opened a new pathway to finding treatments for patients with AML, which continues to have a very poor prognosis. Moreover, this seminal finding lays the foundation for Dr. Ellegast’s future independent research program and resulted in a first-author publication in the prestigious journal Cancer Discovery in July 2022. In recognition of her professional achievements, Dr. Ellegast was promoted to Instructor in Medicine at Dana-Farber and Harvard Medical School in September 2022.
In addition to her innovative research and mentorship of trainees, Dr. Ellegast is a mother to three young children. She is presently planning the next steps of her independent research career and, with the support of Dr. Stegmaier, recently submitted her first application for a faculty position. Per Dr. Stegmaier, moments like these are what she is most proud of. “What is truly most valuable are the successes created through many moments – the joy in the manuscript finally accepted, the dream job offer… to witness these moments, like a proud parent, is the greatest gift.”
We are so glad both the Helen Mentor/Fellow program within the Helen Gurley Brown Presidential Initiative was able to foster this special connection and so many other meaningful relationships. The ripple effect is undeniable. We are continually impressed and inspired by everyone involved in this groundbreaking, and innovative program in partnership between the HGB Foundation and Dana-Farber!