You Think What You Eat: Link between malnutrition, DNA and mental health - Week 7

Week 7: A Strong Female Power

by Riana Balahadia

There have been several interesting people working with me this summer. However, the most inspiring and determined person I’ve met would have to be Dr. Janina Galler. Dr. Galler is the director and brains behind the Barbados Nutrition Study and is essentially my “boss.” Over 42 years ago, she came up with the premise of a having a longitudinal study to determine the effects of early malnutrition in Barbadian children. Today, that study (the Barbados Nutrition Study) has had numerous publications on novel findings about different topics, and acts as a reference for present research. It currently collaborates with other labs and professionals to gain a consummate view of perinatal malnutrition’s effects on later life. Indeed, founding and managing such a large, complicated study are enough reasons to admire someone. Yet it is Dr. Galler’s personal story and dual role as a supportive mother that connect with me most.

As a young girl, Dr. Galler immigrated to the United States from Sweden with her parents. Her parents spoke little English and knew little about the US—let alone what Harvard was. Neither was educated beyond elementary school, but both worked hard to give their children an education. It seems that Dr. Galler was greatly motivated by her interest in research from a young age. In fact, she led a life that would make every pre-med I know gape! Driven by pure curiosity she: began research in high school, finished undergraduate college in 2 years summa cum laude, led her own laboratory during her first year in medical school (at 19 years old), and was offered a grant by the National Institute of Health to do work in a developing country. This is also at a time where women were a rare presence in medicine and higher education. Now, despite her full-time job, Dr. Galler is also a dedicated mother to her three beautiful daughters—all of whom have impressive resumes as well. And I mean impressive. I can only image the dedication and time needed to accomplish her milestones. But after getting to know Dr. Galler, I can understand how her determined personality makes it possible.

Learning about Dr. Galler, as an immigrant and mother, really speaks to me on a personal level. My mother is a Filipino immigrant and a single mother. She completed her medical degree in the Philippines, but was unable to practice in the United States because she had to care for me. Despite our struggles, I consider myself to be very close to my mother and am appreciative of her hard work. Dr. Galler’s story lets me know that it is possible to be successful in the medical field and still be an involved mother. In addition, she shows that it is possible to work in a developing country in nutrition but still live in the States (I’ve toyed with the idea of working in the Philippines on nutrition). Overall, I am motivated by Dr. Galler’s story and success, and wish to strive for the same in my own life.

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About the Blogger

Riana Balahadia is studying Human Evolutionary Biology with a secondary in Global Health & Health Policy and pre-med in Kirkland House at Harvard (class of 2014).  During the semester she enjoys singing with the Veritones, a premier co-ed a capella group, and planning activities for Harvard Philippine Forum and the Undergraduate Global Health Forum. This summer she will be living in Winthrop as part of the SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship) Program hosted by the Global Health Institute. Her mentor is Dr. Janina R. Galler, who has been working on the Barbados Nutrition Study (BNS) for the past 40 years. Riana's primary research will be on linking malnutrition and epigenetics to mental health, and then comparing that information with the BNS cohort in Barbados.