Jerelle Joseph grew up in Dominica, an island nation in the Caribbean Sea. Her mother worked as a nurse and her father was a jack-of-all-trades, with jobs including teacher, shopkeeper, politician, and fisherman. Joseph describes her parents as very intelligent and gifted people who had few opportunities, especially where higher education was concerned. “Importantly, they both placed a huge emphasis on education and stressed that my sisters and I did well at school. My father pushed us to become independent, critical thinkers,” she shares. “For instance, although he was more than able to help us with our schoolwork, he rarely did. He would encourage us to ‘read a book’ and figure it out ourselves. My mom was very supportive of our academic development; I often recall during my exam period she would stay up late at night with me while I studied.”
For the last two years of secondary school, students in the Caribbean choose the subjects that they will study for the Caribbean Examination Council exam, and Joseph was encouraged to study science. “Physics was my favorite science subject, particularly because my first physics teacher was amazing at explaining challenging concepts,” she says. “In college I fell in love with chemistry due to two fantastic chemistry teachers.” She was the first in her immediate family to attend university, enrolling at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill Campus, Barbados to study chemistry and mathematics. “For my undergraduate thesis, I decided to do a theoretical chemistry project with Professor Sean McDowell at the UWI. It turned out to be an excellent fit for me,” Joseph states. “We were using quantum mechanical approaches to study a special type of noncovalent interaction—halogen bonding.”
After completing her bachelor’s degree, she stayed on to work on a master’s degree with McDowell. “During my [master’s degree studies] I grew interested in bio-related research topics, and so when the time came to decide what I would read for a PhD, I gravitated towards projects on proteins,” she recalls. She attended the University of Cambridge for her PhD, in the group of David Wales as a Gates Cambridge Scholar. “My PhD work was focused on studying protein folding. Specifically, I studied intrinsically disordered proteins and proteins that undergo large-scale structural rearrangements (metamorphic proteins). The conformational space of these types of proteins are traditionally difficult to explore via classical simulation approaches. I, therefore, developed computational biophysics techniques—within the potential energy landscape framework—to interrogate these systems,” she explains.
For her postdoctoral studies, she worked in the group of Rosana Collepardo-Guevara and as a research fellow at King’s College, Cambridge. “I studied how intracellular compartments arise via phase separation. In contrast to organelles such as the nucleus and mitochondria that are enclosed by membranes, the most widespread compartments inside cells completely lack physical membranes. These compartments, often referred to as biomolecular condensates, are thought to be formed and sustained via the physical chemistry of phase separation, analogous to oil droplets in water,” Joseph describes. “While the idea of phase separation inside cells is transformative, there are several open questions as it relates to the mechanistic details of this process in the context of spatiotemporal organization within cells. During my postdoctoral studies, I developed multiscale computer simulation approaches to elucidate the physicochemical underpinnings of phase separation inside cells and to characterize biomolecular condensates.”
Joseph started her new position as an assistant professor in chemical and biological engineering at Princeton University in January 2023. “The Joseph Group’s research focuses on understanding and engineering intracellular compartments (specifically biomolecular condensates), through the development of quantitative multiscale computer models,” she explains. “Particularly, we are interested in the structural and dynamic characterizing protein–RNA compartments: probing how these compartments form under periods of stress, how the material properties of such compartments evolve over time and their implications in disease states, and how we can regulate the properties and functions of these structures with exquisite control.”
“My academic career, thus far, has been largely guided by an eagerness to elucidate the underpinnings of biomolecular self-assembly and organization. These questions are both intriguing and challenging,” Joseph offers. “Interrogating such biological phenomena through the lens of physics has cultivated interdisciplinary and collaborative research spaces, which are breeding grounds for revolutionary discoveries. This inherent nature of biophysics is, in my opinion, quite compelling.”
“As a Black woman in biophysics, I am often the only Black person in many academic settings. In the early stages of my PhD, the lack of diversity in science had quite a negative impact on me—dealing with impostor syndrome and feelings of isolation,” she shares. “However, these transformative experiences drove me to identify tangible ways that I can contribute to promoting diversity and inclusion in academia. In my own experience, having supportive mentors has been pivotal in helping me navigate these and many other challenges in academia.”
In order to help trainees from her own background to find supportive mentors, in 2017 she launched CariScholar, a program to connect Caribbean students to Caribbean mentors in their field of study. She also enjoys mentoring and working with students. “I find it particularly rewarding to witness students grow into their own and become more confident, independent academics. I have benefited enormously from having excellent mentors; thus, aspiring to be a supportive mentor myself is one way of paying it forward.”
Joseph attended her first in-person Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in 2022 in San Francisco, for which she received a travel award to offset some of her costs. “I think initiatives like this are very important in promoting equality, access, and inclusion in academia,” she says. “In addition to this, I received a Postdoctoral Award from the [Intrinsically Disordered Proteins] Subgroup. Awards such as this are instrumental in increasing the visibility of early career researchers.”
The meeting was a wonderful experience for her. “I recall sitting in a room with so many people that inspired me; that was very special! It was incredibly invaluable to hear first-hand accounts of people’s work, to interact with leaders and pioneers in biophysics, to share ideas, and forge new connections,” Joseph states.
She has helpful advice for those just starting their careers in biophysics. “Read widely and deeply. The field is moving at such a fast pace that it is important to stay abreast with the literature. Find good mentors and find them early. Take time to vet potential advisors and mentors. Having a supportive mentor in your corner is invaluable!” Lastly, she suggests: “Talk to researchers with other expertise. It’s easy to stay in your own bubble but the most exciting work in biophysics happens at the intersection of disciplines. So talk to other researchers, forge collaborations, learn alternative perspectives.”