Society needs the talent and skills of both women and men to solve its most pressing challenges!
by Prof. Dr. Verena-Wilbeth Sailer; Universität zu Lübeck

Positive role models are key to gender equality! Still, at the senior level there are very few women. “It is my desire to inspire young women to pursue an education in science, technology engineering and maths. I am striving to be a positive role model for women starting out in science.” says Prof. Sailer. After working as a Research Fellow at the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine in New York, she completed her professorial dissertation titled “From Precise Diagnostics to Precision Medicine – The Role of Pathology” at the University of Lübeck in 2018 and went on to become a full professor in pathology in 2019. “I think a lot of women think pursuing a career in science will be too hard, which puts them off at those difficult junctures in life”, she adds.

Prof. Sailer’s research interests include molecular alterations of advanced and metastatic carcinomas, in particular prostate cancer. In her new position, Prof. Sailer wants to promote translational research at University of Lübeck with a special focus on the interdisciplinary expansion of precision medicine.

What are you most proud of in your career?
Being passionate about my work and being able to contribute to research that will make a real difference for cancer patients.

What advice would you give a young woman starting out on a career in science?
The single most important thing in my career was communicating my career goals. Don’t be afraid to be ambitious and talk to your mentor about your aims. And always sit at the table.