Leah Guthrie, PhD •  Gut Microbiologist

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I am a

gut microbiologist

Leah Guthrie, PhD

Presented by society for science
MY PATH

How I became a runner, outdoors enthusiast, and gut microbiologist.

MAJOR INFLUENCES

  • My Family

    My family has always been supportive of my journey through science. They sent me to summer science camps throughout my youth and shared unwavering support during my PhD and still today.

  • Growing up on an Island

    I grew up on St. Croix, surrounded by tropical rainforests and coral reefs. This sparked my love for nature and science!

  • My Microbiology Professor in College

    I had a great microbiology professor in college that got me excited about pursuing the field. She was great at teaching and really involved in the microbiology community.

  • Py Ladies

    When I was in graduate school in New York, I joined groups like the “Py Ladies”, which were people who were enthusiastic about learning to code. I leaned into events and communities to keep learning.

I grew up surrounded by nature.

The environments around me, particularly coral reefs, piqued my interest in science. Although I wasn’t exactly sure where I’d end up, it was enough to attract my attention to biology. I didn’t have a plan to become a scientist from a young age, but staying open to possibilities led me to find the meeting point of many of my interests.

Major Milestones

Growing Up in St. Croix

Growing up on an island was amazing because I got to constantly be outside. I loved exploring coral reefs in the ocean, hiking, and visiting historical sites. Spending time in nature inspired me to be curious about the world around me.

Choosing Swarthmore College

When it was time to choose where to go to school, I liked the idea of going to a smaller school so that I could try different things but still be near a big city full of opportunities, so I chose Swarthmore College near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Post-Doc at Stanford

After earning my PhD at Albert Einstein University in NYC, I moved to Stanford University where I was offered a post-doctoral fellowship. It gave me an opportunity to refine my research and keep developing my skills before launching my own lab at Berkeley.

Things I learned

along the way:

  • Your community is everything.

    I helped create a program at my university for people from underrepresented and low-income communities to navigate the challenges of higher education. Without a support network, mentors, or good friends and family, life is much more difficult.

  • Science can be a way to help others.

    For a long time, I was drawn to teaching because it was what I was familiar with and I wanted to make a positive impact. The deeper I got into research, the more I realized I could use computational and microbiological skills to help people in other important ways, like human health.

  • Being a good listener is important.

    I tend to be more on the quiet side, and I realized that wasn’t a bad thing. It gives me more opportunities to listen, and in the field of human health, being a good listener has made me more empathetic and open.

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PHOTOGRAPHER: Ella Sophie • Illustrator: Ana Latese

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