Name: Elvine PAMI NGUELEFACK-MBUYO

Position: Associate Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology
Leader of the research team on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases

Affiliation: University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon

What is your role at your work?

I am in charge of teaching and research. I supervise master's and Ph.D. students, and I lead the research team on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. As a coordinator of master's students, my duty is to assist students with their academic issues.

How did you get interested in your career path?

I come from a family where parents suffer from non-communicable diseases. My father had hypertension, and my mother is suffering from diabetes. So, engaging myself in a research domain targeting these conditions was for me a way of helping them manage their condition. Another point is that, there is a strong reliance on medicinal plants in my area due to the insufficient income of populations. This practice of plant-based medicine is done without any control exposing the populations to abuses. So I decided to study the efficacy and safety of plants used in Cameroonian folk medicine for the management of hypertension and diabetes. My overall goal is to help people access safe and effective plant-based treatment in the one hand, and to discover new, effective and well-tolerated active principles.

What are you most proud of in your career or otherwise?

I am proud of all I have achieved so far. I am particularly proud of having set up a research laboratory (together with my close collaborator) and a research team and contributing to shaping the next generation of scientists. These make me feel useful.

What important career challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?

The great challenge I faced and that I am still facing is to equip my laboratory. I won a few research grants that helped me purchase some equipment and reagents. At times, I used my personal funds.
Another big challenge is to combine my professional career and my family life. Navigating between my role as a wife, mother, and researcher is a huge task. It needs a lot of self-discipline and a strong mindset.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Connect with good people. Take advantage of every chance that comes your way. Trust in yourself and don't let anyone push you down. Avoid procrastination and keep in mind that the only way to success is hard work.

Highlight your most significant research contributions and publications (3-5) - if relevant to
you.

Have you had any significant career mentors?

Two people have played a crucial role in my career development. The first one is my husband who has consistently supported me, and I am lucky I can count on him. The second one is my Ph.D. supervisor, who has always encouraged me. I am very grateful to them.

How can we support the next generation of women scientists?

Encourage them to pursue their dreams despite challenges. Help them realize their strength and teach them to first count on themselves before counting on others. Serve as a role model for them and offer them mentorship. Building a nursery within each university or research institute will surely shorten the duration of career breaks for women after giving birth.